Collagen is a protein that supplies the fibrous structure and volume in your skin. Most adults slow down their production of collagen in their early 20s, which means skin loses its youthful characteristics, such as resilience, smoothness, and tautness.
Collagen has become a buzzword in skin care lately, and with good reason — restoring your supply of collagen restores your wrinkle-free skin. There are several ways to go about replenishing your supply of this vital protein, including LED Therapy, microneedling, laser resurfacing, and injectable dermal fillers, such as Juvéderm®.
We provide all these services at Rick J. Smith, MD, in East Lansing, Michigan, and our experienced team is here to help you decide which approach is best for your skin.
There’s a lot you can do to protect the collagen you have left and rebuild the collagen you’ve lost without undergoing invasive treatments. Here, Dr. Smith explains how your daily skin care regimen can help protect and rebuild your collagen.
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays are your skin’s worst enemy. Along with the natural aging process, they are the most destructive, collagen-reducing factors. To protect your skin and your DNA from these harmful rays, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day on all of your exposed skin, even if it’s cloudy.
Antioxidants can help protect your skin from UV damage by protecting the collagen in your skin. Vitamin C is a great source of antioxidants, and it comes in topical forms. Using a vitamin C serum can stabilize the collagen in your skin and stimulate the production of fresh supplies.
While collagen is a protein, peptides are short-chain amino acids — the smallest part of proteins. That is good news since it means they are tiny enough to penetrate your skin’s epidermis and get down to the layers that need them most.
There are several types of peptides, and each performs different roles, such as triggering wound healing, attacking free radicals, and stimulating collagen production. We can recommend some excellent products that contain these beneficial peptides to counteract the aging process.
There are plenty of collagen supplements on the market, and you may be wondering if they can help you rebuild your waning collagen. While more research is still needed, preliminary studies show that collagen supplementation improves skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density.
We typically think of our skin care routine as the ritual of cleansing and moisturizing our skin with products. What you eat plays a significant role in the health of your skin also. If you adopt the mindset that food nourishes your skin from the inside out, you’ll view every meal differently.
Here are some collagen-loving ingredients:
Lean proteins like seafood, fish, and chicken are packed with amino acids that are great for synthesizing collagen.
Fresh produce is antioxidant-rich, meaning it can prevent damage from free radicals and stop the degradation of collagen.
Because high-sugar diets destroy collagen, switching to low-sugar options can save your collagen.
Again, the tubs and tubes of creams and ointments don’t define the scope of a good skin care regimen. Your daily habits factor into your skin health, too. Here are a few of the lifestyle choices that can diminish your skin health:
Addressing these habitual and environmental factors can go a long way in preserving your collagen and preventing your skin from aging prematurely.
To find out which products and treatments are the best at rebuilding collagen, request an appointment with our experts at Rick J. Smith, MD, by calling our friendly staff or requesting one online today.
