Collagen is one of the hottest terms in the skin care world. After all, it is the cornerstone of your complexion. While collagen has many benefits for your skin, including anti-aging properties, it helps to understand how the ingredient works so you can effectively incorporate it into your beauty routine.
"Collagen is a large protein found in different systems [in the body], including bones, skin, hair, nails, cartilage and joints," says Dr. Daniel Sugai, MD, of Seattle. Dermatologist. He explains that, essentially, collagen is the glue that holds the dermis, also known as the second layer of skin, together.
When you're young, your skin contains high levels of collagen, which contributes to a youthful appearance, Sugai says. But as you age, your collagen levels start to decrease over the years (simply due to aging) and an enzyme called collagenase starts to break down the natural collagen stores in your skin for a variety of reasons, such as excessive alcohol consumption, pollution exposure Or sun exposure, which can cause damage — which can lead to wrinkling and sagging, he told Bustle.
Enter: Incorporate collagen into your supplement rotation, diet, or beauty routine. And, since collagen is made up of fibrous protein that supports the body's connective tissue, doing this can also benefit your bones and joints (if you take it instead of applying something topically).
From topical serums to smoothie powders, there are ways to boost collagen levels for ultimate skin health—here's everything you need to know.
Collagen Benefits for Skin
According to Sugai, collagen has anti-aging benefits because the accumulation of protein tightens the skin. "When you don't have collagen, your skin sag and there's less structural support — things just fall out," he says. The more collagen you have in your body, the healthier and tighter your skin will be.
Similar to the effect that collagen has on skin strength and firmness, so too is its effect on skin tone elasticity. Because increasing and supporting your collagen levels means you get more structural support through the protein, research shows it can also improve your skin's elasticity - meaning it's more able to bounce back when moved or stretched.
Another way collagen benefits skin? According to Dr. Orit Markowitz, board-certified dermatologist and founder of OptiSkin, it improves the skin's ability to recover from trauma and heal wounds more effectively. "Any form of trauma to certain areas of the skin, such as the dermis, promotes collagen formation," she says. "So if you suddenly get a big wound, your wound will heal better if you have more collagen reserves." Ever wonder what the mechanism behind microneedling is? By using small needles in your skin, it creates micro-trauma that stimulates your collagen to naturally reorganize itself to repair itself.
How to increase collagen production
Topical retinoic acid
Sugai is a big fan of using topical tretinoin to increase collagen production in the skin. At night (not during the day, since retinol can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight), he recommends using a retinoid-based cream. "[Retinol] tells your fibroblasts [collagen-secreting cells] to produce more collagen in your dermis," he says. He says you'll get the best results if you use it consistently during your nightly skin care routine.
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair® Regenerating Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Cream Neutrogena
Vitamin C and Antioxidant Serum
Research shows that vitamin C and antioxidants support collagen growth, so using a serum containing these ingredients can help protect your skin. Sugai recommends adding vitamin C or an antioxidant-rich serum to your morning routine to "fight free radicals produced by exposure to pollution, smog, or sunlight throughout the day."
Galore's Garden Vitamin C Serum Ayele & Co
sunscreen
Markowitz says when collagen is depleted, often due to UV rays, it damages the fibers within the skin, speeding up the aging process. Her tip? Wearing sunscreen can help reverse these effects. "If you're really good at protecting your skin from the sun, you'll actually see more healthy collagen over time," she says. Sugai recommends using sunscreen with SPF 30 or above and reapplying it every one to two hours—even on cloudy days.
SPF 30 Brightening Moisturizer Bolden
Gummies and oral supplements
You can find collagen supplements in everything from gummies to pills and powders. Studies have found that oral collagen supplements can increase skin density, while other studies have improved skin elasticity. The type of supplement you get depends entirely on your taste: You can chew two gummies a day, mix collagen powder into water or coffee, or add some oral supplements to your routine.
