More and more people are coming to discover the huge benefits of collagen for their skin health. Collagen, an essential protein present in all of the body’s tissues and organs, provides the unique matrix that sustains your body structure.
Collagen’s main functions are to sustain your skin, tendons and cartilages. Collagen provides an extra level of firmness, integrity and elasticity to their structure. Thus, one of the surest ways to maintain the supple aspect of the skin is to maximize collagen levels.
Types of Collagen
There are four main types of collagen identified to date. While type 1 is the most abundant in the body, types 2 through 4 are also quite common.
- Type 1: found in tendons, skin, bone marrow, ligaments and organs
- Type 2: cartilages
- Type 3: reticulate fibers in the body
- Type 4: found in cell basement membranes
The only type of collagen you need for skin care is type 1. Thus, when you buy a product that contains collagen, remember to check the label to ensure it contains type 1 collagen.
The good news is that collagen is sold in various forms. If you can’t use a collagen cream, you can go with collagen drinks. If you can’t use either of these due to personal reasons, you can buy a supplement that contains collagen tablets. You can also choose collagen injections and hydrolyzed collagen.
Some of the best sources of collagen are piscine (collagen peptides from fish), bovine, porcine and fowl (chicken collagen peptides). Probably the best type of collagen for your skin health is collagen peptides from fish. Bovine and porcine collagen peptides are cheaper than and not as useful as piscine peptides, while chicken peptides are used mainly in type 2 collagen supplements.
Positive Collagen Effects on your Skin
The collagen effects on skin can’t be neglected. While the body produces enough collagen it needs for people under 20 years of age, this production diminishes as part of the aging process. For women, the collagen loss is about 1% a year, which means at the age 50 most women lose over 50% of the collagen in their bodies.
Here is a great image that shows the difference between skin with a collagen level of at least 80% and skin with less than 50% collagen:
While a lack of collagen level affects both the skin and the facial bones, high levels of collagen has the following effects on the skin:
- Reduce wrinkles
- Tight the skin, making it look younger
- Reverse the aging process
- Improve skin elasticity
- Make the skin smoother
To capitalize on the unique benefits of collagen for your skin, it is imperative to ensure that you prevent the loss of collagen already present in your body. Two things you can do are to stay protected from extended sun exposure and cigarette smoke. Additionally, get enough sleep and have a nutritious diet, rich in fruits and vegetables.
There are many collagen supplements and creams available on the market. Choose wisely by avoiding collagen products with fillers, artificial ingredients and sugars or flavors. The best supplement should contain Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C, and should also have enough positive reviews.
Choose wisely and you will be able to reap the amazing benefits of collagen for your skin.
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