The signs of aging can be addressed, halted and even reversed with the innovative treatments available at Koha Skin Clinic in Berkhamsted. In keeping your skin fresh and bright, collagen is incredibly important. It makes up 30% of all the protein in the human body. Once collagen starts to decline, signs of ageing can begin to show. But what is collagen, and what role does it play?
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Collagen comes from the Greek word ‘kólla’, which means ‘glue’.
Collagen is the main protein found in the body’s connective tissues. It actually has a whole host of benefits, not just for the skin – collagen gives structure and strength to muscles, bones, and tendons, as well as skin. Collagen can help if you have joint pain, as it can strengthen your cartilage, which protects your joints.
What is Collagen?
In terms of skin benefits, collagen provides the structure and gives firmness. Our skin creates collagen within the cells (this is called fibroblasts), and it is very good at producing collagen – until around the age of 25. At this point, the creation of new collagen begins to slow down. This is where signs of ageing – like a few lines around the eyes or mouth – begin to show. A lack of collagen can eventually lead to dry skin and a ‘sunken’ look.
What Treatments Can Help?
There are some treatments that can encourage the production of collagen, some more effective than others. For example, microneedling – this causes a small amount of damage to the skin, which causes your body to have a wound-healing response. This automatically triggers the creation of new collagen. In some cases, ultrasound and radiofrequency treatments can help create the same response. It may sound drastic to intentionally damage your skin, but this is done in a very deliberate way to produce great results.
Skincare can have an impact too. Hyaluronic acid can stimulate new collagen production and give your skin a decent hydration boost at the same time. Retinol creams and vitamin C serums can also help, and have a whole host of benefits other than just collagen production. You may see something called ‘collagen cream’ – although this sounds promising, it may not give you the results you’re looking for, as collagen molecules in creams are too large to be absorbed into the skin.
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Collagen powders and drinks can work. However, it’s not as straightforward as taking a collagen drink and waiting for new collagen to appear straight away. The body breaks down the collagen into peptides and amino acids. These will go where the body needs them most – not all of it will go into your skin. The ideal dose of collagen is 10g a day, but as with all changes to your supplements and diet, it’s worth double checking with your doctor, especially if you have health issues or you already take other types of supplements.
As you grow older, collagen production will decline – it is a natural part of ageing. However, there are things you can do to help. Wearing a good sun cream can help to protect your skin (direct sunlight can deplete collagen over time) and staying out of direct sunlight on very hot days can help. For more advice and the best treatments for your skin book a consultation with the experienced team at Koha today.