Most people are familiar with collagen, or at least know of it. Best known for its role in preventing facial aging, you’ve most likely heard about it in skin product commercials and advertisements. During a trip to your favorite beauty and cosmetics store, you’re likely to see it listed on various displays.
Understanding what collagen is and how to promote its production is essential for fostering optimal skin health. As we age, collagen production slows down, and giving our skin a helping hand can go a long way toward looking more youthful. It’s also important to know what techniques work best and what is a waste of time for rebuilding collagen.
Is It Possible to Rebuild Collagen in the Face?
Collagen is known to fortify skin elasticity. Significant collagen loss can affect your skin, diminishing its youthful glow. You can trace the early signs of your facial skin aging through fine lines around the eyes, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Fortunately, there are ways you can help rebuild this protein in your face. Various cosmetic procedures can successfully help boost collagen production in the facial skin.
Before making the final decision, it is best to consult a skincare specialist like a dermatologist. They can help guide you in understanding your skin type, its requirements, and the best procedures for collagen stimulation
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most plentiful protein in your body. It accounts for about one-third of your body’s protein composition. It’s an essential component in the extracellular matrix of the body’s connective tissue.
The collagen molecule is an elongated triple helix, which is a fancy way of saying it looks like three strands of undercooked spaghetti that have stuck together in a twisted manner. You can find collagen in fibrous tissues that include the skin, tendons, and ligaments.
Collagen is vital to many functions that relate to your skin and joints. In effect, you may know collagen to be great for your skin, but it has a few other attributes worth mentioning.
What Does Collagen Do?
Collagen plays an important role in the production of collagen, skin cells, and a healthy diet for the human body. It helps to keep the skin looking young as it helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by providing a firm structure to the skin. Collagen also supports healthy bones and joints by helping to provide them with strength and flexibility. In addition, it helps to repair damaged tissue and promote cell regeneration in order to keep the body functioning at its best.
A healthy diet is essential for promoting collagen production in the human body. Eating foods that are rich in vitamin C and amino acids can help increase collagen levels in the body, which can help reduce wrinkles and maintain an even complexion. Foods such as fish, nuts, olive oil, leafy greens, citrus fruits, eggs, and soybeans are all great sources of these vital nutrients needed for producing collagen. Additionally, drinking plenty of water will help keep skin hydrated and nourished from the inside out. This hydrates your skin cells which then creates a more plump look to your face, reducing wrinkles over time.
In conclusion, rebuilding collagen is possible through eating a balanced diet full of nutrients that are necessary for production along with cosmetic procedures
Collagen Fosters Joint Health
Let’s start with how collagen relates to your joints.
With it being rich in amino acids, collagen is a building block of joint cartilage. It’s anti-inflammatory effects help keep your joints’ function pain-free.
Studies show that daily oral consumption of collagen supplements can help protect from osteoarthritis. Collagen hydrolysate supplementation helps your body produce joint collagen. Further research shows that those with rheumatoid arthritis can also benefit from it.
Collagen Is Shown to Prevent Bone Loss
Aging with grace means that we can perform various activities well into our later years. Taking steps to safeguard your bone mass is a good preventative measure for all. Similarly to collagen, bone mass decreases as people age.
In a study aimed at studying bone loss in women, participants that took collagen, as well as calcium supplements, had blood markers that translate to better bone health.
Promotes Better Muscle and Heart Health
Although it may not be conclusively proven yet, taking collagen seems to promote better heart health. The collagen molecule provides structure to blood vessels. It makes arteries more flexible and can help prevent strokes and heart attacks by promoting better blood circulation.
Since your heart is a muscle, you’ll be excited to know that up to 10% of your muscle tissue is made of collagen. Supplementing with this vital protein is great for keeping all your muscles functioning well.
Benefits of Collagen for the Skin
The benefits of collagen are mostly known for are skin hydration and elasticity. It makes the skin stronger and keeps you looking radiant. Collagen is one of the casualties of aging as your body produces less of it with time.
This is to blame for the dry skin and the wrinkles that start with fine lines early on. If you burden your skin with your bad habits and don’t take preventative measures, the effects will only get worse. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to boost your collagen production.
Ways to Boost Collagen Levels
A youthful appearance is something that everyone desires, and collagen plays an integral role in helping us achieve that. Collagen growth inside the body helps maintain healthy skin, but as we age this natural production process slows down. A few simple changes to your daily routine can help boost your collagen levels and keep you looking youthful. Here are a few ways to increase your collagen growth naturally!
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a compound that has been shown to enhance collagen production in the skin. It can be found in foods that are rich in amino acids. These foods include root vegetables, beans, and soy, to name a few.
By increasing this type of food intake, you can naturally increase collagen levels. However, if you’re looking for alternatives to simply changing your diet, there are hyaluronic acid supplements you can take.
Vitamin C
You probably already know that vitamin C is helpful to your immune system. Having enough of the vitamin in your body also helps protect the skin from free radicals and creates more collagen.
Foods such as leafy vegetables, broccoli, and citrus fruits contain high levels of vitamin C, which is important for skin health along with other nutrients.
Other Antioxidants
Vitamin E and beta carotene are powerful antioxidants that complete your collagen-building puzzle. For maximum collagen production, be sure to include green tea, astragalus, cinnamon, blueberries, licorice, and mulberry extract in your diet. Either separately or in tasty combinations, you can create powerful antioxidant foods and beverages that will keep your skin looking great.
Preventative Measures
Prevention is always preferable to stressing over a cure. Following a few simple tips will keep your skin in great shape while providing you with maximum benefits when you apply collagen-boosting practices. Here’s a look at what you should be avoiding to keep your natural collagen production optimal.
Reduce Sun Exposure
Moderate exposure to the sun is great for getting vitamin D, but it’s important not to overdo it as you could be inflicting harm on your skin. Try to reduce your sun exposure and always use adequate sunscreen when you’re getting some rays.
UV radiation damages the skin and creates free radicals. These culprits of aging are detrimental to your collagen levels and can also promote unnecessary inflammation in your body.
Be Wary of Pills and Powders
Oral supplementation of collagen can be convenient as well as efficient. Just be aware that supplement quality will vary based on product or brand.
Consult with a dermatologist or aesthetic surgeon about finding a supplement made of the cleanest, most natural ingredients.
Is Collagen Supplementation Safe?
Collagen is one of the most well-tolerated supplements you can consume. There are no significant side-effects to speak of and only a few potential minor disturbances that may appear. These include mild diarrhea, rashes, or a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
It is safe to supplement with, as it has few side effects with no major disturbances. Vitamin C plays an important role in aiding collagen production and promoting healthy skin, and consuming foods rich in this vitamin can help your body produce more of it. By taking hyaluronic acid supplements or eating foods containing hyaluronic acid, you can also increase collagen levels naturally. In addition to these methods, avoiding excessive sun exposure and consulting with a dermatologist about safe supplementation options are also good measures for preventing damage to your collagen production.
Contact Us Today
If home remedies or alternatives can’t help stimulate collagen production, there are cosmetic treatments available like BOTOX or dermal fillers that can be customized just for you. For more information, call us today at (239) 594-9100. Our helpful staff will help you schedule an appointment with our specialists, or you can fill out our online contact form.
Re-building natural collagen production can be beneficial for your body. Cosmetic treatments such as collagen supplementation is a safe and secure option when you choose the right surgeons. Contact the Aesthetic Surgery Center Team today at (239) 594-9100, or fill out this form for a quick response from the medical professionals
