Collagen is something that we hear about all of the time on beauty adverts for creams and serums that are “guaranteed” to make you look younger, but none of these beauty companies ever actually took the time to explain to us what collagen is or what it does (so we’re going to cover it all for them).
Collagen is a protein that is found in all of the body’s tissues, including the skin, and is the main component of the connective tissue, which provides structure and support to the skin. Collagen also helps to keep the skin hydrated and elastic, and works hand in hand with elastin to keep your skin looking young and fresh.
As we age, our bodies naturally begin to produce less collagen (just another of the downsides of getting old). This can lead to the development of wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging. The good news though is that there are a number of things that you can do to help boost your collagen production, including diet, exercise, topical treatments and our range of non-surgical aesthetic treatments that are designed to restore youthfulness to the skin.
What are the benefits of collagen for the skin?
There are range of benefits of collagen for the skin, including:
- Improved skin elasticity: Collagen helps to keep the skin elastic, which means that it can stretch and rebound without breaking. This helps to prevent the development of wrinkles and sagging skin.
- Increased skin hydration: Collagen helps to keep the skin hydrated by attracting water molecules. This helps to keep the skin looking plump and youthful.
- Reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles: Collagen can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by plumping up the skin and filling in the gaps.
- Improved skin texture: Collagen can help to improve the overall texture of the skin by making it smoother and more even.
- Protection from sun damage: Collagen helps to protect the skin from sun damage by absorbing UV rays. This helps to prevent the development of wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of sun damage.
Collagen does so much more than just helping your skin though, it also plays an important role in the health of your bones and joints. Ensuring that you’re getting the right amount of collagen to the right places is really important, especially as you get older, to make sure that you can keep yourself feeling young and moving freely.
How to boost collagen production
There are a number of things that you can do to boost collagen production, such as eating a diet rich in collagen-boosting foods, including:
- Bone broth: Bone broth is a great source of collagen. It is made by simmering bones and connective tissue in water for a long period of time. This process releases the collagen into the broth.
- Gelatin: Gelatin is a form of collagen that is derived from animal bones and hides. It can be added to food or drinks, or it can be taken as a supplement.
- Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits are a good source of vitamin C, which is essential for collagen production.
- Green leafy vegetables: Green leafy vegetables are a good source of antioxidants, which can help to protect collagen from damage.
After the food side of things, there are some other things that you can do as well to help promote the supply of collagen beneath the surface. Exercise is a great way to stay in good physical shape, but it also helps to increase blood flow to the skin, which can help to boost collagen production. Getting the right amount of sleep is a good idea too, as sleep is essential for collagen production. When you sleep, your body produces more growth hormone, which is a hormone that helps to stimulate collagen production. If you’re a smoker then you might want to take another look at that pack of cigarettes before lighting another too, as smoking actually damages collagen, so it is important to avoid smoking if you want to boost collagen production.
What about collagen supplements?
Collagen supplements are a popular way to boost collagen production. They are available in a variety of forms, including powders, capsules, and liquids.
There is some evidence to suggest that collagen supplements can be effective in improving skin health. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.
If you are considering taking collagen supplements, talk to your doctor first. They can help you to determine if collagen supplements are right for you and can recommend a reputable brand.
Collagen is an important protein that plays a vital role in skin health. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, which can lead to the development of wrinkles, sagging skin, and other signs of aging. There are a number of things that you can do to boost collagen production, including eating a diet rich in collagen-boosting foods, exercising, getting enough sleep, and protecting your skin from the sun. You can also consider taking collagen supplements.
If you are concerned about your skin health, talk to your doctor. They can help you to develop a skin care plan that is right for you. You can also talk to a member of our team about the range of collagen boosting, non-surgical aesthetic treatments that we are able to offer.
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