Collagen is on trend. No matter how you get yours (via bone broth, chicken feet, or the powder you sprinkle in your morning coffee), the theory is that the more you eat, the younger you look. When it comes to skin, a bowl full of boiled bones will only get you so far. In fact, when it comes to boosting collagen, I would argue that there are smarter ways to replenish the body’s main structural protein.
Collagen is abundant in young, smooth-skinned people (hence the term baby face), but as estrogen depletes as you get older, especially during the transition to menopause, collagen becomes harder to find. Drinking or eating is one way to go, as is taking a supplement (marine collagen with added vitamin C is best), but how much your body absorbs is another matter. After all, it needs to survive in the digestive system in order for your body to absorb its uses.
“When taking collagen orally, it needs to be protected from your digestive tract where it is broken down. A typical collagen supplement may contain 10 percent collagen peptide, but it is unclear how much of that 10 percent in liquid or powder form makes it into the bloodstream,” explains Pupinder Ghatora, pharmacist and founder of Ingenious Collagen.
“We use a bioavailable vegetable cellulose capsule that is not broken down by our stomach acid, so even though it contains a smaller amount of collagen peptides than your average supplement, 100% of it is absorbed into the bloodstream,” he says. “When the body senses that high levels of collagen peptides are present, the body begins to produce more of its own collagen, which in our case has been proven in randomized clinical trials to reduce fine lines and increase skin elasticity.”
Collagen synthesis also occurs when the body is under threat. For example, when you scrape your knee, skin cells go on high alert, signaling fibroblasts (factory cells that secrete collagen proteins) to trigger an immediate uptake of collagen to repair the wound and create scar tissue.
What does this have to do with facial hardness? Actually quite a lot.
The same principle applies to some facial treatments, such as chemical peels or lasers, which work by creating a controlled injury to trick the skin into repairing itself, naturally and powerfully triggering collagen synthesis in the process.
In some cases, such as in skin-boosting injectable products, collagen and elastin production is triggered by filling the skin with proteins and growth factors; These also encourage the production of collagen and its cousin elastin, the connective tissue that gives the skin its elasticity. quality.
Whichever treatment you choose, if you want long-term skin health then these are smarter ways to naturally boost facial collagen without needing to change your diet.
Radio frequency
Best for: skin tightening
The treatment of choice for Julianne Moore, who talked about its benefits in a Vogue beauty video earlier this year, radiofrequency tightens the skin by using a specific frequency of light to heat the lower levels of the skin, causing the surface skin to contract.
While the initial shine may be evident after a treatment, the skin becomes firmer in the weeks that follow, thanks to the production of collagen and elastin triggered by the body’s healing response. Ideal for catching a slack jawline and neck, lifting the eye area or tightening wrinkled knees. One treatment will provide results, but follow-up treatments are recommended every six to eighteen months.
Try Thermage FLX at Dr Rita Rakus’ Knightsbridge clinic
ultrasound
Best for: face lift effects
Ultrasound waves reach the deepest layers (known as the SMAS layer) just above the muscle that surgeons target. Although methods have improved, ultrasound can be painful as it goes deeper and may require numbing cream up to an hour beforehand. HIFU (high intensity frequency ultrasound) is faster with less discomfort. Both work by stimulating the body’s regenerative pathways, which promote collagen production.
At Harrods Health Clinic, Dr. Try Ultherapy with Costas Papageoriou from £4,400
microneedling
Best for: Melasma, acne scar, improved skin texture
A series of micro-injuries are created using a sterile microneedling tool (somewhat like a stamp). Microneedling stimulates growth factors and creates new capillaries, collagen and elastin while realigning old collagen fibers for better skin texture. Minimally invasive, it is a classic treatment that benefits your body’s own wound healing processes. Some redness will occur but will usually go away within 24 hours.
Microneedling by Dr. Try it from £250 at David Jack
Plate rich plasma (PRP)
Best for: A healthy shine
PRP, or “vampire facial” as it is also known, is an interesting procedure inspired by orthopedic medicine in which the patient’s blood is drawn and then spun in a centrifuge to purify and separate the plasma, which is then injected back into the superficial area. skin layers. The aesthetic doctor responsible for bringing this method to the masses is Dr. “With purified plasma rich in growth factors, fresh collagen is produced, giving the skin a plump, hydrated look and feel,” explains Barbara Sturm.
Dr. Try the Medical Vampire Facial with Marwa Ali, from £600
Three collagen-boosting face creams
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
£165, Skinceuticals
The gold standard serum among dermatologists, vitamin C has been shown to stimulate collagen production for brighter, firmer, more radiant skin. This is combined with vitamin E for less irritation.
Olay Collagen Peptide 24 Day Cream Moisturizing
£38, Tesco
This moisturizer increases collagen synthesis by providing the skin with bioavailable collagen peptides, the building blocks of protein, at an affordable price.
Boots No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Night Cream
£34.95, Boots
Help your skin repair itself while you sleep with this scientifically proven night cream that contains a patent-pending peptide complex that supports skin’s natural self-healing process.