Loss of collagen in our facial skin creates wrinkles, sagging, slumpy skin. While losing collagen is a natural occurrence with age, there are plenty of steps we can take to produce collagen naturally.
Learn how to produce collagen naturally in six steps without injections.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is a fibrous protein that keeps the skin strong and helps tissues withstand stretching.
It is in nearly everything – skin muscles, bones, tendons.
Collagen comes in at least 16 different forms. There are three main forms you should know about:
- Type 1 – skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, teeth
- Type 2 – cartilage, eyes
- Type 3 – skin, muscles, blood vessels
Collagen and one other natural body substance – Hyaluronic Acid – reside with Elastin.
Elastin is the second protein complex and its function is to provide elasticity. Collagen and Elastin partner together to form long strands that strengthen and give the skin elasticity.
Incredibly, Hyaluronic Acid is a molecule that attracts and holds onto 1000x its weight in moisture. What Does Hyaluronic Acid Serum do For Your Skin?
All three (collagen, hyaluronic acid, elastin) are found in the Dermis layer of the skin. See graphic below.
Age and Collagen Loss
Around the age of 35, collagen production naturally begins to slow.
By 40, collagen depletes faster than your body can re-produce it.
By age 60, over half of your body’s collagen has been depleted.
What Causes Collagen Loss?
- chronological aging
- genetics
- smoking
- pollution
- excessive sun exposure (photoaging)
- nutritional deficiencies (eating processed, refined foods)
How to Produce Collagen Naturally – Six Ways
ONE. Eat water dense fruits and vegetables.
Watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries. cantaloupe avocado, sweet yellow peppers, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, papayas, oranges.
Further, high levels of Vitamins A and C promote collagen production.
For more about increasing collagen with foods, read this article: Foods with Collagen for Skin
TWO. Reduce inflammation.
Sugar, white bread, rice, tortillas, soda etc. deplete nutrients and collagen by creating inflammation.
According to Dr. Perricone – a dermatologist and nutritionist,
“. . .these substances cause insulin to spike, leading to “a burst of inflammation throughout the body.”
– Dr. Perricone, MD
Inflammation then produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles.
Therefore, reducing sugar and simple carbohydrates, allows the body to naturally keep the collagen it already has.
THREE. Think Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic acid and collagen work together to keep the skin youthful. Adding Hyaluronic Acid along with Collagen amplifies the results you want to see.
“Hyaluronic acid is an organic acid known as the most effective skin moisturizer. It is present in human skin and is able to hold five hundred times its own weight in water.”
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
To build Hyaluronic Acid production internally, look to increasing Magnesium in your diet.
Magnesium is found in dark leafy vegetables like spinach, quinoa, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, avocado and pumpkin seeds.
FOUR. Vitamin C helps the amino acids lysine and proline convert to collagen.
Use a skin serum with Vitamin C.
Additionally, vitamin C is also an antioxidant which helps if you are exposed to air pollution. Read more on this article on Air Pollution and Skin.
Take a Vitamin C Supplement. Best in powder form which you can often find at your local health food store.
Eat more citrus such as oranges and grapefruit.
FIVE. Use skin serums and moisturizers that have Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C.
Using skin serums and moisturizers with Collagen, Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid are an easy way to build collagen and increase hyaluronic acid.
The best I have found are these Collagen/Hyaluronic Acid products from MODERE.
The serum also includes Vitamin C.
SIX. Take a Liquid Collagen/Hyaluronic Acid Supplement.
I love this Liquid Collagen with Hyaluronic Acid product also from MODERE.
CONCLUSION – How to Produce Collagen Naturally
For great looking, collagen rich skin:
- Eat fruits and vegetables
- Reduce inflammation by avoiding junk food
- Use skin care with hyaluronic acid and take HA internally
- Use skin care with collagen and take a liquid collagen internally
- Add Vitamin C to your diet and to your skin care