Does Collagen Help With Cellulite and Wrinkles?

Collagen and healthy, smooth skin go hand-in-hand. What does collagen do for the health of your skin, and what factors influence your collagen levels as you get older? You may also question the effect of collagen's skin elasticity on wrinkles and cellulite reduction. Understanding the link between collagen and the condition of your skin can help you keep it looking and feeling healthy for as long as possible.

So does collagen help with cellulite and wrinkles? To understand this connection, you'll have to first dive into how the skin changes as we age and how collagen production plays a role.

Skin Changes Throughout Life

Physical changes in skin appearance and texture of skin tend to become more apparent with age. Some of the most common age-related skin complaints include sagging skin, wrinkles and cellulite.

Weight fluctuations can be one factor for skin changes, and we all know that weight goes up and down with age. Skin tends to stretch and relax to accommodate this change in body composition, leaving saggy areas and marks we may not love. Other common age-related skin changes are the appearance of wrinkles and cellulite.

What is Cellulite?

Cellulite is caused by fat deposits beneath the skin and collagen is believed to aid in its appearance. This lumpy texture forms when fat pushes through weakened connective tissue, creating the dimpled look orskin waviness we often associate with cellulite. Factors like genetics, hormonal changes, and aging can lead to a breakdown in the strength and elasticity of the connective tissue, making cellulite more visible. While it's more common in women due to differences in fat distribution, cellulite can appear on anyone and is not necessarily linked to body weight or fitness level. It most frequently occurs on areas with higher fat concentrations, such as the thighs, hips, and buttocks.

What is Collagen? 

Collagen is a protein that serves as a vital building block for various tissues in the body, including skin, bones, tendons, and muscles. It acts like scaffolding, providing structure and strength, particularly to the skin, which helps it stay firm and elastic. As we age, our body’s natural production of collagen slows down, leading to common signs of aging such as wrinkles, sagging skin, and even the appearance of cellulite. Collagen not only supportsskin health but also plays an important role in joint flexibility and muscle recovery. Maintaining healthycollagen levels can be beneficial for overall wellness, and many people choose to supplement with collagen to counteract its natural decline.

How Collagen Impacts Skin Appearance

The root cause of many age-related skin complaints is the thinning of the dermis — the middle layer of the skin — caused by cells dividing more slowly. As collagen fibers loosen and unravel with age, the dermis starts to form indentations seen on the surface of the skin. As you age and your collagen production decreases, your skin becomes less able to secrete its natural oils and retain moisture. This can lead toskin waviness forming overfat cells where theconnective tissue andfibrous bands are weak.

Collagen is a natural and key component of skin. In fact, it’s a main part of fibers in your lungs, blood vessels, spleen, liver, muscle and dermis. Your body is continuously producing collagen, but the process doesn’t work quite as well as you get older. Does taking collagen really help make skin look younger and maintain its elasticity? Many choose to combat their low collagen production through topical skincare and/or collagen supplements.

Can Collagen Improve the Appearance of Cellulite?

While Vitamin C can increase the synthesis of natural collagen in your body, taking supplemental collagen is another great cellulite treatment option.

A 2019 systematic review published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that there’s promising evidence for both short- and long-term benefits of collagen supplementation for skin aging. Research has shown that supplemental collagen can improve skin elasticity, hydration and the density of collagen in the skin. This could be helpful for common age-related skin complaints.

Other studies have examined collagen supplementation and cellulite specifically. In a 2015 double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 105 women ages 24-50 years with moderate cellulite either received 2.5 grams of collagen peptides or a placebo daily for 6 months. Cellulite was evaluated at 0, three and six months. The researchers found that the women who took a collagen supplement for 6 months improved skin density and waviness due to cellulite, and had a positive impact on skin health. Some may also consider the potential benefits of collagen peptides for weight loss, which may have an additional effect on cellulite reduction. 

Can Collagen Help With Wrinkles?

The link between collagen and wrinkles has also been studied. In a 2004 study involving 20 healthy women ages 40-62 years, participants were given either a collagen-like peptide gel formula or a placebo to apply around the eye skin twice daily for 4 weeks. The researchers found that the women who applied the gel experienced a significant reduction in the total surface of wrinkles as well as the total and average length of wrinkles.

You can improve yourskin condition andcellulite appearance by making slight alterations to your diet.Supplement your diet with meals usingbone broth andcollagen powder to provide your body with the resources it needs to buildcollagen protein and beginskin tightening. Undergoing suchcellulite reduction treatment buildsfibrous bands andconnective tissue to improveskin elasticity.

Types ofCollagen Supplements

Choosing the right collagen typecan be key to reaping the benefits of collagen for skin. Here are the common types of collagen supplements available, each offering unique benefits based on their form and source:

• Collagen Peptides: These are short chains of amino acids derived from collagen. Collagen peptides are easily absorbed by the body, making them a popular choice for improving skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of cellulite. They are usually found in powder form and can be mixed into drinks or food for easy consumption.
• Collagen Powder: Similar to collagen peptides, this form is highly versatile and can be added to smoothies, soups, or even coffee. Collagen powders are broken down into smaller molecules, which helps the body digest and absorb them more effectively.
• Collagen Creams and Topical Products: These are applied directly to the skin to improve hydration and elasticity. While topical collagen can help with surface-level benefits, the most significant results for skin improvement come from consuming collagen internally.
• Hydrolyzed Collagen: This type of collagen has been broken down into even smaller particles, making it more bioavailable. Hydrolyzed collagen is typically found in supplements designed to support skin, hair, and nail health, and it’s often paired with ingredients like Vitamin C to boost collagen synthesis.

Best Collagen For Healthy Skin

If you're looking for a collagen supplement to improve yourskin condition or visible cellulite, you'll want to decide which type of collagen you want to start taking. Supplemental collagen comes in several forms, but the most beneficial for healthy skin is hydrolyzed collagen. As covered, this means that the collagen has been partially broken down into peptides, making it more bioavailable to your skin. Research shows that Vitamin C plus gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen help increase the body’s natural production of collagen, allowing it to deliver more resources throughblood vesselsto the skin. The skin will then buildcollagen protein andconnective tissue which can lead toskin tightening.

INVIGOR8 collagen is hydrolyzed and paired with microencapsulated Vitamin C for the most bioavailable support. Taking the right collagen, such as ourcollagen peptides powder, may help you achieve and maintain your healthiest skin. To learn more about how real customers are using our collagen peptides, check out our Invigor8 Reviews.

Sources:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30681787/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26561784/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15648443/
4. http://ww25.sci-hub.tw/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0385%20?subid1=20210108-1405-5031-bd26-f65a3eb9b85a