12 things about collagen that you'll find very interesting

At SKINVITY, we talk about collagen almost as much as we talk about our mothers. We use countless verbs to describe it: stimulate, increase, boost, promote… And we've set ourselves a challenge: what 12 interesting things can we tell you about this valuable substance? Here they are; we hope they help you learn more about this skincare icon.

1. Collagen is a term used to encompass a family of proteins , the most abundant in the body - it makes up a third - and is found in all organs, bones and skin.

2. It is a structural protein, it connects cells, tissues, organs, it supports and provides strength and rigidity to tissues, it is like the glue that holds everything together .

3. It is estimated that there may be up to 28 different types of collagen in the human body. Wow.

4. Qualitatively, it is estimated that around 75-80% of the skin's dry weight is collagen. It's worth clarifying that, instead of measuring it in terms of weight itself, it is often evaluated in terms of density, quality, and organization within the skin's extracellular matrix. But this figure astonished us.

5. We produce collagen ourselves ; it's not an essential nutrient we get from food. It's naturally present in our cells (fibroblasts) . These cells, which live in the dermis, are key to collagen formation and degrade with age.

6. From the age of 25, we begin to synthesize less collagen. By age 60, we synthesize half as much as we did at age 20. During menopause, we lose 30% of our collagen.

7. Sagging skin is the most alarming sign of this loss , its reflection. To find out if you have sagging skin, there's a trick: pinch a small piece of skin. If it springs back quickly, it's a good sign. If it does so slowly, or if it doesn't at all, worry! Collagen is also responsible for wrinkles, from fine lines to deep creases.

8. The areas of the face where we notice this most are the lower third, where the contour becomes blurred and what is known as the inversion of the triangle of youth occurs. When we are young and vibrant, volume is concentrated in the cheeks, but as time passes, due to collagen loss, volume shifts to the lower third. Other critical areas are the eyelids, because there is no bone support. In the body, in addition to the joints, we observe collagen loss in the skin of the knees and elbows.

9. Any protein-rich food will give us the tools to synthesize collagen: certain cuts of meat and fish, eggs, milk, legumes, soy and soy products… Bone broths are very trendy right now. While there's no clear scientific evidence to support their effectiveness, homemade broth is so delicious that we see no reason not to try it. Dietary supplements containing collagen are another option that also provides some benefits.

10. There are studies—kudos to those scientists—that analyze products and substances to help us synthesize and slow down their degradation. And, in that sense, they point to certain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods: green tea, turmeric, ginseng, and aloe vera also seem to be beneficial.

11. Enemies of Collagen: The sun is enemy number one, as is lack of physical exercise, because in addition to being harmful to the joints it also affects the skin. Tobacco, obviously, is another enemy, as are stress, diets low in energy and protein and high in sugar, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which, paradoxically, soothe joint pain, can be counterproductive in excess. Some studies suggest that excessive caffeine could have an effect. Don't worry, coffee lovers, we've consulted some experts and they say there's no conclusive data: what we do know for sure is that excesses of any kind are best avoided.

12. Collagen Allies: dumbbells , sun protection, retinoids, and cosmetic technology, especially radiofrequency and LED light . We recommend combining both technologies, which is why we designed this comprehensive facial care pack , containing the two most efficient devices to stimulate the production of this wonderful and ephemeral protein.