What is Collagen and why do we need it for our skin?

It feels like everyone is talking about collagen these days! Found in skin, bones and connective tissues, collagen is a fibrous protein and is what holds the body together. 

The most abundant protein in our body, collagen makes up for 70% of the total protein in our skin. This protein is essential for shiny hair, smooth skin, healthy bones and strong nails. Collagen also ensures we can move our bodies without pain by keeping ligaments and tendons supple. 

However, from our mid twenties we begin to lose 2% of our collagen production every year, and by the time we enter our forties, the dermis loses 20 to 80 percent of its original thickness as collagen and elastin levels plummet. Collagen production dwindles with age and exposure to factors such as UV light, smoking or high sugar consumption - and that’s when we start to notice wrinkles and sagging.

There is no better time than right now to start boosting collagen production and managing your collagen levels. 

Lifestyle and environmental factors that affect collagen production 

Some lifestyle and environmental choices can damage collagen in your skin. These factors are within your control and can be easily managed. These factors include:  

1. Smoking 

Smoking not only constricts oxygen to lungs but it does the same thing to your skin. By depriving the skin of oxygen, the ageing process is accelerated and vitamins are depleted from the body (which are crucial for the body to heal itself).

2. Too much sun exposure

Your collagen's worst nightmare is UVA rays. These rays are linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles, but they are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers. Most tanning beds give off large amounts of UVA, which has been found to increase skin cancer risk.

3. A diet of sugar and refined carbs

The skin saboteurs! Eating sugar and refined carbs tend to raise blood glucose levels quickly, and as a result sugar molecules permanently bond to proteins, including the collagen in the skin (known as glycation). Glycation is a biomarker for diabetes and is implicated in some diseases and in ageing.

4. Pollution

Air pollution contains a combination of toxins and micro-particles that are sized between 2.5 and 10 micrometres - much smaller than our pore size. These tiny airborne particles are significantly smaller than the size of our pores which means they can penetrate and clog our pores. When they enter the skin, they act as free radicals and start to damage the skin’s natural protective barrier, leading to  hyper-pigmentation and blotchy skin, dull skin, rosacea, sensitive skin and irritations such as acne, eczema and psoriasis, and premature ageing.