Vitauthority Plant Collagen Powder
Collagen Support Foods
According to Markowitz, when you include foods rich in vitamin C and antioxidants in your diet, it helps protect your collagen levels and promotes its turnover. "Antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by free radicals," she says. "Free radicals often cause irreversible damage to the skin and lead to collagen depletion." Look for rich sources of antioxidants to add to your plate, such as leafy greens, vegetables and berries.
Research references:
Bolke, L., Schlippe, G., Gerß, J., & Voss, W. (2019). Collagen supplementation improves skin hydration, elasticity, roughness, and density: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study. Nutrients , https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102494
Boyar, V. (2019). Collagen: Provides the key to the wound healing kingdom. Wound Management and Prevention, https://www.o-wm.com/article/collagen-providing-key-wound-healing-kingdom.
Choi FD et al., (2019). Oral collagen supplements: a systematic review of dermatological applications. J Drugs Dermatol, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/.
Clark KL et al. A 24-week study on the use of hydrolyzed collagen as a dietary supplement to treat athletes with activity-related joint pain. Current Medical Research Opinion. 2008 May;24(5):1485-96. Number: 10.1185/030079908x291967. Epub April 15, 2008. PMID: 18416885.
Edgar, S., et al., (2018). Effects of collagen-derived bioactive peptides and natural antioxidant compounds on proliferation and matrix protein synthesis in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts. Scientific Reports , https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28492-w.
Ganceviciene, R. et al. (2012). Anti-Aging Strategies for Skin. Dermal Endocrinology , https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.22804.
Goodman, G. D., Kaufman, J., Day, D., Weiss, R., Kawata, A. K., Garcia, J. K., Santangelo, S., & Gallagher, C. J. (2019). Effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on facial aging in women: Results from a large multinational, multiethnic, cross-sectional survey. Journal of Clinical and Cosmetic Dermatology , 12 (8), 28–39.
Holmbeck, K. &. Birkedal-Hansen, H. (2013), Collagenase, Encyclopedia of Biochemistry, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-378630-2.00008-6.
Jariashvili, K. et al., (2012). UV damage to collagen: insights from the collagen peptide model. Biopolymers , https://doi.org/10.1002/bip.21725.
König, D., Oesser, S., Scharla, S., Zdzieblik, D., & Gollhofer, A. (2018). Specific collagen peptides improve bone mineral density and bone markers in postmenopausal women - a randomized controlled study. Nutrients , 10 (1), 97. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010097
Knuutinen A, Kokkonen N, Risteli J, Vähäkangas K, Kallioinen M, Salo T, Sorsa T, Oikarinen A. Smoking affects collagen synthesis and extracellular matrix turnover in human skin. Br J Dermatol. 2002 Apr;146(4):588-94. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.2002.04694.x. Phone number: 11966688.
Pullar, JM, Carr, AC, & Vissers, M. (2017). The role of vitamin C in skin health. Nutrients , https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9080866.
Rangaraj A., et al. (2011), Role of collagen in wound management. Wounds UK, https://www.woundsinternational.com/uploads/resources/content_10039.pdf.
Shanbhag, S., et al. (2019). Anti-aging and sunscreen: a paradigm shift in cosmetics. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin , https://doi.org/10.15171/apb.2019.042.
Singh, A., and Yadav, S. (2016). Microneedling: Progress and broadening horizons. Indian Journal of Dermatology Online , https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-5178.185468.
Wilcott, A. (2012). Environmental influences on skin aging and race-specific manifestations. Dermatologic Endocrinology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583881/
Wu M, Cronin K, Crane JS. (2020), Biochemistry, Collagen Synthesis. StatPearls Press, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507709/.
Zasada, M., & Buziz, E. (2019). Retinoids: active molecules influencing the formation of skin structure in cosmetic and dermatological treatments, Postepy dermatologii i alergologii , https://doi.org/10.5114/ada.2019.87443.
expert:
Dr. Orit Markowitz, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of OptiSkin
Dr. Daniel Sugai, MD, Seattle dermatologist
