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Here's What No One Tells You About Collagen Production (But We Will)

Alexandra Engler
Author:
September 23, 2024
Alexandra Engler
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Director
By Alexandra Engler
Senior Beauty & Lifestyle Director
Alexandra Engler is the senior beauty and lifestyle director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com.
Woman in Her 40s With Great Skin, Smiling on Her Living Room Couch
Image by iStock
September 23, 2024
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Here’s the hard truth about collagen production: The best way to keep your skin firm, lifted, and healthy is to have a consistent, well-rounded skin care routine that starts from the ground up.

What do I mean by this? Well, you can’t just “boost” collagen production on a whim. Collagen production is only optimized if you’re not doing the daily work by feeding your body amino acids and keeping a protective and proactive skin care routine. 

So when folks talk about short-cuts and hacks to supercharge the skin with collagen, be weary: Those aren’t truly going to work unless the foundation is already there.

So, let’s start with the basics. Here’s how to actually optimize collagen production for the year ahead. Firmer, lifted skin awaits. 

Be mindful of your amino acid intake 

Just in case you’re not aware, collagen, elastin, and keratin (what makes up your skin cells) are actually proteins. Specifically in regards to collagen and elastin, these are the dermal layer’s structural proteins that keep the skin looking youthful, bouncy, and supple. Yes, a glowing, healthy complexion is all thanks to protein. 

Collagen and elastin are made up of amino acids, which are aptly dubbed “the building blocks of protein.” So when we talk about supplying the body with the appropriate tools it needs to build collagen and elastin, one of the most important for skin aging is protein. "You need to give your body the raw materials to regenerate,” says board-certified holistic nutritionist Jennifer Hanway

Dermatologists agree, too. “A sufficient amount of protein as part of a healthy diet is essential to support the body's ability to synthesize proteins of all types, including those in the skin," board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D., told mbg about protein and the skin

Finally, we can look to research to confirm why protein intake is so important for the skin. While there isn’t a lot of human-focused research on the subject (just given the complexities of those studies and ethical implications), animal studies have shown that diets low on protein are linked to collagen decline as well as skin barrier damage.

One study found that following a protein-free diet for eight days caused a “dramatic decrease1 in both types I and III collagen” in rats. Another showed that protein-lacking diets triggered atopic dermatitis and skin barrier issues in upwards of 89% of rat subjects2.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight3 per day. This is the minimum amount of protein a sedentary person needs to meet their nutritional requirements and avoid a nitrogen imbalance, so it's conservative. Most active women will want to consume 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Most of the experts we regularly work with suggest aiming for a threshold of around 100 grams of protein per day. 

For help supplementing, lots of folks turn to powders, like collagen. Collagen is a protein made of peptides, but it's not a complete protein—it doesn't have all nine of the essential amino acids (it's missing tryptophan and is on the lower side on a few others)—but can certainly still contribute to your overall protein goals on a daily basis. For a collagen supplement, we recommend looking in the 10- to 20-gram range. Check out our favorite collagen supplements here. 

Utilize smart topicals — that you can tolerate 

We’re firm believers in an inside-out, outside-in approach to beauty. So while internal support lays the foundation, we also need to be tending to the complexion with appropriate skin care steps. There are a few firming ingredients that can offer collagen support—so it’s all about finding ingredients that work for you and your skin. 

Retinol

For example, retinol is one of the most recommended ingredients for collagen production. For good reason! Retinol binds to receptors in the skin that upregulate collagen production. For example, this was seen in a study where retinol treatment stimulated collagen production4 in mature skin, helping decrease the appearance of wrinkling. Check out our favorite retinol serums here. 

However (and this is a big however) If you find you can’t tolerate it, don’t push it. When used incorrectly, retinol has a pro-inflammatory effect, and can actually damage collagen. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another often recommended ingredient, as the antioxidant plays a vital role in the collagen synthesis process. Not only that, but in its role as an antioxidant it can neutralize free radicals, which cause collagen breakdown.  

However, the vitamin does come with some drawbacks. Certain forms of it are highly unstable, so they may not retain potency throughout the shelf life. And some folks find vitamin C to be irritating, causing flushing or breakouts. 

AHAs

Some alpha-hydroxy acids are shown to boost collagen production, too. For example, glycolic acid can stimulate the collagen production process, and has been shown in studies to increase epidermal thickness by 27%5. It’s a potent acid, though, so many folks can only use it a few times a week—and others can’t use it at all. 

Peptides

If none of these ingredients work for you (I can empathize as I have very sensitive skin), certain peptides can help upregulate collagen production—and are generally well tolerated. You just have to make sure you’re using the right ones. For example, Matrixyl, or palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, is a pentapeptide that has been shown to stimulate collagen production6. Palmitoyl Oligopeptide can improve collagen and hyaluronic acid production7, as well as protect the collagen from UV damage. Finally, copper peptides have been shown to improve skin firmness and thickness8

For the extra mile: Try regenerative treatments that upregulate collagen production 

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re looking to further optimize your collagen production. This is where treatments come in. There are a lot of in-office treatments that can improve collagen production through your body’s own regenerative systems. 

For example, Sofwave is a skin treatment that uses ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen and elastin production. It uses seven parallel beams that bypass the epidermis (the surface of the skin) and enter the mid-dermal layer. This is where collagen and elastin are made, so it more effectively supports their production compared to other ultrasound treatments of the past. A fair warning: It’s very expensive, and very painful. But it has incredible, lasting results. 

Another new treatment on the market is Cellstory, a liquid microneedling protocol that delivers skin-plumping actives like growth factors, peptides, and amino acids to stimulate collagen. 

You can also look to lasers (such as CO2 or Fraxel) for their collagen enhancing properties. Lasers are a mainstay in the beauty industry, and have a good history of use and reputation. 

There are many, many others that you can discuss with your dermatologist. They all have their pros and cons, so the most important thing is that you find a skin care practitioner that will guide you through feeding one that’s most suitable for you. 

A final note on collagen protection

I have to highlight one of the most important steps in collagen production and protection: Sunscreen and sun care generally. Sun damage accounts for up to 80% of all skin aging—and is one of the biggest drivers of collagen breakdown

So going through all of these steps (many of which are, ahem, costly) without wearing sunscreen is a huge waste of time, resources, and money. There is no point in “boosting” collagen production if you’re not going to wear sunscreen. Full stop. 

The takeaway

While we start losing collagen in our 20s, not all hope is lost. With the right nutrition, consistent skin care, and high-tech add ons, optimizing your collagen levels is very much within reach. Want more products that help keep skin firm? Check out our favorite healthy aging serums

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