Your Skin’s Secret Superhero

An all-important ingredient for younger skin

Why is it important to restore collagen you might ask? Collagen is one of the most important supportive proteins. It is found in bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and skin. It helps skin cells adhere to one another and collagen, along with elastin gives the skin volume, thickness and elasticity resulting in a more youthful looking skin.
As protein and Vitamin C combines, smaller molecules attach themselves to one another, forming small fibers. These fibers attach themselves to skin and muscle cells, making them tighter and firmer. Collagen therefore plays an important role and is a key ingredient in your quest to look younger and feel healthier. Keeping skin cells tight, firm, and well structured.

Why do we need to stimulate collagen, as we get older?

Collagen production decreases with age, resulting in the development of fine lines, wrinkles, and a loss of elasticity in your skin.
When we are young, the body naturally produces collagen in abundance, but unfortunately, production starts to decline at about age 25, and continues to decline. Other factor such as smoking, sugar and environmental factors. Sun and UV radiation can have a detrimental effect on your skin’s collagen levels, so avoid unprotected sun exposure at all times.

The majority of age-dependent changes that occur in our skin happen in the dermis, which can lose from 20-80% of its thickness during the aging process. This is the result of changes in the fibroblasts, the cells responsible for collagen and elastin biosynthesis.
You can boost your body’s collagen production by ensuring you get enough Vitamin C and eating healthy.

How can I stimulate collage?

Eat your skin healthy

Collagen production within your body is highly dependent upon your food intake. There are foods rich in ingredients, which aids the forming of collagen and maintain Skin Health.

Salmon – the miracle food for skin
If you’re on a journey to healthy, glowing skin, head to the seafood counter and get yourself some fresh salmon.
Salmon is jam-packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been said be one of the superfoods for skin health.
For years, Dr.Perricone, the skin guru, has sworn by the benefits of salmon, crediting his complexion to the fish. “If you cannot eat salmon regularly, taking fish-oil capsules will also be beneficial.

Omega-3 fatty acid is going to retain moisture in your skin,” which helps with maintaining the skin’s elasticity and keeps skin looking supple.
Salmon also contains vitamin D, which can have photo protective effects, meaning it can help protect the skin against the negative effects of UV rays. Vitamin D is also great for skin cell growth and repair and helps protect against free radicals.
Salmon also contains something called astaxanthin, a chemical compound known as a keto-carotenoid, which gives salmon its pink color. It is also an antioxidant, creates more collagen and calms inflammation.

Eating a palm size piece of salmon 3 times a week will make real changes to your skin!

Red vegetables

Pump up sun protection: Tomatoes, peppers and beets contain the antioxidant lycopene. “Lycopene acts as a natural sunblock, protecting the skin from damage while increasing collagen levels.

Orange Vegetables

Restore and regenerate: Vegetables that are orange in color, like carrots and sweet potatoes, are rich in vitamin A, which restores and regenerates damaged collagen.

Berries

Ward off damage: Blackberries and raspberries scavenge free radicals while simultaneously increasing collagen levels.

Soy

Blocks aging: Whether sources from soymilk, cheese or tofu, soy contains genistein (plant hormones that serve as antioxidants), which prompts collagen production and helps to block enzymes, like MMPs that can age the skin.

Citrus Fruits and green vegetables

Studies show that green vegetables such as spinach and kale as well as citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, lemons and  that are rich in vitamin C have the ability to help amino acids—lysine and proline—convert to collagen. Vitamin C also supports the process of collagen formation and works to reduce oxidative damage, so also munch on foods like broccoli, spinach, goji berries and kiwi fruits. Easy, Antioxidant vitamin C is also extremely important in helping to neutralize free radicals, which attack and break down collagen and elastin in the skin

Protein

In addition to giving your body a dose of healthy protein that it needs, egg whites are high in both lysine and proline, as well as collagen itself, so adding more egg whites into your diet could help support your body’s natural production of collagen. And for those who choose the vegetarian or vegan route and don’t want to incorporate animal products like eggs or lean meats into their diet, try nuts (particularly peanuts), which also supply lysine.

Garlic

One of the best sources of sulfur, which is necessary to collagen production in the body, garlic also provides lipoic acid and taurine that help rebuild collagen fibers that have been damaged.

Collagen boosting treatments

Apart from healthy eating,  collagen boosting treatments can help to boost your skin’s collagen levels, and therefore reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen boosting treatments and therapies can also help to even out your skin’s appearance and leave you looking younger than before. Laser skin therapies, micro needling, chemical peels and Radio Frequency treatment are all aimed at stimulating collagen and trick your skin into thinking you are still young!! The fabulous news about collagen is this: the more your body produces, the easier it is to keep producing it.

As a customer who wants the best value for your hard-earned money, it is in our nature to question the products and services that we spend on and with several anti-aging treatments in the market today, we are left with quite a dilemma on which ones to trust.

Here are five professional treatments that have been sworn by many to work in taking off years from their faces. Thanks to its underlying action of restoring and stimulating collagen production.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are substances that are derived from different sources. They are injected into the skin so that the treated area will have a more youthful and fuller appearance.

