Collagen has become the buzzword in the world of beauty and wellness at present. It is a natural protein found in our body that can protect our skin from signs of ageing. Overall it is the holy grail of healthy skin and calls for special care, no matter what age you are.

Causes of dip in collagen levels

One of the reasons that can cause a dip in collagen levels in the body is evidently ageing. Starting from your early twenties the collagen production decreases by approximately 1% with each year. The depleting levels of collagen are responsible for the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.

Besides ageing, certain lifestyle choices such as smoking, exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays, pollution and stress can also contribute to the dip in collagen levels. Even your diet can have a huge impact on the level of collagen production. If you prefer having foods high in carbohydrates such as refined sugar and white bread it can increase the breakdown of collagen and elastin in your skin.

Ways to Protect & Boost Collagen

With the right skin care practices, you can not only protect the collagen levels but also boost its production. Here are few tips to get the supple, youthful skin you always dreamed of:

1. Wear Sunscreen: Exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays accelerates the breakdown of collagen that further leads to formation of fine lines and wrinkles. This is the reason why dermatologists recommend wearing a sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to protect your skin from sun damage.
2. Drink plenty of water: Keeping yourself hydrated is the key to get a youthful and glowing skin. When you are not properly hydrated your skin turns dry and collagen is not able to repair itself. Besides retaining the moisture in skin, water is required to carry vitamin C around your body. Vitamin C helps to stimulate collagen production and it is a water- soluble vitamin hence being well hydrated can help keeping skin related issues at bay.
3. Eat healthy: Try to include fruits rich in vitamin C in your diet like berries, citrus fruits, broccoli and bell peppers this will assist your body in producing collagen. Other food sources that are naturally rich in collagen include fish and eggs. If you are a vegetarian or vegan you can include foods like lentil, tofu and quinoa to get all necessary amino acids required for the production of collagen.
4. In-office treatments: Sometimes even after following a healthy lifestyle our skin tends to show signs of premature ageing. For such individuals an in-office treatment is the best solution. Treatments such as laser resurfacing can regenerate collagen in the skin. Even microneedling (dermarolling), radiofrequency microneedling and platelet-rich plasma therapy can promote collagen production in the skin. All these treatments help you get rid of signs of ageing such as wrinkles, fine lines as well as pigmentation.