Signs You Need to Restore Your Collagen & How to Replenish Your Levels
Collagen is the main protein that provides structure within your skin, ensuring it remains supple and bouncy. It increases the efficacy of your skin barrier, while also contributing to overall skin health.
We all lose collagen naturally as we age, leading to visible signs of skin ageing including wrinkles and sagging skin. However, there are a number of ways you can temporarily replenish your collagen levels, helping minimise fine lines, while firming and plumping skin.
Carol Joy London’s skincare collection is specially formulated to keep your skin looking youthful, radiant and smooth every day.
What leads to collagen loss?
Collagen loss is linked to a number of lifestyle choices, including:
• eating a lot of sugar or carbohydrates
• regular smoking
• excessive consumption of alcohol
• exposure to UV rays.
These lifestyle choices can contribute to increased collagen loss, but the main culprit is ageing. It is natural for our body to stop producing as much collagen as we get older and collagen production begins to slowly decline from our mid-twenties. The loss becomes more noticeable the older we get.
Most women notice a sudden drop in collagen production, along with more obvious signs of ageing in the skin, when they enter the menopause or perimenopause. This is due to the dramatic drop in oestrogen. Men still experience these changes but they typically happen more gradually.
Some people experience a collagen deficiency – this is a more extreme version of collagen loss and means the body cannot function properly because of a lack of collagen. The effects of collagen loss are far more obvious from a younger age in someone who has a collagen deficiency.
Changing your lifestyle and taking collagen supplements can help to combat a severe lack of collagen, but you should always consult your doctor if you believe you have a deficiency.
Signs of collagen loss in the face
There are a number of signs that indicate collagen loss in the face:
• Wrinkles, fine lines and crow’s feet – less collagen means less elasticity, leading to a loss of smooth, bouncy skin.
• Sagging skin and sunken cheeks – less elasticity also leads to sagging skin, especially around the jaw, cheek and neck areas.
• Dry skin – a lack of collagen can also lead to a loss of hydration, leading to dry, tight and uncomfortable skin.
Boosting your collagen levels delivers a number of benefits, both for your skin and the overall health of your body, including your muscles and joints.
Restoring collagen with your skincare
We have developed skincare infused with collagen to help smooth and rejuvenate your skin. Our collagen skincare collection utilises three different types of collagen across various products to ensure optimal results. Our Collagen Peptides, in particular, are specially formulated to penetrate your skin barrier in order to smooth and plump skin from within.
Moisturisers and neck creams infused with collagen can have a lifting and smoothing effect, blurring wrinkles and tightening any sagging skin. Use these products as part of a regular skincare routine to achieve a more youthful complexion.
Carol Joy London has also developed the world’s first Pure Collagen Spray, to refresh your skin on-the-go. Simply spray over your face to plump, lift and rejuvenate your skin in an instant.
Our Collagen Eye Masks and Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid Face Masks also offer a boost of collagen in just 15 minutes. Revive tired-looking eyes and dull skin with this quick treatment and enjoy radiant, youthful skin, whether you’re indulging in a self-care evening or travelling from the office to after-work drinks.
Ensuring you always wear adequate sun protection is one of the main ways you can retain your collagen levels. SPF should be the last step in everyone’s morning skincare routine, regardless of the weather or season. This will ensure your complexion remains youthful for longer, while also protecting the overall health of your skin and minimising your chance of developing serious diseases, such as skin cancer.
Remember that wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin are normal as we get older and aren’t something to feel uncomfortable or worried about. But, if you choose to smooth away your wrinkles and tighten your skin, one of the best ways to do so is by incorporating collagen skincare into your regular morning and evening regimes. Collagen skincare should be used consistently to help you achieve smooth, radiant skin.
Alternative ways to increase collagen
Looking beyond skincare, there are a few other ways to prevent collagen loss in your skin.
Combat a lack of collagen by:
• eating collagen-rich foods, such as sardines and skin-on chicken
• incorporating foods that help with collagen production – for instance, berries and citrus fruits will help to boost vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen, while gelatine (mainly found in gummy sweets!) is derived from collagen so can help your body produce more
• making a few lifestyle changes – quitting smoking, cutting back on alcohol and limiting your exposure to UV rays by regularly applying sunscreen will all help limit collagen loss
• taking vitamin supplements – vitamins C and A in particular help with collagen production
• taking collagen supplements – these are available in powder, tablet and drink form.
Additional signs of collagen loss
There are a number of additional symptoms of low collagen, including:
• muscle pain and stiff joints – these kinds of issues become more common as we age, in part due to collagen loss within our cartilage
• thin, flat and dull hair – collagen provides our hair with essential nutrients that make it look thick and glossy – without these nutrients your hair will begin to look tired, damaged and flat
• brittle or soft nails that are more prone to breakage.
Those with a collagen deficiency may also experience symptoms such as:
• gastrointestinal issues, such as leaky gut syndrome
• problems with wound healing and injury recovery
• longer muscle recover time after exercise
• loss of muscle mass
• hair loss
• loss of bone density
• joint pain.
Contact us
Discover Carol Joy London’s firming and anti-ageing skincare range, formulated with Pure Collagen to boost your body’s natural production of collagen for smoother, more youthful skin.