How Does Collagen Benefit Your Skin?

The skincare community is abuzz with all sorts of newfangled treatments and ingredients, and collagen is certainly one that gets a major dose of attention. Collagen naturally exists in our bodies—and is a key player in firm, plump skin—but it depletes over time. The question, then, is whether you can restore collagen to address skincare concerns like laxity, wrinkles, and volume loss. Ahead, we’re answering your most pressing questions on collagen skincare, including whether collagen face cream works and how collagen levels change over time. Plus, learn about our best topical collagen product—the L'Oréal Paris Collagen Filler Moisture Day/Night Cream—as well as professional treatments you may want to incorporate into your skincare routine.

What Is Collagen and How Does It Impact Skin?

Collagen is a protein that makes the skin cells strong, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It’s like the glue that holds the skin, muscles, bones, and tissues together. The Cleveland Clinic also notes that collagen, along with elastin (another protein found in your skin), is responsible for fending off fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen is one of the main factors that keeps skin looking youthful, but it depletes over time, which can affect how your skin visibly ages (more on that later).

Benefits of collagen

To recap, here are the primary reasons why collagen is important for healthy-looking skin:

• Supports skin elasticity
• Enhances skin firmness
• Minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles
• Reduces the look of pores
• Provides a plump and youthful appearance

Do Topical Collagen Skincare Products Work?

In addition to being a naturally-occurring protein in the human body, collagen can also be a skincare ingredient. It’s commonly found in moisturizers, in particular. While you cannot technically absorb collagen topically, collagen face creams and serums add a film-like layer to your skin to reduce water loss and act as a barrier from environmental elements, the Cleveland Clinic states. Topical collagen can be effective in helping your skin look more plump and bouncy while minimizing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging.

One of our favorite collagen skincare products is the aforementioned L'Oréal Paris Collagen Filler Moisture Day/Night Cream. This collagen face cream smooths and hydrates skin by filling in the look of fine lines and creating a moisturized, bouncy appearance. You’ll see a difference overnight, and after one week of use, you’ll notice skin feels smoother and plumper. After just four weeks, wrinkles appear more filled in.*

What Causes Collagen Loss?

As you age, your body’s collagen levels start to decrease. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) notes that as collagen diminishes, your skin loses its firmness and begins to sag, wrinkles look more noticeable, large pores can become more apparent, and even the tip of your nose can start to “dip.” But aging is just one of the causes of collagen depletion; other culprits include external factors ranging from sun exposure to lifestyle habits. Let’s dive further into these causes.

How aging affects collagen

As you grow older, your body's ability to produce collagen naturally begins to decrease while the collagen you already have begins to degrade. Though the loss of collagen can start earlier, the AAD notes that the drop is most significant for women during menopause, with up to 30% of collagen depletion occurring in the first five years of menopause. After that, women lose about 2% of their collagen every year for the next 20 years.

External factors that affect collagen levels

While age plays a key role in the levels of collagen for faces and bodies, additional factors can come into play, as well.

UV exposure

One of the biggest culprits of collagen depletion is the sun. According to the Mayo Clinic, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light breaks down your skin's connective tissue—collagen and elastin fibers—which lie in the deeper layer of the skin (dermis). This sun damage and the breakdown of collagen can lead to signs of premature aging, such as laxity and wrinkles.

This is one of many reasons it’s so important to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more, like L’Oréal Paris Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion.

Lifestyle habits

Harvard Health notes that while aging affects collagen levels, environmental factors and lifestyle habits can have the biggest impact. Sun exposure is a big one, of course, but lifestyle habits, such as not getting enough sleep, can be major players in the depletion game.

Professional Treatments To Combat Collagen Loss

While topical skincare does not help with collagen loss, there are several professional, in-office treatments performed by dermatologists that can help address it. Here’s what you need to know.

• Microneedling: According to a study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, multiple sessions of microneedling—a procedure during which tiny needles are used to poke holes in the skin—may lead to an increase of collagen, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, pore size, and leading to more suppleness and elasticity.
• Ultrasound: Per the AAD, some dermatologists use ultrasounds to send heat deep into the skin, which can trigger your body to produce more collagen.
• Radiofrequency: Similar to ultrasounds, radiofrequency involves heating your skin’s tissue to help stimulate collagen production.

With any of these professional treatments, it’s important to consult with a dermatologist to determine the best game plan for your skincare goals.

Next Up: A Beginner's Guide To Retinol