Complete Guide To Collagen In Skin Care
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a smaller type of protein that aids in the formation of our tissues and organs, such as our bones, muscles, skin, and teeth. The Greek word "kolla," which means "glue," is the source of this structural protein's name (a helpful hint for the role it plays in the body). Collagen is a protein that helps our cells and tissues maintain their form, flexibility, and strength by binding them together.
The dermis (the second layer of the skin) is where the bulk of collagen is discovered and created. Fibroblasts produce collagen strands that resemble lengthy braids or ropes in this area. Individual amino acids link up to form long chains, which bundle together to make thicker strands, according to SELF. To form triple helices, these strands twist and coil around each other. Finally, the helices are connected end to end and stacked on top of one another to produce fibrils.” The collagen network formed by these fibrils provides the skin with its underlying structure and support.
3 Types Of Collagen
There are 28 different forms of collagen in the human body, although Type I, II, and III are the most common. Up to 90% of the body's total collagen supply is made up of these three types. The following is a list of how they differ:
Collagen Type I
Collagen type I is the most common and provides structural support to our bones, organs, and connective tissues (including the skin). It has a high elasticity and can extend a long way without breaking. Type I collagen fibrils are five to 10 times stronger than steel, according to an MIT study.
Collagen Type II
The building block of cartilage is type II collagen. Type II collagen is more jumbled than Type I collagen, which is neatly structured. This arrangement provides cartilage its springy, flexible quality, allowing it to compress and cushion our joints with ease.
Collagen Type III
Bone marrow and lymph tissues have the highest concentrations of type III collagen. Its slender fibers are grouped in branches to assist specific cells involved in the production of blood cells. It is frequently present in the skin alongside Type I collagen and plays an important role in wound healing.
What Does Collagen Do For Skin?
For good reason, collagen is the most abundant protein in the skin. This structural protein keeps the skin tight, plump, and youthful by providing strength, support, and elasticity. Let's take a closer look at how collagen can help your skin.
Provides Support & Structure
Collagen fibers are responsible for holding tissue together. They act as powerful columns that hold up and support the top layer of skin because to their strong, braid-like nature. These columns give the firmness and stiffness that keeps your skin tightened and lifted while you're young. This long-lasting foundation keeps your skin looking young. As skin loses elasticity and collagen production, sagging skin is a natural component of the aging process.
Keeps Skin Firm & Plump
Collagen is located in the dermis, the middle layer of skin that provides it volume, solidity, and bounce, alongside elastin and hyaluronic acid. These components work together to create a tight, flexible collagen network that maintains skin firm, plump, and smooth. Collagen maintains the skin from sagging and prevents the folding and creasing that causes fine lines and wrinkles when it is abundant.
Improves Elasticity
You know how young skin has a spring and bounce to it? Collagen is to thank for that. Collagen increases the skin's flexibility and suppleness in addition to keeping it tight and lush. Not only does this assist to prevent wrinkles, but it also helps to lessen the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite.
Why Do We Lose Collagen?
When we're young, our skin has a lot of collagen, but as we get older, it starts to deteriorate. “Our skin has a precise balance between collagen production and collagen breakdown,” says Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a triple board-certified, fellowship-trained cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon based in New York. Collagen can take up to six months to produce in our bodies. Corticosteroids slow the formation of new collagen and speed up the degradation of old collagen as we age.” The acceleration of this process is accelerated even more by exposure to environmental stresses. Stress, as well as unhealthy lifestyle practices (such as smoking and a high sugar intake), Blue light and pollution UV rays produce free radical damage, which hastens the loss of collagen. Every year, we lose about 1% of our collagen by the time we reach our twenties.
The Result: Visible Signs Of Aging
The physical indicators of aging appear quickly when we lose more collagen than we make. Collagen that has been damaged can no longer give the structural support that our skin requires, and as a result, our skin becomes thinner, droops, and develops fine lines and wrinkles.
“When collagen is strong, your skin bounces immediately back,” says SHAPE. Repeated movements, on the other hand, generate permanent creases if collagen is poor. Because there isn't enough collagen in the skin to fill in the groove, you can see a line even if you're not squinting or furrowing, and it's no longer dense enough to resist gravity.”
Ingredients That Stimulate Collagen Production
With collagen's multiple skin benefits, it's no surprise that it's become a popular element in skin care. Collagen in skin care, on the other hand, isn't as simple as adding it to a list of ingredients. Continue reading to find out why.
The Problem With Size
Collagen's major flaw (pun intended) is its sheer bulk. “Pure collagen molecules are too big to be absorbed by the body as-is,” Dr. Joshua Zeichner tells The Zoe Report. These helpful proteins can't permeate the skin because of their size. Instead, dermatologists advise using topical treatments that contain substances like peptides, retinol, and Vitamin C, which help to encourage and protect your skin's natural collagen synthesis.
Peptides
Collagen peptides are found in several topical therapies to help with size. Because they may pass through the outer layer of the skin, these short chains of amino acids are more easily absorbed by the skin. Peptides give the skin's fibroblasts with the building blocks they need to make new collagen once they reach the dermis. We can actually trick the skin into producing more of this crucial protein by using peptides in skin care products.
Retinol
Another topical substance that promotes collagen synthesis in the skin is retinol. “Both retinoic acid and retinol ‘turn on' genes and cells involved in collagen production,” according to SHAPE. They also aid in the organization of both new and existing collagen.”
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, for example, serves a dual purpose: it both stimulates collagen creation and protects it against depletion in the future. Vitamin C not only stimulates the skin's fibroblasts to make new collagen, but it also helps to maintain the firmness, plumpness, and youthful appearance of existing collagen. Look for peptide serums that have Vitamin E and ferulic acid as antioxidants. According to studies, these nutrients increase the efficiency of Vitamin C by eight times!
Are you ready to discover how the Marine Flower Peptide Collection may help you reap the benefits of collagen skin care? Learn more about peptide skin care and book an appointment with a professional esthetician at an Eminence Organics Spa Partner near you.
Alisha Whitley first wrote this piece in October 2019.