Collagen is a structural protein found in connective tissue such as hair and skin. It is important for a youthful healthy looking skin. There are 29 types of collegen but the most important, and what this guide will focus on are:
- I: Most abundant form. Gives strength to the dermis.
- III: Second most abundant form. Gives elasticity to the dermis.
- IV: Major component of basement membrane. Forms a “chicken-wire” mesh with laminins and proteoglycans that influence cell adhesion, migration and differentiation.
- V: Regulates the diameter of Collagen I and III fibers.
- VI: A major component of microfibrils. Increases cell strength.
- VII: Provides stability and anchors the dermis to the DEJ.
- XVII: A transmembrane protein that is a structural component of hemidesmosomes,
- improving adhesion of the keratinocytes to the underlying membrane.
Dermarolling: 400% increase
Benefits of Dermarolling
“Skin becomes thicker with greater than 400 % increase in collagen deposition and significantly more elastin . Collagen fibre bundles qualitatively increases, thickens and more loosely woven in both papillary and reticular dermis. It appears to have laid down in normal lattice pattern than in parallel bundles as in scar tissue.”
Retin-a (tretinoin): 80% increase
“Treatment of photodamaged skin with tretinoin produced an 80 percent increase in collagen I formation, as compared with a 14 percent decrease in collagen formation with the use of vehicle alone (P = 0.006).” (1)
“Formation of new collagen fibers as well as reduction in nodularly degenerated microfibrillar material was observed in the tretinoin-treated group.” (3)
“pretreatment of UV irradiated excised (photoaged) skin with 0.1% tretinoin cream results in complete blockade of interstitial collagenase and gelatinases synthesis thus preventing collagen degradation” (4)
Sunscreen: 56% increase
Collagen I formation was 56 percent less in the papillary dermis of photo damaged skin than in skin protected from the sun (P<0.001) (5)
Red light: Increases collagen (4.6ug/ml -> 36.36ug/ml after 5hours)
Oral collagen supplement:
Preliminary results are promising for the short and long-term use of oral collagen supplements for wound healing and skin aging. Oral collagen supplements also increase skin elasticity, hydration, and dermal collagen density https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/ In summary, the present study demonstrated oral administration of collagen peptides from bovine bone could improve the laxity of chronologically aged skin by increasing skin collagen content and ratio of type I to type III collagen, but it had no effect on moisture retention of skin.
Effect of Orally Administered Collagen Peptides from Bovine Bone on Skin Aging in Chronologically Aged Mice
Fasting: 92% DECREASE (9)
Aloe vera
Glucomannan, a mannose-rich polysaccharide, and gibberellin, a growth hormone, interacts with growth factor receptors on the fibroblast, thereby stimulating its activity and proliferation, which in turn significantly increases collagen synthesis after topical and oral Aloe vera.9 Aloe gel not only increased collagen content of the wound but also changed collagen composition (more type III) and increased the degree of collagen cross linking. Due to this, it accelerated wound contraction and increased the breaking strength of resulting scar tissue (10)
Vitamin C (oral)
Vitamin C basically promotes collagen expression, and stimulates collagen production.
Reccomendation :
- vitamin c 500mg/ day
- tretinoin (work up to 0.05% ED)
- dermarolling 1mm (These derma roller size needles are more effective in inducing the production of collagen
- sunscreen: spf 15 blocks 93% of UV rays
Advanced routine
- vitamin C 2grams /day (drink enough water so you dont get kidney stone
- tretinoin (work up to 0.05% ED)
- dermarolling 1mm 1 time weekly
- sunscreen: spf 50
- Bovine: 200mg / kg of body weight
- Red light therapy: 15-30minutes daily
- Aloe vera (topically or oral, although topical seems to have almost no irritation)