Collagen, the most abundant structural protein found in humans, is the primary fibrous component of skin, bones, and teeth. It forms 30% of the total protein content in the body (by weight).
How collagen changes as we age
Of the 19 types of collagen, type I is the amplest, found in the skin, tendons, and blood vessels. Collagen is crucial in maintaining the firmness, elasticity and moisture content of your skin.
Owing to its tough fibrous structure, it manages the signs of ageing, repairs skin damage, and lends the skin a smooth appearance.
With age, your skin’s ability to replenish collagen decreases by about 1.5% per year. Surprisingly, women can lose up to 30% collagen within five years of hitting menopause.
Is damage caused by depletion of collagen reversible?
The age-dependent decline is favoured by various factors such as the infamous UV radiation, environmental aggressors, stress, and smoking, a sudden change in the environment, hormones, and nutritional deficiencies. Thus, with advancing age and decreasing collagen levels, we start noticing increased fine lines and wrinkles.
These signs of ageing can be reversed via following methods:
Increased production and decreased degradation: By taking supplements, vitamin C, strict sun protection, increased intake of anti-oxidants in food and local application.
Surgical treatments fillers EBDs: As hydrating fillers have less cross linked hyaluronic acid, they gel just like our natural lost collagen and retain moisture hydration tensile strength of your skin. Certain procedures like CO2 fractional laser resurfacing, microneedling RF, PRP, dermarollers, can stimulate your skin’s fibroblasts activity producing natural collagen.
Oral supplements: There is surplus research that confirm the benefits of oral supplements of collagen towards improving skin appearance, especially in women over 35 years of age. These supplements are available as bioactive short-chain collagen peptides.
It is possible to slow down your ageing process by increasing collagen production, decreasing loss and you can maintain your youthful glow even in 50s.
(Dr Usha Beloskar is the Medical Director, Sskin Savvy Advanced Aesthetics, Kohinoor Square Dadar, Mumbai)
