Boost Your Collagen - What Works and Doesn't

You have probably heard that collagen is important for healthy skin but what exactly is it, how does it work, and how do you boost it? Let’s review...

Collagen is a naturally occurring protein in the body that supports a number of things, including providing structure to our skin. As we age we naturally lose collagen and our bodies produce less. Collagen loss begins in our 20s and we lose on average 1% per year. This can lead to sagging skin and wrinkles.  

There are a number of things that have evidence showing they help to stimulate collagen, including the use of topical retinoids, certain in-office treatments that either “wound” or heat the skin to trigger a healing response that produces collagen, and the use of certain substances (biostimulators) injected into the skin. Sun protection is also important to preserve existing collagen. ️

What about oral collagen supplements? Collagen is formed naturally in our bodies by breaking down dietary proteins into amino acids, which build chains that in turn create collagen. So  ingested collagen will be broken down as any other protein would and must then be “re-assembled”. However, even if new collagen is produced, there are many types of collagen in our bodies and there is not a clear pathway for ingestible collagen to translate specifically into collagen in our skin. More research is definitely needed! 

Collagen applied topically in creams is also not going to penetrate the skin and act as new collagen under the surface. If you are looking for topical options, retinoids have the most evidence. Other topicals that may help are antioxidants like Vitamin C, growth factors and peptides.

Probably the most direct way to stimulate collagen production in the skin would be in-office treatments including microneedling, laser and light based treatments such as IPL, radiofrequency and ultrasound based technologies, and injectable biostimulators including Sculptra and Radiesse. ⚡️

So if you are looking for ways to increase (and preserve) your collagen, know that there are options available. I would recommend talking to an aesthetic specialist to learn more about what may be right for you.

All About The Chest

The chest, or its fancier term décolletage, is commonly neglected when it comes to prevention and rejuvenation strategies, but it really does deserve some attention! It’s often a clear give-away of someone’s age. So what are some treatments for this area? Here is a list of some of my favourites:

1)    Complexion: Evening out the red, brown, sun spots and more on the chest is an easy first strategy. The skin on our chests is often damaged from years of exposure to the sun and unfortunately this area, like the neck, is commonly forgotten when it comes to important sun protection strategies.

a.    IPL - This is one of my favourite go tos. It can reduce redness, sun spots, and help even out discolouration.

b.    Skin Care - Don’t forget to put skin care on your chest as well!! The neck and chest skin is often more sensitive so you may need to start out every few days or even once a week to begin with for your more active products.

2)    Lines and wrinkles: If you squeeze your chest pushing from outside in you can often see long vertical wrinkles. Side sleepers (me included) get this the most!  What are some different treatment options?

a.    Sculptra - This injection can stimulate collagen and is long-lasting, looks natural, and can help soften those lines and wrinkles. It often requires more than one treatment, but the degree of improvement can be quite meaningful (see video below).

b.    Thermage or Ultherapy - This will help soften lines and lift the chest. In fact Ultherapy is formally approved for improving lines and wrinkles in this area.

c.     Hyaluronic acid filler - Soft fillers like Volite or Restylane Skin Boosters can hydrate the skin and reduce some of the more superficial lines.

The before and after photos above are following two treatments of Sculptra to the chest. There is a subtle, but noticeable improvement in the vertical lines on the V-shaped central part of her chest despite the colour difference (a little sun education was implemented from the before to the after photos as well ;)

You can watch the video below for a little more information about the use of Sculptra on the chest. If you are interested in learning more please contact our office.