You may have been hearing a lot about collagen recently, as an increasing number of companies develop innovative collagen supplements, creams, and other products. Still, you may be wondering what the hype is all about. What is collagen and does it really matter that you attend to your body’s need for this substance? We’ll discuss the particulars here.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a natural protein that is one of the primary building blocks for skin, hair, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Dermatologically speaking, it is collagen that keeps the skin firm and plump. Collagen heals wounds and has a regenerative quality about it, so is essential to the appearance of the skin as we go through life. The body begins to slow its production of collagen sometime around age 25. Studies indicate that women lose up to 30% of their collagen in the first five years of menopause. This loss can result in accelerated cosmetic aging, and may also be associated with the increased risk of osteoporosis.
Does this Mean we Should Supplement?
Collagen supplements are easy to come by these days. These come in the form of liquids, capsules, and collagen peptide powders. But the question is, do they work? At this time, researchers aren’t quite sure. No irrefutable evidence has been found to support the complete validity of collagen supplementation. The concern is that everything we ingest is broken down by stomach acids, which means only a fraction of the supplements we take reach the bloodstream. There may be no harm in trying a collagen supplement, but there may be no significant benefit, either.
Oral supplements are not the only way that collagen is promoted. Creams and serums are also in demand. According to studies, products like tretinoin and retinol do have some stimulatory action in the skin that results in collagen formation. Experts also state that antioxidants like vitamin C help support healthy collagen. Vitamin C creams and serums work by reducing the inflammation that can damage collagen, causing the early breakdown of the protein. The data supports the use of retinol or vitamin C over a “collagen cream,” though.
Healthy, youthful skin relies on collagen, and the job is not only to promote new production but also to preserve what collagen we have left. One of the best ways to preserve healthy collagen is to wear SPF 30 sunscreen daily, to avoid smoking, and to limit alcohol consumption. We can promote healthy collagen by eating healthy, whole foods that are rich in antioxidants, and also through professional collagen induction therapies.
Ultherapy for Younger Looking Skin
We are proud to offer Ultherapy, one of the first proven collagen induction therapies of our time. This brief treatment stimulates the production of new collagen and the remodeling of existing collagen via ultrasound energy. The treatment focuses ultrasound waves to a target depth in the skin, which is identified using diagnostic ultrasound imaging. As a result of the accuracy achieved, Ultherapy can produce profound tissue tightening in the eye area, the entire face, the neck, or all of the above.
Collagen is a primary influencer of youthful skin. Stimulate more with Ultherapy. Contact us at 201.567.9595 to schedule your consultation.
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