Who doesn’t love the feel and the look of soft, supple skin? While we can’t stay young forever, we can care for our skin as we age so that it’s always fresh, healthy, and glowing. One of the best ways of going about this is by ensuring that we’re maintaining an appropriate amount of collagen in our bodies--especially our facial skin. Your face is the first thing people see, and it’s unique to you, so it’s a good idea to do all you can to keep it healthy and vibrant with collagen. You may be wondering how, exactly, you can go about rebuilding the collagen in your face, so in this article we’re going to cover:
- What is collagen?
- Why do we need to rebuild it?
- Our picks for ways to rebuild collagen in your face
What is Collagen and Why Do We Lose It?
It’s completely normal to see a reduction in facial collagen as you age
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, as it contains the building blocks for bones, skin, muscles, and tendons. But since it is found almost everywhere in the body, you can also find it in teeth, blood vessels, and corneas. While these are all vital parts that use collagen, when we talk about rebuilding collagen, typically we’re referring to the collagen in the skin, hair, and nails.
People are usually interested in rebuilding their collagen levels (specifically in their face) because your skin is one of the first places you can see visible signs of aging. Think wrinkles, dark spots, or sagging skin. This is because as we age, our bodies produce less and less collagen--and the collagen it does produce is of a lower quality. Because the loss of collagen leads to skin feeling less firm and supple, many people wonder if there are ways to boost collagen levels. Well, luckily there are ways that you can help your body increase its production of collagen, and keep the skin of your face looking firm. But first, there are some key things to avoid in order to get the most out of your collagen rebuilding process:
- Avoid too much sugar. While this should be done with any healthy lifestyle, it’s important to be more diligent when it comes to sugar when you’re rebuilding collagen. Sugar can get in the way of collagen when it is rebuilding and repairing itself.
- Don’t smoke. There are plenty of good reasons to stop smoking, but this habit should be cut out of your life if you’d like healthier looking skin. Smoking can lead to wrinkles and a reduction in overall collagen.
- Protect your skin. It’s important to ensure your skin is protected from too much UV exposure, as this can lead to wrinkles and worsening skin damage. Apply a topical daily that contains SPF protection.
Top Ways to Rebuild Facial Collagen
You can start to rebuild collagen by making it a part of your daily routine
Forget invasive treatments, there are plenty of ways you can start to rebuild collagen in your face without breaking the bank, or making a major lifestyle change. Here our our top ways to start stimulating and rebuilding collagen in your face:
Collagen supplements
Supplements are a great way to help rebuild facial collagen. It’s an easy way to include collagen as a part of your daily lifestyle, especially when they’re made of high-quality bovine, poultry, egg, or marine sources. Make sure to do your research and know where the supplement is sourced from, and that it includes the collagen type that is best at rebuilding skin collagen.
“I am sooooo happy with my results already and it's only been a couple of weeks of taking it! My skin is more bright, firm, and plump! I also feel more energetic during the day, which is a huge plus for me!” -Amazon Review
Facial massage
You might not first think that doing a simple facial massage could help rebuild you facial collagen, but it might do just that! You don’t have to do anything fancy, just take a little time out of your day and rub the skin of your face in an upward and consistent motion. Although only preliminary studies have been completed so far, there is evidence to show that by stimulating the skin cells of your face when you rub in your moisturizer, you may be able reap some anti-aging benefits.
Vitamin C
We know that vitamin C is an important nutrient for our bodies that is easily accessible in foods or supplements, like Dr. Emil Nutrition's Vitamin C gummies. It helps our immune systems stay in top shape, but did you also know it could also boost your collagen levels? Eating food that’s rich in vitamin C is a part of any healthy lifestyle, but if you really want to rebuild collagen, consider adding a cream or a moisturizer with extra vitamin C to your face. That way not only are you ingesting vitamin C, but you’re applying it directly to where you’d like to see more supple, firmer skin.
Water
This is a no-brainer, since staying hydrated is an important part of maintaining a healthy body, both inside and out! But having a hydrated complexion is also crucial for ensuring that facial collagen is allowed to form properly, and not become distorted. The skin on your face can get dry very easily, so make sure you’re using a good moisturizer and getting a good amount of H2O each day.
Retinoids
These antioxidant facial treatments are another easy way to keep the facial collagen that you have, and even begin to rebuild it. When applied as a topical to your face, it can increase the lifespan of collagen while stopping other enzymes from causing it to deteriorate. Look for a moisturizer or a cream with these helpful antioxidants in it.
Rebuilding the collagen in your face is possible, but it won’t happen overnight! No matter if you choose to add a collagen supplement, or get a moisturizer with retinoids (or do both!), you should eventually see a difference in the look and feel of your facial skin for the better. If you’re keen on discovering more options, delve into the world of PRP treatment for the face to uncover additional insights.
