fbpx

Collagen Treatments

Many of our treatments at Cosmetic Doctor involve collagen induction therapy, or encouraging skin to produce more collagen in a process that slows down the appearance of ageing.

What is Collagen?

The word collagen is derived from the Greek word “kola,” meaning glue. Collagen is a structural component that makes your skin smooth and firm; your bones strong and your tendons elastic. It is the single most abundant protein in the human body.

Proteins are made up of amino acids, and collagen is no exception. When we are young, collagen is produced in abundance but as we get older the production of this protein slows down – there are several different types of collagen, and they are all essential to every structure in our body.

As production decreases with age, the evidence is all too noticeable – our joints and ligaments weaken; bones lose density and skin sags. Cartilage becomes thinner and weaker at the joints it is supposed to cushion; hair loses thickness and our organs may even sag a bit too.

Can I replace Collagen with a topical cream?

The most noticeable loss is in our skin, which is why most anti-ageing products advertise it as one of the key ingredients.

However, the truth is that collagen is such a large and complex molecule that it can’t penetrate the skin, so the most effective way to increase the amount of collagen is to generate it from the inside out.

The annoying fact is that once we are in our twenties, collagen production declines by a rate of about 1% a year. Women in menopause or peri-menopause are especially susceptible to collagen decline, and some lose as much as 30% of their skin collagen in the five years following menopause.

The breakdown of our Skin’s Support Matrix

Another important skin component is elastin; the fibres of which mix with collagen forming a matric that allows skin to flex and move. Elastin also declines with age; sun damage and exposure to environmental toxins.

The combination of the slowdown in renewal rate of collagen and elastin means we are left with wrinkles and jowls as skin loses its internal support network.

Build Collagen from the Inside Out

Many of our treatments stimulate the production of collagen, in order to strengthen the support matrix, making skin firm, smooth and dewy.

To find out more about how collagen induction can impact the appearance of ageing, call 01 685 3100.