Don't we all? It's a delightful thought - being able to mix an odorless tasteless and easily dissolved powder into our coffee and have this result in a younger fresher face... But the truth about collagen in the skin is more complicated than the handy new wave of supplements would have us believe.
Collagen is a structural protein that makes up... well... a lot of things. In our bodies, it's particularly abundant in connective tissue, which is as good a reason as any to try to make sure we have enough of it - doesn't everyone also want sexy bouncy young tendons?
Sadly, neither the collagen in our youthful faces nor the collagen in our youthful joints will be directly augmented by ingesting more collagen. Structural proteins are big, huge molecules (another reason that collagen is kind of useless when applied topically, except insofar as it holds moisture against the skin nicely), and like any other finished protein, they're always going to be dismantled into smaller parts by helpful enzymes in our digestive systems once stomach acid has denatured them. Those smaller proteins and amino acids are sent wherever your body needs them, enabling a total rebuild of whatever protein you consume into more you (as long as what you eat contains enough of the essential amino acids it needs to fabricate structural proteins).
The compelling argument, therefore, for consuming collagen (whether in the form of a powdered collagen supplement or bone broth or just chowing down on gristle, I suppose) is not that it provides collagen that will go directly to the spots we're all hoping for it to go, but that it supplies amino acids in a ratio conducive to the construction of new collagen in areas that can produce new collagen.
This sounds pretty great, and it's your body so if you want to chew the bones, be my guest, but the notion misses two points. The first is that if you're getting sufficient protein in your diet, the ratios aren't hugely important because you'll wind up with plenty of all the amino acids anyway and it's not going to be a problem for your body to build those up into collagen where it's needed. The other is that collagen is really only synthesized in the skin as a result of events that trigger the fibroblasts - little collagen factories deep in the skin. It takes special triggering to engage these cells to do their job after, you know, childhood. A handful of in-office treatments are known to do this. These include, from less invasive to more invasive:
- microdermabrasion
- coral calcium peels
- traditional chemical peels
- microneedling
- fibroblast plasma lifting
To a lesser extent, any time you moderately exfoliate the skin - like at home with hydroxy acids or a retinoid serum - you'll also have a bit of activation, and that activation is cumulative if you keep it up. Sunscreen goes a looooong way to protecting the collagen you do have. Vitamin C is also crucial in collagen synthesis, so I would say, even though it's unglamorous, if you're going to explore supplementation for the benefit of your collagen, Vitamin C is the way to go (and topical is great too)!
Did that answer your qustion? Want to know more? Ready to get on the table? Visit SpaAeon.com for all this and more!
Did that answer your qustion? Want to know more? Ready to get on the table? Visit SpaAeon.com for all this and more!
Skincare blogger Nicki Zevola wrote a little something about this wavelength, and the possibility of using it in a cream version over at her blog FutureDerm, and I've been meaning to respond for quite some time!
I am of course totally intrigued by the potential for encapsulating light filters into skincare for targeted results (duh!), and while the technology isn't there yet, I did still want to clarify a few things to make it easier for readers interested in having light treatments, whether at Spa Aeon or a dermatology office.
Nicki explains that the polyphenol responsible for converting UV light to beneficial 648nm focused light is expected to work "because encapsulating the polyphenol with an inert tricalcium phosphate particle makes the product proven to transmit visible red light into the skin."
Presumably this encapsulation is something similar to liposome technology, although this was not revealed in the article. Here's a picture of a liposome!
Nicki goes on to say that unfortunately, "There is a lot less red LED light exposure from it than a targeted IPL treatment, which has 800 (or more) focused diodes," however I would like to clarify one point for the non-skin professional readers, which is that IPL treatments and LED treatments are very different, and IPL treatments don't even use diodes (they use bulbs!).
Both of these treatments are also very different than laser treatments, despite the terms being used interchangeably here and on other blogs.
IPL treatments are the next step up in terms of results, but also in terms of risks. Individuals with the darkest skin tones must not be treated with these devices. Those with medium skin tones may experience unwanted pigmentation or burns if treatments are not performed correctly. There is moderate discomfort.
Laser treatments differ primarily from LED and IPL treatments in that laser light is collimated, meaning the rays are very nearly parallel – the light sticks together in a precise beam rather than spreading and diffusing across the treatment area. As a result, laser treatments are much more focused and with greater light energy per unit area, these treatments promise some of the most significant results, but come at the greatest expense and with the highest risk and downtime.
It is so exciting to hear that advances in skincare may mean extending the incredible benefits of light treatments into daily life! I can’t wait to hear how the trials on these ingredients turn out. Stay tuned, and in the mean time visit us at SpaAeon.com for a variety of light-based modality facial treatments!