Collagen in Skin Care: 8 Ways It Helps Our Skin & Hair
It's impossible to talk about anti-aging skin care without certain ingredients coming up in the conversation, one of which being collagen. The reason for that? Among other roles, collagen is the most important structural protein in our skin and is responsible for giving us plump, youthful-looking skin.
But thanks (or rather, no thanks) to aging and other outside factors, our collagen breaks down over time. In an effort to restore that collagen, we turn to whatever we can get our hands on the fastest, be it collagen creams, collagen-stimulating ingredients, collagen supplements—the list goes on.
But with all the different forms and types of collagen skin care, things can get pretty confusing. To sort through the facts, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about collagen, including which products are worth trying.
What is Collagen?
Collagen – you’ve heard it advertised in every skin product commercial! This essential protein is necessary to reduce the signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, saggy skin, and uneven skin tone.
Collagen is often referred to as the body’s scaffolding, and the reason for that is because, as we mentioned above, it's the most important structural protein in your skin. Not only is collagen made in our bodies, but it can also be derived from plants and animals. It's available in topical and ingestible forms.
As far as topicals, collagen is found most commonly in creams (aka collagen creams), but depending on your intended goal, your collagen skin care products might not be as effective as you would think or hope.
Not only do we naturally produce less collagen starting in our 20’s, but we also lose collagen with age and other factors, like sun exposure, smoking, or sugar. In other words, as we age, we lose more collagen than we make.
So what's the fix? One idea is to apply collagen to the skin with collagen skin care in an attempt to replenish it, but here's why that doesn't quite work: simply put, the entire collagen molecule is very, very large, and way too big to penetrate the epidermis of the skin.
However, hydrolyzed collagen is enzymatically broken down into fragments that have a delivery of getting into the dermis, and therefore, it's actually able to get into the position of where collagen would be. But collagen is better than no collagen in the long run.
Benefits of Collagen Skin Care
Here are just a few of the benefits you can receive from collagen:
1. Diminish Erinkles & Fine Lines
Exposure to the sun, pollution, poor health choices, and aging can all cause collagen levels to decrease in the skin. When collagen levels decrease, fine lines and wrinkles start making an appearance around your mouth and eyes. Collagen products and supplements can help prevent these signs of aging and keep your skin supple and smooth for longer.
2. Improve Skin Tone
The amino acids found in collagen help keep your skin looking smooth, even, and healthy. To improve an uneven complexion, collagen is the answer.
3. Minimize Scars
Collagen’s amino acids can also help minimize the appearance of dark spots and scars from acne or other skin issues. Collagen supplements have been found to promote healthy tissue formation, which speeds up the healing process so your skin can naturally repair itself.
4. Moisturize
The loss of collagen due to aging or environmental factors can leave your skin feeling dry and flaky. By adding collagen back into your skin, you can give your skin the hydration it needs to maintain a smooth, soft, radiant appearance.
5. Firm & Tone Skin
While creams and other skin products containing collagen help improve the outer layer of skin, collagen supplements will increase collagen on a deeper level (in the dermis). The dermis is responsible for keeping skin tight and firm, so the more collagen that reaches this level, the better your skin will look.
The benefits of collagen don’t stop with the skin; adding collagen to your hair care routine can be extremely beneficial as well!
6. Hair Loss
As you age, the natural levels of collagen in your body decrease. Collagen supplements have been shown to increase the body’s hair building proteins, which can result in longer, thicker hair.
7. Gray Hair
Collagen may help reduce the appearance of gray hair by supporting the healthy structure of the hair follicle (where the pigment that gives hair its color is produced). When collagen creams or gels are applied directly to the scalp, gray hair can appear darker and less dry.
8. Split Ends & Breakage
Collagen has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of dry, brittle hair. Collagen supplements and topical products can repair split ends, as well as maintain a healthy level of hydration.
Finding Collagen Benefits in One Skin Care Ingredient
While supplementing collagen in pills or drinks is a great way to deliver additional boosts of this protein, there is one skin care ingredient that naturally stimulates collagen production. What to know what it is? We’ve based our entire hair and skin care line off of it! That’s right, you guessed it.
Manuka Honey.
If you want to transform your skin and get all those amazing benefits of collagen, then swap out your skin care products for Wild Naturals manuka honey line! Trust us, the results speak for themselves.
