What is Collagen?

Collagen is responsible for giving skin and tissues their strength and structure. It’s a protein that develops naturally from childhood and helps to maintain a youthful glow. More collagen means fewer, smoother wrinkles, and smoothened, lifted skin.
Unfortunately, the production of collagen diminishes over time and causes wrinkled and sagging skin. This blog is a detailed explanation of the best collagen stimulating treatments and how they can improve the signs of aging.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein found abundantly in bones, skin, blood vessels, cartilage, and tendons. It develops a scaffold providing structure and strength within the body. It’s a crucial component of the connective tissues which plays a pivotal role in holding the cells together.

Collagen is a key component of the extracellular matrix, which is a network of the molecules holding together the body’s tissues. There are 28 types of collagen present in the human body with Type 1 collagen accounting for 90% of the collagen in the human body.
It’s basically a tough, insoluble, fibrous protein composed of amino acids such as proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids together form 3 strands that make up the triple-helix structure characteristic of collagen.

A healthy collagen level contributes to joint health, protection of the kidneys and other organs, a healthy cardiovascular system, and skin elasticity. As people get older, the collagen levels drop, and the collagen fibers become weaker and thinner. Low levels of collagen cause severe health conditions including Scurvy, Osteogenesis, Anemia, Fatigue, and Ehlers-Danlos-Syndrome.

Fibroblasts or connective tissue cells produce and maintain collagen. When people start growing older, the collagen in their body gets fragmented, and fibroblast function impairs which in turn slows collagen production.

While nearly 28 types of collagen have been identified, there are four main types Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV:

Type I is made of densely packed fibers providing structure to the skin, tendons, bones, teeth, and connective tissues. It accounts for nearly 90% of the body’s collagen.

Type II is composed of loosely packed fibers found in the elastic cartilages.

Type III supports the structure of muscles, arteries, and organs.

Furthermore, Type IV is found in the skin layers and aids in filtration.

What Does Collagen Do To The Skin?

Collagen plays an extremely vital role in the skin. It’s a protein that the body produces and plays a crucial role in the functions and structure of the skin, connective tissues, bones, and cartilage. When the collagen levels are high, your skin cells renew and repair themselves thereby keeping it smooth, soft, and firm.

The two crucial factors of Collagen that affect the skin are its levels and quality. When a person ages, the amount of natural production of collagen in the body reduces. Also, there are certain types of collagen whose levels and quality are greatly affected during this time.

When you get older, changes in the structure of collagen occur that weaken the bond between multiple layers of the skin. As a result, people start developing wrinkles, fine lines, as well as other features associated with aging skin.

Collagen provides amazing plumpness to the skin, the finite back of which begins to diminish from the age of 25 onwards. The more you boost collagen production, the better your skin will age like “fine wine.” Below are listed some benefits Collagen does to your skin:

1. Diminishes Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Aging cannot be stopped permanently, but healthy collagen levels slower it down. Pollution, Excessive exposure to the sun, aging, and poor health choices automatically decrease the collagen levels in the skin.

With the decrease in collagen levels, the areas around your mouth and eyes start showing signs of aging. Wrinkles, dark spots, fine lines, etc., reveal that you are getting older. Collagen boosting treatments help to maintain a healthy level and keep your skin supple for a long.

2. Improves The Skin Tone

Aging causes the complexion to go uneven in certain places of your skin due to some parts harboring more melanin than others. This can be improved by Collagen. It’s a natural protein our body produces containing amino acids as one of the main components.

Collagen is the answer to improving uneven complexion. The amino acids minimize the dark spots caused by fine lines, acne scars, and other skin issues. So the skin tone gets brighter and the complexion improves as well.

3. Moisturizes Skin And Firms It

Once collagen levels start to diminish, the skin becomes flaky and dry. By pushing collagen back to the skin, you can keep your skin hydrated and plumped. The fine lines and wrinkles on the skin are filled up which elevates the depressed areas.

When our skin is hydrated, it prevents the formation of new lines and wrinkles. The collagen boosting facial treatments increase the levels deep inside the skin (in the dermis). The plumped dermis, therefore, keeps the skin tight, firm, and moisturized.

To Find out more contact us at Scar Healing Institute today!