7 Scientifically-Proven Ways to Increase Collagen in the Skin

Collagen is a triple-helix-shaped protein that gives the skin its strength. Collagen is made in the body, so it is not necessary to take collagen supplements or drink collagen drinks. The more collagen you have in your skin, the stronger it will be and the younger it will look.

However, older skin cells make collagen more slowly, so our bodies and skin do not have as much of this protein as we age. The good news is that there are scientifically-proven ways to increase collagen in your skin. I was shocked at how much false information I found on the internet. Don’t waste your money on skin care products to boost your collagen levels in skin that are not on this list, or on collagen drinks or supplements. Collagen proteins are broken down by stomach acids before they can reach other areas of your body.

How to Boost Collagen in the Skin

Take vitamin C supplements. Vitamin C is an essential component of collagen production, so increasing your daily intake of vitamin C can help to boost your body’s natural production of this protein.
Use a topical Vitamin C serum. Similarly, a high-quality topical vitamin C serum can help your skin to produce more collagen. I like SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF, and Jan Marini C-ESTA.
Use topical retinoids like retinol, tretinoin, tazarotene, adapalene and trifarotene. Brand names of prescription retinoids include Altreno, Atralin, Aklief , Avage, Differin, Retin A, Renova, and Tazorac. Talk to your dermatologist about the right prescription retinoid for you, or try a non-prescription product such as Medature Encapsulated Retinol Serum or Revision Skincare Retinol Complete that is a match for your skin type.
Use hydroxy acids like glycolic acid, lactic acid, phytic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, and mandelic acid in skin care products. You can find these in a variety of cleansers like Essopi Glycolic 10% Moisturizing Cleanser and others. Be sure to choose a hydroxy acid product that is right for your Baumann Skin Type.
Use polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), found in exfoliating products like NeoStrata Problem Dry Skin Cream. PHAs not only help to exfoliate the skin, revealing a fresh new layer of skin underneath dead skin cells and debris, but they also help to combat the process of glycation. If left unchecked, glycation allows sugar molecules to attach to and damage proteins like collagen.
Use skin care with growth factors like SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex and TNS Essential Serum. These products have been formulated with a patented process for harvesting human growth factors, which ensures the stability and efficacy of these beneficial ingredients. It is important to note that not all skin care products that contain growth factors are effective for this reason.
Use an exfoliating scrub like Pidanti Smoothing Polish to stimulate the cell renewal process and remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. This Pidanti scrub uses eco-friendly microbeads to gently and safely exfoliate the skin.

Skin Procedures that Increase Collagen

In addition to following the seven skin care tips listed above, you can work with your dermatologist to choose the best skin treatments to increase collagen, such as:

Microdermabrasion
Dermaplaning
Chemical peels
Hyaluronic acid filler injections
Botulinum toxin injections
Microneedling and PRP

Bottom Line

Don’t waste your money on expensive collagen drinks, supplements, or skin care products that are not scientifically-proven to help your skin make more collagen. Instead, work with your dermatologist to first find out your Baumann Skin Type, then develop a customized skin care regimen that includes some of the skin care ingredients listed in this article that have been proven to help increase collagen in the skin.

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