Supplements, topical potions and using LED light therapy are all ways to boost collagen, but how exactly do you bank it?
Collagen is one of the beauty world’s biggest buzzwords, and it’s currently taking the sector by storm. We’re drinking it, eating it, and slathering it onto our skin, in a bid to stay youthful for longer, inside and out. This is all despite the fact that our bodies naturally make this structural protein, that acts like scaffolding for the skin and helps give it a youthful appearance - think a smooth, plump and luminous complexion.
Collagen explained
“Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, and there are actually 28 different types of collagen found in every tissue we have. It gives our tissues strength, and without them we would have issues with the integrity of not just our skin but also our joints, cartilage and tendons,” shares Sophie Shotter, a practicing aesthetic doctor and host of the Age Well with Dr Sophie Shotter podcast.
But since we make our own collagen why are experts the world over encouraging us to bolster our stores by way of collagen banking? From the age of 25 we begin to lose collagen at a rate of 1-1.5 per cent per year, and without the stuff our skin loses its even tone, smooth texture, and firmness, while pores appear larger, and lines and wrinkles ensue.
Though there is a caveat to keep in mind. “Asians, Southeast Asians, and those of African decent seem to have more abundant collagen than Caucasians, and their collagen bundles are also quite tightly packed making them harder to break down. It’s also possible that the melanin in dark skin tones shields the collagen so it breaks down less rapidly than Caucasian skin,” explains Shotter. “It will, however, still break down - it just takes longer,” she adds.
However, no matter your skin tone, lifestyle factors can also play a part in the decline of your collagen. Everything from stress, pollution, UV exposure, smoking, and even sugar consumption can speed up collagen loss. This makes the practice of collagen banking worthwhile for anyone who wants to slow down the signs of ageing, reduce scaring, and look fresher faced for longer.
What is collagen banking?
A form of biohacking, “collagen banking is a proactive and preventative approach to collagen preservation. It’s the process of keeping your collagen ‘bank account’ topped up, rather than waiting for it to become overdrawn, leading to the development of signs associated with losing this key structural protein,” explains Shotter. It involves the use of ingestible supplements, skincare, as well as at-home and in-clinic treatments to help boost collagen levels before they start to decline dramatically.
If you start in your mid-twenties to early 30’s as collagen loss is just beginning, you don’t need to ‘involve aggressive treatments,' believes Shotter. “Start with a good collagen stimulating topical products like retinoids, acids and peptides. Take an ingestible collagen supplement and consider an at-home treatment like red LED light. These are all great ways to boost collagen levels, as they all help to stimulate fibroblast cells to produce more collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid,” shares Shotter.
LED light unpacked
LED stands for ‘light emitting diode’ - a tiny bulb which emits different wavelengths of light. In skin terms, we usually use red, near infrared, green, yellow and blue lights which can all be used to treat different skin concerns, from lines, and wrinkles, to pigmentation and acne. It’s a completely painless treatment, which involves the placement of an LED device close to the face itself. All you have to do is sit back, and relax, while your skin absorbs the wavelengths you’ve selected.
When it comes to collagen banking, “red LED light is the best choice as it can help to stimulate collagen production in the skin, whilst near infrared light stimulates better blood supply to the skin and therefore better micronutrient supply, which the skin can also use to help make more collagen,” explains Shotter.
Cue, the Current Body Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask. It’s not only embedded with 66 red LED bulbs, but with 66 near-infrared bulbs too - offering the same clinically proven red wavelengths as professional salon machines. Unlike regular LED devices with poor light distribution, this mask has a patented pillow technology that provides an even coverage on the skin’s surface, leaving no gaps, ensuring every single part of your face is swathed in collagen-boosting light.
Suitable for all ages, skin tones, and types, all it takes is 10 minutes, three to five times a week to reduce wrinkles by up to 24 per cent, and sport a brighter, smoother, more even-toned complexion.
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