Hyaluronic Acid is a type of dermal filler that has a natural water-binding component. It focuses on the fibroblasts, the skin cells that produce collagen and elastin, by surrounding it with water. This action stimulates collagen production. Therefore, in addition to plumping up the area, you are also generating collagen renewal, which further enhances the effect.

Hyaluronic acid fillers have long been used to correct changes that are part of aging; particularly in areas, such has the lower half of the face.
According to research, Hyaluronic filler injections, not only stimulates the fibroblasts to stimulate collagen production, but it also protects the existing collagen in the treated area.
up to 25 months.

Laser stimulation

Lasers have come a long way in terms of collagen renewal since it was first introduced. Laser skin rejuvenation actually comprises a number of different treatments. Back in the day, it was used to remove the topmost layer of the skin, or the epidermis, and some portions of the upper layers of the dermis. One can say that the process was rather aggressive, as it left a patient with open wounds on the skin surface and a long down time

This is why Fractional-ablative lasers were introduced. It initiates collagen production promoting skin tightening, while improving the appearance of acne scarring and skin texture, but more importantly it has less side effects such as swelling and redness and faster recovery time compared to the older resurfacing lasers.

Chemical Peels

If there is something that easily spells skin renewal that would be chemical peels. The exfoliation process created by a chemical peel speeds up cell turnover and collagen production, resulting in a younger-looking and healthy skin with a smoother texture.

But the tricky part about chemical peels is that they work best when the chemicals used are compatible with your skin type. This is where professional help is very important. Only trained and experienced professionals will be able to determine what is appropriate for your skin type and what your skin really needs. Remember, chemical peels come in different strength with each suited for different skin types and issues. In addition, having a professional do this protects you from damaging your skin further, which some are unfortunate enough to encounter giving peels a bad reputation.

Radiofrequency stimulation

The Venus Viva is the most popular and newest technology in the field of Radio Frequency.
It is a machine that works with brand new technology namely Nano Fractional Radio Frequency and it has proven itself to be effective in improving skin texture and promote collagen renewal underneath. Older machines used to be highly uncomfortable causing a lot of potential customers to search for less painful options.

Fortunately, Venus Viva technology has been improved resulting in the treatment being very comfortable. This machine is able to deliver RF energy deep into the skin at optimum levels that maximizes its beneficial action without any pain at all.

This type of treatment uses radiofrequency energy that is directed to the dermal layers, while sparing the outer layers from harm to stimulate collagen and elastin renewal.
It heats the deeper layers, where collagen and elastin are found, in a uniformed fashion making it more efficient. This treatment is regarded as a nonsurgical facelift, as it plumps and lifts the skin as it initiates the production of new collagen.

Chemical Peels

If there were a noninvasive treatment that easily spells skin renewal, it would be chemical peels. What is important about this treatment is that, not only does it work on improving the outermost layer of skin, but it also reaches deep within to initiate renewal. The exfoliation process created by a chemical peel enhances collagen growth resulting in a younger-looking and healthy skin. In addition to that, peels increase cell turnover rate giving skin a smoother texture.

However, the tricky part about chemical peels is that they work best when the chemicals used are compatible with your skin type. This is where professional help is very important. Only trained and experienced professionals will be able to determine what is appropriate for your skin type and what your skin really needs. Remember, chemical peels come in different strength with each suited for different skin types and issues.  In addition, having a professional do this protects you from damaging your skin further, which some are unfortunate enough to encounter giving peels a bad reputation.

LED Light therapy

The Celluma Light therapy device emits various lights of various wavelengths to stimulate of activate responses in the skin. LED Light Therapy increases the skin’s wound healing response due to the formation of collagen and elastin synthesis.
LED light therapy provides the skin care Professional with a non-invasive, non-ablative treatment tool that delivers customizable results without any downtime.
Furthermore, the light emitted from the Celluma does not contain harmful UVA/UVB rays, therefore does not negatively harm or impact the skin and is one of our recommended collagen boosting treatments.

Microneedling

The primary appeal of micro needling is its ability to stimulate growth of collagen and elastin, which is the key to new, youthful-looking skin and makes it another one of our recommended collagen boosting treatments. Studies have shown an impressive boost of collagen by up to 200% over a 6-month period with a course of just three treatments.

With its ability to trigger the generation of new skin cells, just a few sessions of micro needling will noticeably reduce fine lines and crow’s feet as well as improve and smooth skin texture

In addition, because there is minimal downtime with it, I often recommend it as a maintenance for people who are trying to stave off the signs of aging.
Some doctors would even go so far as to say that regular maintenance micro needling procedure is the most powerful way to stop aging in its tracks and prevent new fine lines and wrinkles from forming.

At home micro needling devices can be harmful and aren’t currently regulated by the FDA ( that may change soon) and some people have reported scarring or pigmentation problems.

Adding collagen boosting treatments to your skin care routine is a great idea! Chat to our qualified, experienced therapists at Durban Laser Clinic to find out more about how you, and your skin, can benefit from improving your skin’s collagen levels with our collagen boosting treatments.

Keyword: collagen boosting treatment, skin tightening and collagen levels, IPL, Skin Rejuvenation, Skin Renewal.

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