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What is Collagen?
Collagen is the natural occurring wrinkle-preventing protein in our bodies that keeps our skin plump and youthful. Thus, it is crucial to supple skin and means you should know how to boost collagen in your body.
Again, it is responsible for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. Because it is the skin’s structural net, it makes it resilient, strong and elastic. It’s safe to say that we like it. However, what we don’t like is that collagen reduces after the age of 20. Yep, TWENTY!!!
As people age, their bodies produce less collagen causing wrinkles and stiff joints. Collagen is the most common and largest form of protein in the human body. Thus, it is found in many tissues of the muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, and the digestive system.
However, any time people talk about the importance of collagen, they generally refer to its benefits for the skin.
Furthermore, it’s one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Also, Collagen is also found in many other body parts, including blood vessels, corneas, and teeth.
Additionally, you can think of it as the “glue” that holds all these together. With this in mind, the word “Collagen” comes from the Greek word “kólla,” which means glue.
How To Boost Collagen
Even for a person experiencing Collagen loss with age, there are a lot of ways to deal with the challenge of how to boost collagen levels. You can simply add a different food to your diet, take a supplement, or add a new practice to your daily routine.
Here are a few ways you can boost your collagen levels:
#1. Facial Massage
The first thing we’ll be sharing with you as regards how to boost collagen in your body is Facial Massage. It is really nice because it stimulates collagen production and can strengthen muscle memory.
Inge Theron who launched Spa Junkie’s Face Gym says, Facial muscles are crucial to the way we look and stimulating them regularly can lift, tone and tighten the skin, boost blood circulation and collagen production. All these give you a fresh youthful appearance to the skin.”
Thus, build upwards massage movement into your daily routine when applying products especially those that boost collagen.
#2. Hyaluronic Acid
The next thing we’ll be sharing with you as regards how to boost collagen in your body is the Hyaluronic acid which is a very important compound for collagen in the skin. You can find them in foods rich in amino acid, like beans, soy, and root vegetables.
Adding hyaluronic acid to your diet through food easily helps to boost your collagen levels. It is also available as a supplement.
#3. Eat For Bouncier Skin
It’s not totally about just lotions and potions. According to Dr. Murad, diet is as important. He suggests that we eat beans, cabbage, and garlic because they are rich in sulphur which helps the formation of collagen and maintains the skin’s natural healthy pigmentation.
#4. Vitamin C
One of the best-known vitamins is Vitamin C. The human body cannot make vitamin C, so it is vital that your diets contain it.
Furthermore, Vitamin C is an important part of a healthy diet and can be found in foods like leafy green vegetables, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, and citrus fruits.
According to Research from the Indian Dermatology Online Journal, vitamin C also plays an important role in creating more collagen in the body and protecting the skin.
A lot of skincare companies add vitamin C to their protective creams for good reason. This is because it can help their customers deal with the challenge of how to boost collagen.
Also, Vitamin C can be taken as a supplement or added to the skin and is contained in many foods.
Additionally, Vitamin C supports the process of collagen formation and works to reduce oxidative damage.
#5. Aloe Vera Gel
Most of the time, people use aloe vera gel to treat the skin after sunburn or to ease a rash. However, new research posted to Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology suggests that aloe vera might have other benefits. Instead of waiting for skin damage to appear and treating it with topical aloe vera, researchers gave people an Aloe extract they call Aloe sterols to take orally.
According to the results, the production of hyaluronic acid and collagen almost doubled in the participants. Also, there was a significant reduction in facial wrinkles. It seems that aloe actually stimulates the correct cells to grow.
Furthermore, people may find it very beneficial to use skincare products containing aloe. Additionally, it can be used as a topical cream or taken as an oral supplement.
#6. Ginseng
Ginseng has been in use for centuries in traditional medicine. According to a study posted to the Journal of Ginseng Research in 2012, Ginseng increases the amount of collagen in the bloodstream.
Furthermore, Ginseng has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Also, Researchers noted that it might have the ability to stop skin cells from aging.
Most of the time, Ginseng is often found in the form of tea, tinctures, and supplements.
#7. Antioxidants
Antioxidants are substances that help in protecting the body from free radicals. Molecules that can damage the body are called free radicals. However, not all antioxidants will boost collagen production, but they will help the collagen that is present to become as effective as possible.
Furthermore, there are various types of antioxidants that can protect and rejuvenate the skin in many ways. Antioxidants can be found in large amounts in nature and in food.
Again, according to research posted to Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, foods and drinks that contain antioxidants include:
- blueberries
- green tea (or EGCG, its active component)
- yerba mate
- licorice extract
- mulberry extract
- pomegranate extract
- coffee extract
- astragalus
- cinnamon
- basil, oregano, and thyme essential oils
#8. Retinol
Another type of antioxidant that is commonly used to boost collagen levels in the skin is Retinol.
It helps to extend the lifespan of collagen, as well as block certain enzymes that destroy collagen. This makes it a perfect addition to many skincare kits.
#9. Protect Your Skin From The Environment
Wearing sunscreen helps to protect the skin from damaging UV rays and sun exposure.
Again, skin cells are always in a cycle of being created and destroyed. However, there are some factors, like the environment, that can make matters worse. Pollution, harsh weather, sun exposure, and even dust particles can cause damage to the skin.
Furthermore, the damaged cells have to be replaced and this reduces collagen levels even more. An easy way to deal with this is to simply keep the skin clean. Washing and exfoliating daily can protect the collagen already in the skin.
In addition, people should always wear a good sunscreen on sunny days. Also, they should protect their face with a hat whenever possible. Lastly, sunglasses can help protect the delicate collagen around the eyes as well on very bright days.
#10. Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is a non-invasive method of increasing collagen that does not have any side effects. Also called low-level laser light therapy (LLLT), it has been shown to boost collagen growth and improve wrinkles and skin elasticity. Thus, it can help you deal with the challenge of how to boost collagen.
Skin treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing can cause complications. This is because, after these treatments, the skin needs a lot of time to recover.
Furthermore, according to a study in Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, red light therapy is a quick and safe way to increase collagen production in the skin.
Red light therapy kits are obtainable over the counter, and people can treat themselves at home.
Summary
There are a lot of ways to solve the challenge of how to boost collagen levels. You can simply take a supplement, add a different food to your diet, or add a new practice to your daily routine.
Another thing you can do is visit a doctor to prescribe what you should do to increase your collagen levels.
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