Collagen, a miracle ingredient or just a beauty craze? We know that it is used in many anti-aging and skin care products to limit the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and to improves the skin texture. But is it really effective? Say goodbye to doubts, as Mybreezylife decrypts collagen benefits in skin for you!
Collagen, a protein present in the tissues of the skin to fight against wrinkles and signs of aging.
What is Collagen and what are benefits of Collagen on the Face and body?
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Collagen, just like hyaluronic acid, occurs naturally in the human body. It is a protein present between the cells of the connective tissue, which constitutes all the tissues of the organism and whose function is to support, protect and join together the various organs. The one that interests us the most today is the skin. Type 1 collagen, secreted by fibroblasts (dermis cells), which is therefore a support protein which is responsible for the health of the skin.
The more the skin ages, the more the number of fibroblasts decreases and the less collagen they produce, causing a loss of firmness in the skin and thus the appearance of wrinkles occurs. In adult, the amount of collagen decreases by 1% per year.
Sun Exposure Effects Collagen Production
It has long been understood that exposure to the sun causes skin aging. In fact, the sun’s rays cause the skin cells to produce less efficient collagen. As a result, the skin ages faster, wrinkles appear faster and become deeper.
What are the basic collagen benefits in Skin?
The first action of collagen is therefore to keep the skin firmer, and to fight against wrinkles caused by sagging skin. But collagen makes it possible more generally to limit aging. And this effect is not only at the level of the epidermis, but also observable on the joints, bones, hair, teeth and even the nails.
This is why it is an interesting ingredient that is often used in cosmetics and food supplements.
What Food Rich in Collagen Production?
You can bring collagen to your skin through good meals! There are some fruits and vegetable that are rich in collagen production.
As we said earlier, vitamin C strongly stimulates the synthesis of collagen. So, hello oranges, guavas, red fruits, kiwis or even peppers!
Garlic, salmon skin, eggs (especially white), and green vegetables are also effective for a collagen boost.
Collagen powder advantages as dietary supplement?
It is also possible to use nutricosmetics to increase your daily collagen intake. It is then advisable to take hydrolyzed collagen (collagen powder).
How to use collagen powder?
Some brands offer collagen powder or capsules, to be consumed with a glass of water or a delicious smoothie. Prefer a food supplement without sugars, sweeteners or additives in order to have the healthiest possible product.
Hydrolyzed collagen can be consumed in any liquid food such as cow’s milk or vegetable milk, smoothie, yogurt, tea, infusion, juice, water.
How much collagen is required per day?
The dosage depends on the brand and the format. We advise you to read the labels carefully: in general, it is recommended between 2 to 10g of collagen per day, but you must always respect the dose indicated on the packaging because this corresponds to the safe dose tested by the manufacturer.
Is it dangerous to take collagen as a food supplement?
It is not recommended to consume collagen food supplements in too large doses. As explained above, the recommended daily amount is less than 10 grams so stick to the brand’s instructions.
In addition, we recommend that you pay attention to where the collagen comes from. In fact, part of it comes from cattle carcasses. Normally, the collagen of bovine origin produced in Europe is not taken from the vertebrae which prevents the risk of being infected with mad cow disease, but beware of collagens produced outside Europe! Bovine collagen can also sometimes cause allergic reactions.
The most common alternative is collagen of marine origin (the famous marine collagen that we often see listed on packaging), but some sources say that it can however be less effective, while others say on the contrary, that it is the purest with the best absorption.
Recent studies have also made it possible to extract collagen from the membranes of chicken eggs.
In any case, collagen is not a vegan ingredient, it comes from an animal origin.
What are plant collagen? What are Plant Collagen Benefits in Skin?
Plant collagen is a fairly recent marketing invention: technically, collagen does not exist in the plant world. But researchers have found a plant extract that boosts collagen production and therefore has some effects similar to animal collagen. This is how this denomination was born, but don’t expect similar effects.
Collagen in Cosmetic Care
Cosmetics with collagen can be classified into two types:
- cosmetics that contain collagen amino acids
- cosmetics that boost your collagen production
Cosmetic products to improve the elasticity and firmness of the skin.
Amino acids in collagens
Collagen proteins cannot be present as such in cosmetics because they are too large to be assimilated by the skin. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Thus, the amino acids of collagen are small enough to penetrate the skin and provide the collagen benefits in Skin.
Collagen thus fills in the hollow of wrinkles to smooth the skin and give it radiance appearance. On the other hand, its effectiveness is very superficial because it penetrates the epidermis but does not reach the dermis.
Vitamins
Vitamin A, in the form of retinol, is an active ingredient that stimulates the secretion and preservation of collagen in the skin. It is also a property of vitamin C, which is widely used in cosmetics.
Warning! Retinol is a very powerful active ingredient: it must be integrated gradually into the routine and its concentration must not be too high to avoid reactions. Mybreeylife recommends a concentration of less than 0.5% for daily use, and less than 1% for occasional use. Retinol is not recommended for sensitive and intolerant skin.
Q10 (or ubiquinone) may be a milder alternative to retinol. Much less irritating coenzyme, Q10 helps to firm the skin by promoting cell renewal (including fibroblasts) and limiting proteolysis (degradation of proteins, including collagen). It is almost the same but less effective than retinol, which remains a star active ingredient in cosmetics, but it still has visible effectiveness in the long term.
Vegetable oils
Many vegetable oils have anti-aging properties. Among them are avocado oil and Baobab oil that promote collagen production thanks to their high vitamin content. Pomegranate oil, on the other hand, delays proteolysis. Finally, soybean oil stimulates cell regeneration.
Essential oils
The essential oils of Frankincense and Immortelle are booster of collagen synthesis. Be careful, however, they should be used sparingly and very carefully (diluted, no exposure to the sun, not over the long term, etc.). Some sensitive skin types do not tolerate Essential Oil at all in their routines.
Active ingredients that fight against free radicals
The ingredients that fight against free radicals are indirectly beneficial for the production of collagen. Indeed, free radicals, if they are in too large quantities, attack proteins among others and therefore collagen. Thus, resveratrol, extract of Albizia Julibrissin and hemp oil among others are useful for a good concentration of collagen in the skin.
Hydration
Hydration is already the anti-aging par excellence (allowing to plump up wrinkles and fine lines), but it also boosts collagen synthesis, in addition to fighting against a large number of other problems. So, don’t forget to add moisturizing active ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, vegetable glycerin and aloe vera to your routine.
Facial massage
Massaging your face is highly recommended to improve the firmness of the skin because it stimulates the production of collagen. Applying these treatments in the evening before going to sleep can be a good opportunity to engage in a facial massage that will relax you and make the skin more beautiful! Otherwise, a visit to a beauty salon can be a very pleasant alternative.
What to avoid to preserve the skin’s collagen
Several elements of daily life participate in the reduction of the level of collagen in the skin. Among them, we find tobacco, exposure to the sun without sunscreen with a suitable UV index, and pollution. Of course, there is little you can do about it if your environment is heavily polluted. However, if you live in an urban setting, a detoxifying and anti-pollution mask once or twice a week may be an attractive add-on in your skin care tips for summer.
Excess sugars are also very harmful for collagen.
Finally, a night of at least 7 or 8 hours can stimulate collagen synthesis.
We hope that this article will have answered your questions regarding Collagen benefits in Skin, do not hesitate to tell us in the comments just below.
Top 8 Benefits of Taking Collagen Supplements
Credit Doctor ER
