Authored by - Dr. Falguni Shah, Founder of Radiance Skin Clinic Collagen is a very popular product in the market. Every single day, I receive tons of messages and most of my patients who come in to see me would like to know more about collagen. So most of the questions were what exactly is this collagen, how does it help our skin, does it really work and if it does how to take it. Today, I shall break it down for you, so let's start.
1. What is collagen?
Collagen is nothing but a protein. Most easily accessible protein which is present in our body - in our skin, bones and ligaments.
2. What it does?
It acts like a glue / cement. It sticks to your skin's underlying structures, even in the bones in between the joints because it sticks to the joints and makes the movement of joints easier and more fluid. It's an important part of our body and skin, its fitness and the way our skin appears too because if the glue is strong then our skin looks tight, elastic and more supple.
3. Do we naturally have collagen in our body?
Yes, we do. However, as we grow older, the amount of collagen in our body starts decreasing. So, in later parts of your twenties, the collagen starts decreasing by 1% every year. That's not it, the sad part is - that it isn't getting made by our body anymore and it isn't getting replaced. Toward menopause, it gets reduced 5 times more and there is no collagen really coming in. so, we need to replace the collagen by consuming it orally.
4. But do the oral consumption of collagen go straight to the skin?
This is another most frequently asked question that if we are taking collagen supplements will definitely go to our skin and how are they benefitting us. These collagen supplements, if you are taking the right one, are generally in peptide form that are absorbed by our body. The part of collagen is absorbed by our gut which is a good thing as it will strengthen the gut lining which will help digest the food. The part collagen that enters your blood circulation will reach your skin, making it more supple and healthier. Keeping your body healthy will reflect on your skin. But this doesn't take away the fact that you can stop using sunscreen and other anti-aging creams, they are equally important. But for a more holistic approach, a complete care from inside out is essential. So, to summarise, taking collagen orally helps make our skin healthier and look supple, smooth and better by itself and also because it is increasing protein content in our body, making our body healthier which in turn makes our skin healthy. I, myself, take collagen supplements and also recommend my patients to do so.
5. What are the ways to take collagen?
You can take it in the form of capsules, powders. There are also unique gel shots now available in India for the first time that come in delicious citrus flavor by Chicnutrix. Most of the collagen available in the market, the good ones are from animal sources, but however they do not have any fish smell. Taking collagen is an essential part of the daily routine to maintain a youthful skin, I would recommend Chicnutrix Beauty Collagen gel shots with unique gel formulation for the 1st time in India, formulated with Marine Collagen and hyaluronic acid for a youthful and hydrated skin.