The Truth About Collagen Skincare and Supplements (According to Experts)
Main image – Ohlamourstudio/Stocksy
You may or may not know that collagen is what keeps our skin looking plump, firm and smooth. It’s a protein found naturally in the skin but as we get older, our collagen production slows down meaning that, over time, the skin starts to thin and look more lined. All together now – booooo!
Although losing collagen is a natural part of ageing, many people like to avoid it for as long as possible and recently, the popularity of collagen topicals and supplements has soared. Whether it’s because consumers are on the hunt for better skin health, age prevention, more natural looking anti-ageing results or all of the above, it’s widely assumed that applying and/or ingesting collagen could help buy the skin more time.
However, there is also debate around whether collagen can actually be properly absorbed by our bodies. So here, we’re asking the experts, do topicals and supplements actually work? And which ingredients and treatments do actually increase collagen levels?
Keep scrolling for the experts’ take.
What role does collagen play in preventing ageing?
“Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, it plays a vital part in giving our skin structure and shape, elasticity and firmness, and is also important for healing and regeneration as well as hydration,” explains Dr Jessica Western, cosmetic doctor at Dr Leah Skin Clinics.
Image – Ohlamourstudio
“This is because collagen in the skin helps it to retain moisture, ensuring it stays hydrated and plump. As we age our natural collagen levels decline. This decline typically starts in the mid-twenties and it leads to skin becoming thinner, less elastic and with more fine lines and wrinkles.”
This is why people often start tackling anti-ageing sooner rather than later. “By proactively supporting it now, you help maintain stronger, more resilient skin in the years to come,” advises Dr Dev Patel, award winning aesthetics doctor and founder of CellDerma. Ever heard of ‘collagen banking’?
“It is the concept of preserving and stimulating your body’s natural collagen production through targeted treatments, skincare products, and healthy habits,” he adds. “The goal is to ‘bank’ collagen early so your skin has more reserves to draw on as you age.”
Can collagen skincare actually do anything to improve our skin?
If you keep your eye on what’s new for skincare, you’ll have noticed that collagen skincare is getting bigger. But does it make any difference? “It can positively impact the skin by helping it to stay hydrated, which can make it appear plumper and smoother,” says board-certified dermatologist and cosmetologist, Dr Aiza Jamil.
“However collagen has a large molecular weight which means the absorption of collagen into the deeper layers of the skin is slow, and does not penetrate the skin’s outer layer, the stratum corneum, effectively.”
Harley Street skin and aesthetics expert and independent nurse prescriber Nina Prisk, of Update Aesthetics agrees. “Collagen molecules are too large to penetrate the skin, so they don’t boost your own collagen levels directly,” she warns.
Can collagen supplements do any better?
Dr Western says it might be too soon to tell. “Whilst collagen supplements, particularly hydrolysed collagen, are booming, the science is still evolving,” she explains. “Hydrolysed collagen is broken down into smaller peptides to improve absorption, but it doesn’t go directly to the skin as collagen.”
How does it work then? “It’s digested into amino acids and peptides that the body may use as building blocks where needed, including the skin,” she says. “Some studies suggest potential benefits for skin hydration and elasticity, but overall results vary and further research is needed to fully understand their long-term efficacy and impact.”
Image – Bruceandrebeccamessiner/Stocksy
So what should we be looking for in collagen supplements for the best possible results? “When choosing a supplement, it’s worth looking for products that contain hydrolysed collagen, which is commonly used because it is easier for the body to digest,” advises Dr Louise Rix, a clinical product leader, medical doctor and women’s health advisor for Unfabled. “Vitamin C is also relevant, as it supports the body’s natural collagen synthesis.”
The ingredients and treatments that can actually increase collagen levels
So, whilst both collagen skincare and supplements offer shorter-term results (as it stands), which ingredients and/or treatments are proven to boost our own collagen? By now, you won’t be surprised to learn that it’s actually not collagen.
“The most effective collagen boosters aren’t collagen itself, but treatments and ingredients that stimulate the skin to make its own such as retinoids, vitamin C, microneedling, radiofrequency and injectable biostimulators, alongside consistent sun protection,” advises Dr Western.
In clinic, “polynucleotides support skin regeneration by improving hydration and elasticity and stimulating the skin’s natural repair processes, helping to enhance collagen and elastin production over time without adding volume,” she adds.
Image – Valbarstudio/Stocksy
“Collagen stimulating injectables are another option, working by encouraging the skin to gradually produce its own collagen, leading to improvements in firmness, structure and overall skin quality rather than immediate volume change.”
How long until you see results? “Some volumising effects may be visible immediately, but the true collagen-building benefits develop gradually over the following weeks to months as the skin produces its own collagen, leading to ongoing, natural-looking improvement,” Dr Western explains.
“Treatments such as laser, microneedling and injectables are designed to stimulate collagen production and improve skin texture, helping to improve skin quality and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin,” explains Dr Jamil.
And don’t forget about exosomes. “Exosome treatments are an advanced regenerative therapy that utilises exomes to promote healing, reducing inflammation and enhancing cellular communication,” she adds. “They are known to support collagen levels in the skin by stimulating collagen and elastin production, leading to significant improvements in skin quality and are something with which I’ve seen extremely effective results.”
On top of noticing surface level results within a few weeks of an exosome treatment, “noticeable results are seen within three to four months with optical improvements seen around nine months after treatment,” Dr Jamil says.
Cosmetic doctor Dr Maria Faria of Nova Clinic also suggests choosing a treatment that focuses on the deeper layers of the skin. “One of the most effective ways to stimulate collagen is through treatments that work at the deeper structural layers of the skin, rather than just the surface,” she says.
“Endolift works by delivering controlled energy into the deeper dermal and subdermal layers, triggering a biological response that stimulates new collagen formation and tightens existing fibres.” You can notice results within three to six months.
The takeaway
So collagen can be boosted but, as far as we know not necessarily by collagen itself.
The general consensus amongst the experts is that collagen supplements are slow to absorb, if they even absorb at all (science: loading). And that collagen skincare gives a big thumbs up to hydration and the appearance of smoother, more plumped skin in the moment, but it’s a tentative thumbs down for actually boosting your natural collagen levels in the long term.
It seems the science isn’t all there for topical and ingested collagen yet so in the meantime, in-clinic treatments involving things like collagen stimulating injectables, exosomes and microneedling, and ingredients like retinoids and vitamin C are the way to go to keep your skin juicy and firm.
Meet the experts
Dr Jessica Western is cosmetic doctor at Dr Leah Skin Clinics
Dr Dev Patel is an award-winning Aesthetics Doctor and Founder of CellDerma
Dr Aiza Jamil is a Board-Certified Dermatologist and Cosmetologist
Nina Prisk of Update Aesthetics is a Harley Street skin and aesthetics expert and independent nurse prescriber
Dr Maria Faria of Nova Clinic is a cosmetic doctor.
Dr Louise Rix, a clinical product leader, medical doctor and women’s health advisor for Unfabled
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