Collagen makes one of the main constituents of connective tissue that is responsible for skin density, suppleness and resilience. Sadly, nothing lasts forever, nor does collagen. As the time goes by, our body is producing less collagen to eventually stop synthesizing it completely. What are the properties of collagen? Do shortages of collagen have any negative effects on our skin? If so, is it possible for collagen skin products to prevent them? What are the benefits of using such beauty products? Here is what I think about this issue.
Functions of collagen
Surely, each one of you keeps hearing this word constantly because it appears in every commercial or ad that promotes mature skin products. Collagen is a substance that naturally occurs in human bodies (in mammals in general). This protein constitutes 30% of all human proteins. Its main task is to connect and ‘glue’ cells. No wonder why collagen is found in the majority of organs: skin, bones, teeth, tendons, cartilages, blood vessels and cornea.
Collagen is really elastic and at the same time incredibly strong. It shields internal organs such as kidneys, stomach and liver through creating a kind of protecting coat that keeps the very organs in the right place. In terms of immune system, collagen also carries out a protective function here – it prevents germ invasion, toxins and cancer cells. Moreover, collagen maintains skin self-renewal processes (it keeps them continuously going without breaks) and keeps hydration levels high which guarantees skin suppleness and softness. What might surprise you, collagen constitutes as much as 60% of all skin proteins, and therefore it has so enormous impact on the condition and look of skin.
Deficiency in collagen
When we are young and healthy, our organism continuously produces collagen, which additionally is being regularly replaced with new collagen fibers – this in turn promotes regeneration of tissue damage. With age, we slowly lose the ability to reconstruct collagen fibres, which means that collagen cells that normally die, outnumber the cells that are being produced. Researches proved that this process begins around 26 years of age. More worryingly, this process gains in power due to exposition to negative external factors such as stress, diseases, exertion and even weather conditions.
Reduced levels of collagen in organizm combined with the adverse effects produced by free radicals, solar radiation and toxins result in faster skin ageing. Then we can spot fine lines appearing on our faces, stretch marks, cellulite on our bodies; it also dehydrates skin that loses its resilience. To make the matter even worse, deficiency in collagen weakens hair that consequently becomes brittle and falls out (sometimes leaving us completely bald).
How do collagen skin products work?
Mature skin (that is ageing skin) becomes flabby and limp, and features wrinkles. Systematic use of pure collagen or creams with collagen rebuilds damaged skin cells and restores moisture, suppleness and smoothness. Moreover, such products even out skin tone, lift skin and reduces wrinkles. Owing to its regenerating properties, collagen is suitable for treating acne-prone skin: it balances sebum production and handles face lubrication, evens out its tone and reduces post-acne marks.
In the view of the fact that collagen fibers are a natural substance, collagen skin products satisfy needs of sensitive, couperose and atopic skin. They are recommended for treating face and body that is affected by cellulite and stretch marks. What’s interesting, people who underwent a surgery – including plastic surgeries – are advised to treat the damaged dermis and scars with medicinal preparations containing collagen.
Collagen fibers are included into various beauty products such as face creams, body balms, face toners, bubble baths as well as nail and hair conditioners. Well-equipped drugstores offer pure collagen solutions that deliver stronger effects, yet their action is less versatile. Such solutions can be applied directly to skin or, for example, used as constituents of elastin mixture. What I should draw your attention to is the fact that the effects created by collagen are determined by its concentration. I guess, you have to keep this in mind if you want to solve a particular skin problem due to collagen.
When it comes to hair care products, the ones containing collagen are responsible for regenerating the strands, restoring the lost shine and preventing brittleness. Moreover, collagen positively influences nails – it makes nail plate stronger which means that it makes it more resistant to mechanical damage. On the top of that, collagen boosts shine in nails.
Please, bear in mind that even though treating skin with collagen from the outside does positively influence its appearance, such treatment won’t deliver this protein to the internal organs so collagen won’t work from the inside. Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend you not giving up on collagen beauty products because, after all, this is the main reason for using such cosmetics, right? To improve appearance of skin, hair and nails. I regularly treat my skin with collagen, just to take some years off me. The effects I achieve are highly satisfying, especially when being systematic. Once you apply collagen regularly, you can expect the skin to become more resilient, win healthy-looking tone, whereas wrinkles, cellulite and stretch marks become less visible. I recommend you using collagen skin products.
What about you? Do you use any collagen skin products? What are your impressions? Would you recommend any?
