If you’re at that place in life where you’ve begun using ‘age-defying’ products, you probably see collagen listed as the main ingredient a lot. But aside from the fact that it keeps your skin plumper, do you know why it’s so important? Furthermore, what causes collagen loss, and is there anything you can do about it?
Collagen is a protein naturally produced in our bodies that keeps skin smooth, elastic, and youthful, with different types having different functions. Unfortunately, we do start to make less as we age.
The good news? There are ways to protect, support, and even boost these proteins, allowing your skin to stay healthy and vibrant for years to come.
Understanding what causes collagen loss helps you slow it down and even reverse some of the signs of premature aging, resulting in a renewed, youthful glow.
The Role of Collagen in Your Body
Collagen is one of the main building blocks of your skin. It is largely located in the dermis, the middle layer of skin under the epidermis. It acts like scaffolding, keeping everything firm, smooth, and supported. When collagen levels are high, your skin is plumper, softer, and looks radiant.
Another equally important protein made by your body is elastin. As its name implies, it works with collagen to provide your skin’s elasticity. That way, you can smile, frown, make silly faces, and even grow without damaging or marring your skin.
As these proteins break down and production slows, skin can start to feel thinner, lose elasticity, and develop fine lines and wrinkles.
But it doesn’t just keep you looking young; collagen is a crucial component of all of your tissues, including muscle, bone, tendons, ligaments, and even organs and blood vessels.
That’s why, for many of us, we may develop achy, stiff joints and other issues along with our wrinkles.
Natural aging is a beautiful thing, but it’s not always fun.
What Causes Collagen Loss as You Age?
Collagen production naturally begins to decline in our mid-20s, but most people notice the difference in their 30s and 40s. This shift is part of the body’s natural aging process, in which the cells responsible for producing collagen (fibroblasts) become less active.
Over time, this leads to:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Skin that feels thinner or more fragile
- Less elasticity, making skin slower to “bounce back”
Women will often notice an even sharper decline after menopause due to lower estrogen levels. However, since both men and women experience dwindling hormone production, we all experience the effects of reduced collagen in the body after the age of 60.
Other Factors That Impact Collagen Loss
While aging is the primary reason, certain lifestyle and environmental factors can accelerate the breakdown of proteins even faster. Since these are preventable, knowing what causes collagen loss at a sharper rate can help you change your habits before it’s too late.
- Sun exposure — UV rays penetrate deep into the skin and break down collagen fibers, leading to premature aging and possibly skin cancer.
- Smoking — Nicotine and other chemicals reduce blood flow and damage the skin’s structure.
- Poor diet — Consuming high amounts of sugar and processed foods can lead to inflammation and collagen damage. Additionally, a diet lacking sufficient lean meats, beans, fruits, and vegetables makes it more challenging for your body to produce necessary proteins.
- Chronic stress — Stress hormones can interfere with skin repair and collagen production.
- Lack of sleep — Your skin repairs itself at night, so poor sleep means less cellular renewal.
Can You Reverse Collagen Loss?
While you can’t fully restore collagen to the levels you had in your teens or even 20s, you can stimulate your skin to produce more and protect the collagen you still have.
With proper skincare, healthy habits, and professional treatments, you can see a noticeable difference in firmness, smoothness, and overall radiance.
How to Increase Collagen Production
When you understand what causes collagen loss, both the natural and preventable ways, you can take the right steps to slow it down.
And remember, it’s not just about preventing wrinkles or looking younger than your years. It’s about protecting and maintaining your skin, which helps your whole body stay healthier and stronger.
Skincare Routine for Healthy Skin
- Cleanse gently — Avoid harsh cleansers that strip your skin’s natural oils.
- Moisturize daily — Hydrated skin functions better and is more resilient.
- Always wear sunscreen — SPF is the single most essential step to protect your skin from premature collagen loss and aging.
- Exfoliate regularly — Proper exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells, allowing collagen-boosting products to work more effectively and stimulates more effective cellular turnover.
Best Skincare Product Ingredients That Boost Collagen
- Vitamin C — Supports collagen production and helps protect it from free radical damage
- Retinol — Stimulates protein-producing cells for firmer skin over time
- Peptides — Signal the skin to create more collagen
- Hyaluronic acid — Keeps skin hydrated and protects the fibers of tissue-supporting proteins
- Niacinamide — Anti-inflammatory that helps boost collagen and elastin
- Growth factors — Help regenerate skin and improve elasticity
Lifestyle Habits That Slow Collagen Loss
- Eat nutrient-rich foods — Lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and legumes provide nutrients for healthier skin.
- Stay hydrated — Water helps keep skin cells functioning optimally.
- Get quality sleep — Your body repairs damage and produces collagen while you sleep, so you have to make sure you get the right amount of shut-eye.
- Manage stress — Relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation help protect skin health.
- Avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure — These are detrimental to your overall health, and the damage they cause will be visible on your skin sooner rather than later.
When to Start Collagen-Boosting Treatments
It’s never too early to start protecting your skin and promoting collagen production.
Many people in their 20s are already practicing prejuvenation. Even if you don’t want to try injectables or laser treatments to prevent wrinkles this early, developing good habits at a young age will keep your skin looking younger than you are for a long time.
In your 30s, taking small steps can help slow collagen loss and keep your skin looking firm for longer. Maintain a consistent skincare routine, protect your skin from the sun, and look for collagen-boosting ingredients in your skincare products.
In your 40s and beyond, if you are concerned about developing wrinkles, you still have plenty of options. Consider more potent products made for aging skin and MedSpa treatments that focus on repair and stimulation to restore elasticity and smoothness as the natural aging process progresses.
MedSpa Treatments That Boost Collagen Production
At our MedSpa, we offer several treatments designed to boost collagen and improve your skin’s overall health:
- IPL Photofacials — Light-based therapy that reduces pigmentation and stimulates collagen.
- Sublime Skin Tightening — Uses radiofrequency and infrared light to firm and lift skin from within.
- Sublative Skin Resurfacing — Improves texture and tone while encouraging new collagen and elastin growth, resulting in smoother, less wrinkled skin.
- Plasma Fibroblast — Tightens skin and encourages protein production through targeted charges of plasma energy.
- Microchanneling — Similar to microneedling (only better, in our opinion!), this treatment causes beneficial microdamage that promotes faster cell renewal and collagen production as it heals.
- Professional Chemical Peels — Gradual chemical exfoliation reveals smoother, more even-toned skin with higher collagen levels.
Depending on your needs and skincare goals, your esthetician will recommend a personalized treatment plan tailored to your skin.
Knowing What Causes Collagen Loss Helps You Slow It
Collagen loss with age is natural, but it doesn’t mean you have to accept dull, sagging skin. By protecting your skin, supporting it through healthy habits, and opting for professional treatments that stimulate collagen production, you can enjoy firmer, smoother, and more radiant skin for years to come.
If you’re ready to see what collagen-boosting treatments can do for you, call us today to schedule your personalized consultation.
