What You Need To Know About Collagen
Whether you’re shopping at Whole Foods, Target, or making a pit stop at Bloomingdales, the probability of you finding a collagen-related supplement at the store is no doubt, 100%. So what is collagen? Why do we need it? And why is it seemingly everywhere we look? Sit tight and relax those scrunched eyebrows because we’re here to give you the 4-1-1 on all things collagen.
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. Comprising one-third of our total protein, collagen can be found in our bones, hair, nails, skin, tendons, muscles, and ligaments. It is essentially the glue that holds everything together.
What are the different types of collagen?
To date, there are twenty-eight known types of collagen in the human body but only five of them are important to our health. Of those five, 90% of our collagen content is Type 1.
What are the benefits of collagen?
Collagen provides structure and support throughout the body. It has a plethora of health benefits ranging from joint health and skin elasticity to aiding organ and kidney filtration. It is especially important in skin repair, renewal, and the anti-aging process.
What happens to collagen in the skin as we get older?
The body naturally produces collagen but after the age of 25, production starts to decline by 1% each year. With a depleted collagen source to support our dermal layers, the skin becomes thinner and looser, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Age aside, factors like poor diet, smoking, inflammation, stress, and UV exposure also stunt collagen production.
Topical vs. ingestible collagen – is one better than the other?
In theory, it seems like a no-brainer that topical collagen and powders will instantly reverse all the adverse effects of intrinsic aging and external stressors – but it’s not that simple!
While both topical and ingested have their fair share of advantages, it will be good to incorporate both in your regimen to achieve optimal benefits.
But rather than thinking of how we can replenish our depleted collagen reserves, we should redirect our energy to products that can actually build collagen in our skin.
Ways to boost collagen production in our skin
“Multiple growth factors, peptides, and antioxidants increase collagen levels by targeting various biochemical processes involved in collagen production and degradation.” – Dr. Trookman et al.
➤ Tripeptides, collagen peptide fragments, are capable of penetrating the skin. When applied to the skin surface, they signal the body to synthesize new collagen by up to 400%!
Shop tripeptide-29 in EGF Active Botanical Essence, Purple Rice Sleeping Mask, and Lavender Sleeping Mask.
➤ Growth factors decrease the appearance of wrinkles and stimulate collagen synthesis. When used in conjunction with collagen induction therapies like microneedling, the treatment becomes a two-prong powerhouse that ignites our skin to produce more collagen.
Shop growth factors in EGF Active Botanical Essence.
➤ Hyaluronic Acid is more than just a moisture magnet. It calms inflammation, promotes cell turnover and increases collagen production.
Shop hyaluronic acid in Lavender Sleeping Mask.
➤ Diets rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants also promote collagen production. They can be found in citrus, papaya, mango, dark leafy greens, strawberries, ginseng, broccoli, green tea, licorice root and blueberries.