We all want to be healthy and beautiful for as long as possible. Collagen is a protein that plays a significant role in maintaining our youthfulness. It is part of the connective and cartilage tissues, provides their elasticity and strength. It binds the body into a whole, makes the bones, ligaments, joints move.
What collagen is probably known to everyone, thanks to advertising. It can be found in, for example, Bloommy collagen cream, cleansers, lotions, shampoo, serum, and even in men’s shaving gel. But not everyone is fully aware of its importance and role in the body, which is not limited to anti-aging effects.
If you always want to look and feel good, collagen is what you need. What this magical product is, let’s get to the bottom of it.
What is collagen?
Collagen is a filamentous protein that forms the basis of connective tissue and provides its elasticity. This binding component is a fiber that envelops tendons, the spine, veins, arteries, and capillaries.
This means that without collagen, we can’t walk, run, jump, and in general actively move, not to mention we will look bad as an old apple.
Collagen is produced in our body until the age of 21-25 years, and then collagen production stops, and we begin to age. More pronounced changes appear after 30 years of age this is the right time to start taking active collagen.
Collagen in cosmetology
The properties of collagen have beenstudied for many decades, and it became widely known precisely because of cosmetics. It is added to all products that are designed to combat wrinkles. It would hardly have attracted so much attention if it did not produce results.
When used systematically as a daily facial, you get:
- improved tone;
- a firming of the contour;
- moisturizing;
- reduced wrinkles;
- improved complexion.
In a cosmetology clinic, you will also be offered injections that deliver collagen to the deepest layers of the dermis and literally even out the relief of the skin. Thus, collagen for the face is indispensable in the fight against age-related changes.
It is no less prevalent in body skincare products. In addition to the above benefits, you also get a great way to get rid of cellulite. When applied externally in the form of creams, serums, a reduction of 11% is observed after only 14 days of use. To enhance the results obtained, the specialist may also advise buying collagen in the form of supplements. Nourishment from within strengthens the effect of products for external application.
Can you use glycolic acid and retinol together?
Dermatologists agree: you should not use acids and retinol simultaneously (for example, acid lotion + serum/cream with retinol) – such a combination is very likely to cause a reaction in the form of irritation. This can be redness, dryness, tightness, peeling.
Benefits of Collagen Face Firming Creams
The collagen cream benefits are quite numerous. Some of the main advantages of collagen-based facial rejuvenation creams include:
- Stimulation of natural collagen production by the body, which contributes to the natural rejuvenation of the skin.
- Slowing the aging process of the epidermis and dermis at the cellular level;
- Effective and deep moisturizing.
- The presence of a pronounced lifting effect from collagen cream for face.
- Substantial increase of elasticity, firmness, and density of the upper skin layer.
- Complete or substantial elimination of age pigmentation.
- Smoothening of expression lines and wrinkles.
What happens when there is a collagen deficiency?
Scientists have studied more than 28 forms of collagen, which are necessary for full function. While they share a standard molecular structure, they differ from one another by their amino acid sequence. Thus, each of them corresponds to the needs of the skin, skeleton, internal organs, as well as muscles, ligaments, and cartilage.
Collagens are fibers that have a filamentous protein structure. They literally wrap around the entire body, providing strength and, at the same time, mobility. If a deficiency is observed, the first sign is fine facial wrinkles, sagging of the skin. If the problem is not addressed, age-related changes will look no longer as significant.
With prolonged deficiency:
- muscle tone weakens;
- osteoporosis develops;
- injuries to joints, such as dislocations, become more frequent;
- diseases of the heart appear, the work of heart valves is disturbed;
- there are problems with ligaments and tendons;
- there is brittle, dry hair and brittle nails.
Therefore the problem of collagen deficiency moves from the cosmetic area to the medical area.
What foods contain natural collagen
Collagen synthesized by the body is called endogenous collagen. And if at a young age fibroblasts produce a sufficient amount of the much-needed protein, over time, their production decreases significantly. After 25-30 years, the processes of fiber destruction prevail over the process of their synthesis.
Stimulating the body to produce more collagen is difficult, but it is possible. We are talking about special biologic supplements and adding protein-containing foods to the diet.
Lean meats
And here, the first place belongs to beef and turkey. But the minimum amount of amino acids contains rabbit meat.
Gelatin
Familiar to us gelatin is the collagen of animal origin. Because of its unique properties, they fill jellies, cold cuts – eat these products as often as possible!
Shellfish and fish
Fish collagen is essential obtained from seafood. It is important to focus on tuna and salmon, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Red fruits and vegetables
Tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers – fruits and vegetables with lycopene have high antioxidant properties, “work” as a natural sun protection factor, and stimulate collagen synthesis.
Garlic
Garlic is a plant full of lipoic acid, sulfur, and taurine. It activates collagen fiber repair processes.
