No matter your age or if you’re a man or woman, feeling confident in your appearance is essential, and it can even affect your overall physical and mental health. But sometimes perfecting your aesthetic and reaching your cosmetic goals go beyond surface-level fixes. And for that, you need the help of science.
From hyaluronic acid and Clostridium botulinum to collagen and elastin, biology plays a huge role in beauty. But it’s not enough to know a list of scientific ingredients. We believe you should have a deep understanding of exactly what’s in your cosmetic treatments.
Dr. Vera Carlson and our team at Cache Cosmetics & Laser know that cosmetics treatments can be marketed with confusing jargon and complicated lingo. We’re here to take the guesswork out of beauty and share the best information about our treatments and how they work.
Here’s everything you need to know about one of the most effective anti-aging ingredients: collagen.
An overview of collagen
It’s become a buzzword in the cosmetic community, but what is collagen, and what does it do?
Simply put, collagen is a protein, and your body has a massive store of it. In fact, collagen makes up approximately one-third of your entire protein composition.
The word collagen comes from the Greek word “kólla,” which means glue. That is an appropriate name as this powerful protein plays a major role in building and holding together your bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Your body needs two essential amino acids, glycine and proline, to create collagen. You can help your body produce collagen by eating nutrient-rich foods like citrus, egg whites, and cashews.
Of the approximately 16 types of collagen, four main types play a role in essential functions in your body.
Type I
This type of collagen makes up 90% of your total collagen. It’s made of densely packed fibers that provide structure to your skin, bones, connective tissues, and even your teeth.
Type II
Type II collagen fibers are less densely packed and more flexible. This type of collagen is in elastic cartilage, which cushions your joints.
Type III
Type III collagen is a building block of your muscles, organs, blood vessels, and arteries.
Type IV
This type of collagen is found in the various layers of your skin and helps with filtration.
Collagen is a versatile substance and can address a wide variety of health issues like lost muscle mass and arthritis pain. It’s also an essential ingredient in improving your appearance.
Collagen in cosmetics
Your body naturally has large stores of collagen, but it can be depleted easily. The most common culprits of collagen loss include:
- Age
- Excessive consumption of sugar
- Overexposure to the sun
- Smoking
- Autoimmune disorders like lupus
Without a steady supply of collagen, your skin sags, wrinkles, and loses its shape.
When your collagen levels are running low, or your body has stopped making collagen completely, you need cosmetic treatments that stimulate collagen production.
Dr. Carlson offers comprehensive anti-aging and cosmetic services to boost your collagen production and address frustrating flaws. The two most effective treatments are laser resurfacing and fillers.
Laser resurfacing
This revolutionary treatment uses powerful, focused pulses of light energy to deliver heat below the surface of your skin and remove dry, damaged layers of skin.
As the heat penetrates your skin, your body kicks into healing mode, triggering the production of new collagen. Your skin becomes smoother and younger-looking from the inside out.
Fillers
Fillers are an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment. Dr. Carlson uses the Juvéderm® line of fillers, which contain the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid available. Once injected below the surface of your skin, the hyaluronic acid fills in lost volume and stimulates collagen production, giving you a youthful appearance that lasts.
Interested in seeing how collagen can rejuvenate your look? Contact our Providence, Utah office, or request an appointment online to get started.