Experts on the truth behind trends

As you read this, you are losing collagen. After the age of 25, your body loses 1-1.5% of its collagen reserves each year. When collagen – the main protein that keeps skin firm, lifted and smooth – disappears, it’s gone forever. “Imagine you’ve been wearing a wool sweater for years. Every time you wash it, the fibers in the sweater break down and lose their original structure,” says Heather Hickman, vice president of education at Dermalogica. “Similarly, as collagen production decreases, the skin loses its firmness and begins to sag.”

When we lose collagen, wrinkles and fine lines appear. While you can’t regain lost collagen (frustrating, I know), there are strategies to prevent collagen loss in the first place. To maximize your collagen stores, a new trend has emerged: collagen banks. This is a popular new beauty trend that encourages optimizing your lifestyle and skin care routine to “store” as much collagen as possible.

Featured image is from our interview with Michelle Nash on Roti Brown.

Collagen Banking: Why Pros Recommend This Skin-Plumping Practice

From collagen skincare to collagen supplements and collagen-boosting healthy habits, I spoke with Hickmans about how to make collagen banking a part of your daily routine. If you’ve made it past your teenage crisis and are looking for ways to keep your collagen stores strong, read on.

Heather Hickman

Heather Hickman is Dermalogica’s Vice President of Education, where she has worked for more than 20 years and contributes to the brand’s advanced education of skin therapists. She began her career with Dermalogica and the International Skin Institute as a licensed skin therapist and educator.

What is a collagen bank?

Collagen banking is a proactive approach to skin care where you try to preserve as much collagen as possible while helping to boost collagen production. “We know that as we age, the rate and quality of collagen production begins to slow down, and environmental and lifestyle factors can accelerate the rate and quality of collagen production,” Hickman said. “So the goal is to protect and preserve the collagen in your skin today so there’s more collagen tomorrow, like storing it in a bank for future use.”

Unlike many popular beauty trends, this one has expert approval. There are many ways to stimulate collagen, but Hickman recommends focusing on the three Ps:

• promote: From supplements to collagen-based skin care products, you can boost collagen production by taking collagen or using ingredients that speed up cell turnover. “Incorporating active ingredients into daily skin care products that promote the production of new collagen and protect existing collagen from degradation will effectively slow the signs of aging associated with collagen loss, such as structural loss, skin sagging,” Hickman said. and wrinkles”.
• save: Reduce “external factors and lifestyle choices, such as sun exposure, pollution, stress and poor diet. I like to call these ‘collagen thieves,’ and they can further reduce our collagen production,” says Hickman. Preserve collagen by avoiding lifestyle factors that break it down.
• Protect: Nourishes your skin and protects your skin barrier and existing collagen stores.

5 Ways to Make Collagen Storage Part of Your Daily Life

As with many health and beauty practices, the key to collagen banking is making it a part of your daily routine. The idea is that if you develop collagen-friendly habits every day, you can retain as much collagen as possible. Don’t worry: It’s not as intimidating as it sounds. By optimizing the things you already do, such as your skin care routine or daily nutritional habits, you can boost collagen production and prevent collagen loss.

Explore Collagen Supplements

There’s a reason collagen products are everywhere – they make skin look radiant and youthful. But they do more than just superficially boost, they also stimulate collagen production and may even help stimulate elastin and other important proteins. Collagen supplements are designed to fit easily into your daily routine and are a low-effort way to start a collagen bank.

You can also supplement your collagen intake through diet. Start your day with bone broth or incorporate collagen-rich foods into your diet. Try these nutritionist-approved options:

• Foods rich in vitamin C Such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, bell peppers, green leafy vegetables and broccoli.
• Prioritize omega-3s Pair with fatty fish (girls can eat canned fish), avocado, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and eggs.
• Foods rich in zinc and copper Such as shellfish, grass-fed beef, nuts and legumes.

Add collagen to your skin care routine

Good news: You don’t need to have a complicated skincare routine to try collagen banking. You can optimize even the most streamlined skin care routine to prevent collagen loss and protect the collagen you already have.

“For anyone who wants to fight the signs of aging, daily use of at-home products designed to store collagen and promote natural collagen production is a must,” says Hickman. “Easy-to-use products like serums are a great way to incorporate collagen-building ingredients, because then you can still layer a protective SPF on top and use it day and night.”

Use antioxidant-rich skin care products

Adding collagen-based products to your skin is one thing, but here’s the secret: It’s more effective to use ingredients that help stimulate natural collagen production and prevent further collagen breakdown.

Antioxidants are one of the most potent ingredients in the collagen arsenal. They fight oxidative stress (a major factor in premature aging and collagen loss) and are even said to help improve the effectiveness of collagen. Vitamin C and trehalose are the best antioxidants.

This is especially important at night, when impurities from the day can wreak havoc on your skin. “Perform a good double-cleansing routine day and night to rid your skin of pollution and impurities that trigger enzymes to degrade collagen,” notes Hickman.

Try non-invasive skin treatments

Consider trying a collagen-boosting treatment by allowing the skin to heal itself. “You’ll always get the best results for your skin if you combine at-home care with skin services from a licensed professional,” says Hickman. “One of Collagen Bank’s most impactful services is microneedling. Microneedling causes controlled micro-damage to the skin, promoting skin fibroblasts to produce collagen for self-repair.

She also recommends “treatments involving LED, nano-infusion, gua sha massage, and microcurrent, which are also very effective at stimulating blood flow.” This, in turn, stimulates “the production of fresh collagen in the skin.”

Examine your lifestyle

Lifestyle factors are the largest contributors to collagen storage. Here are some simple lifestyle habits that can make or break your collagen stores.

• sleep. Beauty sleep isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity for collagen stores. Read our tips for increasing your beauty sleep routine.
• pressure. “Find ways to manage stress,” Hickman encourages. “Stress can cause an inflammatory response, causing collagen to degrade more quickly.” Try some of our favorite products to relieve stress.
• caffeine. Caffeine raises cortisol, which if not timed correctly, can disrupt your sleep. While you don’t have to give up caffeine entirely, consider how it can damage your collagen stores.
• sugar. Too much sugar results in not being as sweet. “Eating too much sugar can cause a reaction in the body called glycation, which triggers the breakdown of skin proteins, including collagen,” says Hickman.
• Gut health. Everything comes back to your gut. The connection between gut health and skin depends largely on its impact on collagen production. Address your gut health and gain overall radiance.
• SPF. SPF protects skin from premature lines and sun spots, which are caused by, you guessed it, collagen loss.