OVERVIEW:

If you look in the mirror and start to notice fine lines, dull skin, and wrinkles, you're likely noticing signs of skin aging. Collagen is responsible for most of our skin health concerns related to aging. Not only is it responsible for skin health, it also plays a role in our connective tissues, bones, tendons, and joints. Unfortunately, the production of collagen starts to slow down once we reach our 20's. Elastin and collagen can be found in the dermis and help to prevent sagging skin, maintain skin elasticity, and give you that overall glow of healthy skin. You can't make the aging process stop, but you can help to remedy it and slow it down. You can boost collagen production through supplements, treatments, and the food you eat. Supplements come in various forms, such as collagen peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, collagen pills, powder and liquid collagen. Even with all these ways to help, nothing matters if your body isn't actually producing new collagen. So, how often does collagen regenerate in our body? Read on to find out. 

How long does it take for collagen to regenerate?

Collagen is made with vitamin C and amino acids. It starts as procollagen, and then turns into collagen. It's formed through chains of amino acids such as glycine and proline. These act as building blocks in the body. When we are babies, kids, and teenagers, we are constantly regenerating and producing new collagen. This is why babies and kids have such smooth, plump skin. As teenagers we are still able to produce collagen quite rapidly, but may encounter skin issues such as acne due to hormonal changes. Once we reach our 20's, collagen regeneration slowly starts to lessen its frequency. When we get to our 30's and 40's, it really begins to slow down. Ages 50+ will begin to see that wrinkles and fine lines are much more noticeable, and even if treated they take longer to reduce. We do not have a completely concrete answer as to how often collagen regenerates, because it may differ for each person. It does depend on two factors: age and lifestyle. We already talked about how aging affects it. Eating unhealthy things, such as sugar and processed foods, will break down collagen in the body. Smoking and sun exposure are also detrimental to the regeneration of collagen. Eating clean, taking collagen supplements, and getting certain treatments at the dermatologist can help to ensure your collagen regenerates regularly.

What stimulates collagen production?

There are a couple ways in which you can increase collagen naturally. From eating foods that contain collagen, taking collagen supplements, and seeing your dermatologist, you have plenty of options for increasing collagen. While we can't stop the depletion of collagen as we age, we can certainly slow it down and work to repair damage caused by a loss of collagen. Remember, consistency is key and necessary in order to see results! Taking and eating collagen daily will help it be more effective, as it can build up in the body.  There are quite a few things that stimulate collagen production. The biggest and most important thing is that you eat a clean and healthy diet. There are tons of foods that either already contain collagen, or help to promote collagen production, which we will discuss later. Another thing is your skincare. Taking care of your skin with skincare products is important, as it can protect against free radicals and sun damage (both of which can destroy collagen). Moisturizer, hyaluronic acid, retinol, sunscreen, and other such products give you healthy skin and promote anti-aging. By improving your cell turnover, some of these products can improve collagen synthesis in your skin and the appearance of new, healthy skin cells. Additionally, some minor procedures performed by dermatologists can help with improving growth factors that improve natural collagen production, along with other skin conditions. Things such as chemical peels, laser treatments, and microneedling can all help to stimulate collagen. These treatments can cause skin resurfacing and minor damage, which causes your body to produce more collagen. Their side effects include redness and peeling, which means you should avoid UV rays and sun exposure for a little while. 

Can Collagen be restored?

There are ways to boost your natural collagen production, such as the ways we discussed above. Skincare and visiting the dermatologist to have certain treatments performed are great ways to help increase your collagen levels. Collagen can be restored, because when these treatments happen, the body forms new collagen to repair damage and injuries. Alternatively, food is an excellent way to stimulate collagen production, leading to its restoration within the body. There are so many foods that either contain collagen or are used in the formation of collagen. Here are some great options that you should consider adding to your diet: Bone broth is a nutrient-dense broth. It is made by simmering animal bones in water with herbs. It is packed with collagen, amino acids, calcium, and magnesium. The broth is easy to make, but it does take a considerable amount of time to simmer. However, you can make huge batches and freeze what you don’t use. Another food that is high in collagen is fish. It has amino acids such as proline and glycine, which contain the necessary building blocks for collagen. Almost all types of fish will help with your collagen intake, but keep in mind that most collagen is in parts we don’t normally eat (such as the scales). As we mentioned, vitamin C is a key component of the creation of collagen. For vitamin C rich foods, citrus fruits are best, with grapefruit being one of the best for your skin. Even fruit such as raspberries contain a large amount of vitamin C. If you are trying to watch your sugar intake, try eating bell peppers instead of fruit. They are just as high in vitamin C but contain a lower sugar content. This vitamin is essential for both improving collagen production and naturally giving you stronger, glowier skin. Vitamin A is another important vitamin. This is why you should try and eat more foods rich in vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin A, which is needed for a strong skin barrier and overall skin function. Other foods rich in vitamin A include spinach, carrots, and broccoli. Eating your vegetables is necessary for glowing, healthy skin, especially leafy, green vegetables. Kale, as well as a majority of green vegetables, will give you a huge boost in helping with collagen production, as well as help you achieve glowing skin, due to all the antioxidants they contain. While eggs themselves don’t support collagen production, egg whites do. They contain proline, which is an amino acid that is needed for collagen production. For those who are vegan or vegetarian, try eating more beans. Not only are beans packed with protein and flavor, they also contain essential amino acids that are needed for synthesizing collagen. As we mentioned, supplements can be key for restoring collagen. We briefly talked about the various forms of collagen available, such as powders and pills. Always read the labels of any supplement you purchase in order to ensure there are no additives or unnecessary ingredients. Kalumi BEAUTYfood bars contain 12 grams of hydrolyzed marine collagen and 15 grams of protein. They also contain other beauty-boosting foods like sweet potato (containing vitamin A and vitamin C), and cocoa butter (containing polyphenols and flavonoids). The formula is designed to help absorb and retain collagen and are a great way to improve your skin, hair, and nails.
 

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.