Collagen is really the secret ingredient that keeps our skin looking vibrant and youthful. Why is collagen so special? It’s basically a tissue connecter, and it works to keep tissue like skin super strong and resistant to stretching.
The downside of collagen is that its production starts to dwindle early in our lives, especially for women. Collagen production starts to slow down as early as our mid-20s to early 30s, and then dramatically drops in our 40s and as we journey into menopause.
So naturally, many of us are looking for ways to supplement our dwindling collagen supply in order to retain its many benefits for our bodies, including the skin.
Collagen supplements do exist. And we get a lot of questions as to whether collagen supplements are ultimately worth it given their typically elevated price tag. In a nutshell, we’d say probably not. The thing is that there’s actually not a lot of research that points to the effectiveness of collagen supplements, and the research that does exist is often financially backed by collagen supplement producers (so not obviously neutral).
To be clear, collagen supplements aren’t harmful in any way. It’s just that if you’re looking for effective collagen boosting products, especially in the area of collagen boosting directly for your skin, then skin treatments are going to offer a lot more for your buck in the long run than taking collagen supplements.
So here’s what you can do to boost collagen instead, in order of effectiveness.
Sculptra
We’d vote Sculptra as the number one collagen boosting treatment out there. The point of Sculptra is to literally restore those lost connective tissue structures under the surface of the skin, by stimulating collagen and elastin production.
A lot of people think Sculptra is a filler, which it is in theory, but it’s what we call a stimulatory filler. So it’s not a filler where you’re going to see immediate volume following your treatment. You will see some volume improvement after about 3-6 months following your treatment, which is the time it takes for your body to produce collagen and form new connective structures.
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But what you’ll also see is an improvement in the structural integrity of your skin, which will ultimately result in the diminishment of any moderate to deep facial folds, and just an overall softer appearance to the face.
Radiesse
Radiesse is another fantastic collagen-boosting filler. Like Sculptra it’s also a stimulatory filler, but it’s composed of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) instead of f poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) like Sculptra.
All this means is that Radiesse will offer a big collagen boost for sure, but it will also add some immediate volume to the skin unlike Sculptra. So if you’re looking for a combo of volume and collagen, Radiesse will be better suited to your needs. But if you’re looking for mostly collagen production, then Sculptra would be your go to as it will ultimately get your body to produce more collagen over time.
Morpheus8
Morpheus8 is a radiofrequency (RF) treatment but it’s combined with deep microneedling. Microneedling in general will stimulate collagen production in your body. Microneedling penetrates the skin via tiny micro-abrasions.
These micro-abrasions cause your body to react in a wound healing response, and this ultimately gets you to produce collagen, which creates new connective structures under the surface of the skin.
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What we love about Morpheus8 is that it’s not only a great collagen booster, but also a great treatment for a wide variety of skin concerns from acne to hyperpigmentation and skin contouring and remodelling to improving on the overall appearance of the skin.
Microneedling
Like we mentioned above any microneedling treatment, whether it’s microneedling with a beauty booster or microneedling with PRP (platelet-rich plasma), will stimulate collagen production in the body.
If you’re looking for collagen production primarily, then microneedling with PRP will really do the trick, as it uses the plasma from your own blood to boost collagen production and encourage new healthy skin cell turnover for a major improvement in the overall integrity of your skin.
Great Skincare & Taking Care of Yourself
In-clinic treatments for collagen production are great, but don’t forget that in-clinic treatments alone aren’t enough. The healthiest looking skin always stems from a combination of in-clinic treatments and a fantastic at-home skincare routine.
And don’t forget, quality of life is super important for the health of your skin and how much collagen your body retains as well. You can improve your quality of life by limiting stress, exercising regularly, getting a good amount of sleep, and doing things that make you happy 😊
