Unveiling the Science Behind Collagen and Its Impact on Skin Ageing

• 15 March 2024
• MCC Marketing

Last updated on July 23, 2024

Collagen is a buzzword most of us are familiar with. You can see its popularity in all the collagen supplements, skin care products and treatments. It’s touted as one of the most essential ingredients to maintaining youthful skin, helping prevent wrinkles and sagging. However, this does raise one question: Does collagen really work? Can it slow down ageing and make your skin look younger? In this blog, we will break down the facts, exploring the science behind collagen to understand whether it can benefit ageing skin. Let’s get started!

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein that our body produces naturally. It provides structural support to our cells and tissues and makes up for one-third of the total protein and 90% of the skin fibres in our body. In the skin, collagen helps maintain firmness, elasticity, and hydration, giving it a rejuvenated appearance. As we age, collagen production decreases, leading to stiffer joints, sagging skin and wrinkle formation. This means our bodies produce less collagen than we need. Some signs of collagen loss that can come with age include stiff tendons and ligaments, joint pain and papery skin. This can also occur at a younger age for individuals with collagen deficiency. 

You can’t stop the natural ageing process or the body’s natural ability to produce collagen. However, preventive measures can slow ageing and maintain your collagen levels. Collagen production usually decreases in your 20s, even though the effects may be seen a few years later. This is why it’s essential to be proactive about your health and skin from a young age to maintain your collagen levels.

Causes of Collagen Loss

The primary cause of collagen loss is getting older. However, there are certain factors which can speed it up. They include:

• Excessive sun exposure
• A diet high in sugar, processed and fried foods
• Smoking as it decreases oxygen flow to the body, hindering regeneration

Using sunscreen, maintaining a diet high in nutrients and low in sugar, and a healthy and active lifestyle go a long way towards slowing down ageing and keeping your skin looking young and fresh. Additionally, consuming foods high in collagen, such as bone broth, fish, and meat with skin, also helps boost collagen levels. 

Benefits Of Collagen 

Collagen offers various benefits that promote body and skin health:

Skin Health

Collagen is essential for maintaining skin elasticity, hydration, and firmness. Supplementing with collagen may help reduce wrinkles, improve skin texture, and promote a rejuvenated appearance.

Joint Support

Collagen provides structure to bones, cartilage, and joints. Taking collagen supplements may help alleviate joint pain, stiffness, and discomfort associated with conditions like osteoarthritis.

Bone Strength

Collagen contributes to bone density and strength, making it essential for bone health. Supplementing with collagen may help prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

Muscle Mass

Collagen supports muscle growth and repair by providing amino acids necessary for protein synthesis. It may help enhance muscle strength, promote recovery after exercise, and prevent age-related muscle loss.

Gut Health

Collagen helps maintain the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract lining, which may aid digestion and prevent leaky gut syndrome. It also supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Hair and Nail Growth

Collagen is vital to hair and nails, promoting strength, growth, and resilience. Supplementing with collagen may help improve hair thickness, reduce brittleness, and enhance nail health.

Heart Health

Collagen provides structural support to blood vessels, promoting cardiovascular health. It may help lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Wound Healing

Collagen plays an important role in wound healing by promoting tissue regeneration and repair. Topical collagen treatments or supplements may accelerate the healing process and reduce scarring.

Skin Treatments to Boost Collagen 

Along with prevention and maintenance strategies, modern cosmetic treatments offer some fantastic treatments to stimulate collagen production and rejuvenate the skin. Some of them include:

Biostimulator Injections

Biostimulator is a TGA-approved injectable designed to gradually replenish lost collagen, providing support to cells and tissue. When injected into the skin, these injections contain compounds that prompt the body’s natural collagen synthesis process, promoting tissue growth and restoring the skin’s structure and volume. This results in wrinkle reduction and a gradual and visible improvement in the skin’s appearance. 

Biostimulation injections require an average of three treatment sessions over several months to deliver optimal results. The number of sessions may vary for each person, depending on their skin condition. The effects can be sustained for up to two years. 

Radiofrequency (RF) Therapy 

Radiofrequency therapy delivers controlled heat energy into the deeper layers of the skin, stimulating collagen production and tightening loose or sagging skin. It can help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, sagging skin, and cellulite, providing an overall rejuvenating effect.

At My Cosmetic Clinic, we are proud to offer highly advanced, FDA-approved 3DEEP® ENDYMED treatments. The 3DEEP radiofrequency technology works by gradually heating deep skin layers, triggering collagen production and remodelling. This leads to the lifting, contouring, and repairing of your skin’s treated areas for noticeable changes in the appearance of your skin.

Fractional Skin Resurfacing 

Fractional skin resurfacing is a non-invasive laser treatment that targets specific areas of the skin. Controlled light beams create microscopic treatment zones, stimulating collagen production for improved skin texture. With minimal downtime and suitability for various skin types, fractional resurfacing can boost collagen production, shrink pore size, and blur scars, improving overall skin quality.

Results may not be immediately visible after the treatment, and you may need multiple sessions for optimal results. Fractional resurfacing is suitable for all skin types and has less downtime and recovery than other laser treatments. 

Platelet Rich Fibrin(PRF) Treatment

Platelet Rich Fibrin treatment is a regenerative procedure that uses your blood components to promote natural healing and tissue rejuvenation. Unlike traditional PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) treatments, PRF contains a higher concentration of platelets, growth factors, and white blood cells suspended in a fibrin matrix. This fibrin matrix acts as a scaffold, supporting a more sustained release of growth factors over time. During the procedure, a small amount of the patient’s blood is drawn and then processed to separate the PRF. The resulting PRF is then applied or injected into targeted areas, stimulating collagen production, improving skin texture, and aiding in the repair of damaged tissues. 

Thread Lift

A thread lift is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that helps lift and tighten sagging facial tissues. During the procedure, dissolvable threads with tiny cones or barbs are strategically inserted under the skin through small incisions. These threads are gently pulled to lift the skin, providing a subtle yet effective rejuvenation. The threads also stimulate collagen production, improving skin elasticity over time. Thread lifts are commonly used to address sagging in the midface, jowls, and neck areas, offering a non-surgical alternative to a traditional facelift. While the results are not as dramatic or long-lasting as a surgical facelift, thread lifts provide a more natural-looking lift with minimal downtime.

Skin Needling

Skin or microneedling treatment involves using a device with fine needles to create tiny punctures on the skin’s surface. This process stimulates the skin’s natural healing response, triggering collagen production and increasing skin firmness and elasticity. It uses your body’s natural healing response to restore and rejuvenate the skin, helping the apperance of wrinkles, acne scars, sun damage and pigmentation, resulting in younger-looking and radiant skin. 

Tailored Skincare for Ageless Beauty

Get that glowy and youthful skin you’ve always wanted with My Cosmetic Clinic. With a range of non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures designed to enhance your natural beauty and personalised treatment plans, we aim to provide quality services tailored to your aesthetic goals. Whether you are looking for treatments to boost collagen to maintain your skin and prevent early signs of ageing or treat wrinkles, acne, stretch marks or other skin concerns, our highly trained team ensures exceptional results. Don’t wait for age to sneak up on you. Book a consultation today for more information on our skincare treatments.