Did you ever wonder why as we age our skin wrinkles, sags and looks dull? Well, the magic protein that fights against these effects is…COLLAGEN! Now, many people have probably heard of the term collagen, but what is it really? How does it help in our fight against aging? And how can we stimulate new growth for it to really do a great job? Well, if these are some of your questions, sit tight as we dive into what it is and how we can produce it faster!

Collagen is a protein that is the main component of skin. Collagen can take up to 4 months to reproduce depending on your age. It takes much less time for children and people under the age of 20 and can be produced in as little as 3 weeks. Isn’t that crazy, at 20 your collagen production seriously slows down, starting the effects of aging! That’s why we always recommend high end skin care, eye cream and treatments for all ages. Why not fight the aging process when the fight is a little more fair!

Think of your skin cells as grapes, as grapes age they shrivel and eventually turn into raisins. The shriveling is caused by collagen depletion, so when you have treatments, eat foods that stimulate collagen growth and do at home care this makes your cells plump up more like grapes again, causing the signs of aging to diminish and your skin to return to a youthful glow!

Now for the fun part! Below are some great ways to increase collagen production and maintain your youth a little longer:

1. FACIALS & FACIAL MASSAGE
Massage can stimulate collagen production and strengthen muscle memory. Facials can stimulate lift, tone and tighten your skin, as well as increase blood flow! Plus, they will help with stress which can seriously age your skin.

2. COLLAGEN CREAMS
This is not as easy as it sounds, most creams make claims about using collagen, but unless there is a special makeup it will only sit on the surface of your skin, never actually penetrating it! Need help finding some great products to help with collagen production? We can help! Schedule a treatment and we would be happy to give you some suggestions!

3. FOOD
There are a vast selection of foods that will increase collagen production, here are just a few: Fish, red vegetables, dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, berries, soy, white tea, citrus fruits, beans, cabbage, garlic and of course, chicken feet, just to name a few!

4. QUIT SMOKING AND SUGAR!
Smoking can kill off collagen by eating away at it. Which is why most people who have smoked for a significant time in their life will age more quickly. Unfortunately, sugar can have the same effect, so be aware of what you are eating and what’s in it!

5. HYDRATION
Keep your skin hydrated with water, vegetables and fruits, as well as hydrating skin care. This is possibly the easiest way to boost collagen.

6. SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements will get to work on the inside, which will produce collagen from the inside out!

After hearing a few suggestions to increase collagen production and create a more youthful glow it is time to put these things into action. Let us know if you need to schedule an appointment so we can assist you on your journey to produce more collagen and reclaim your youth!