Collagen – more structure, fewer wrinkles

Do you want to look youthful and actively prevent wrinkles? Then a healthy lifestyle with a nutritious diet and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are recommended. Hyaluronic acid can support the desire to look youthful and prevent wrinkles. A substance that is often mentioned in this context alongside hyaluronic acid is collagen. In fact, the structural protein plays a key role in skin aging. A strong collagen framework provides a good basis so that the skin above it wrinkles as little as possible. Today we will explain to you what collagen is and how it can be used as an anti-aging substance.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a protein that is found in large quantities in the human body. Around 30% of the protein content is collagen. The structural protein is found in many places in the organism. We associate the substance primarily with the skin, but the bones, cartilage, teeth and, above all, the connective tissue also depend on the involvement of collagen. What is particularly exciting is that collagen can build a kind of scaffolding; many collagen molecules work together to form a tight network. If the body's collagen content is low, the structure sags - the connective tissue becomes slacker and wrinkles become visible. Collagen works together with other players on skin health, each with its own unique function.

• Collagen: The protein supports muscles, bones, tendons and joints. Collagen makes skin and connective tissue elastic. It can be administered in the form of creams for external use, or orally as powder or capsules.
• Ceramides : The unique fats contribute to a protective skin barrier. Ceramides are involved in providing moisture and defending against pollutants.
• Hyaluronic acid: This is the body's own moisturizer. Hyaluronic acid can also be administered externally in the form of creams, or orally as powder, tablets or capsules.

Collagen effect: the different collagen types

Not all collagen is created equal. To date, scientists have managed to identify 28 different types of collagen. Collagen types I, II and III appear to be the most important. Now we would like to show you an example of where the individual types of collagen are particularly needed and how they work.

Collagen type I

• Contained in skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, teeth.
• In terms of quantity, it occupies the largest proportion in the body.
• Provides elasticity and moisture in the skin, ligaments and tendons, making the bones robust and flexible.

Collagen type II

• Contained in cartilage tissue, vitreous body (eye), intervertebral discs.
• Provides stability in body tissue.

• Collagen type III

• Contained in skin, bones, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels and muscles.
• Gives elasticity to tissues and organs.

This is how your body makes collagen

Collagen is made up of protein chains, which in turn consist of amino acids. The amino acids proline, glycine and hydroxyproline are particularly important here. Various cells in your body are capable of producing collagen.

• Collagen type I and collagen type II are produced by connective tissue cells and bone tissue cells .
• Collagen type II is created with the help of cartilage tissue cells .

When making collagen, your body works to string together amino acids. When three of these amino acid chains wind around each other, doctors refer to this as a tropocollagen unit. It is clearly recognizable by the typical triple helix. Thin collagen fibrils are created when several tropocollagen units come together. Further bundling creates thicker collagen fibers that promise even more support.

Collagen content decreases with age

Metaphorically speaking, collagen fibers are like a thick wool thread, which in turn consists of several fibers. Only the dense crowding of the fibers makes the wool thread stable. It happens in a very similar way in the skin. The fibers form a collagen framework by interconnecting closely. This creates a stable network that gives your skin tension. The more the better. After all, lots of collagen fibers mean a particularly firm complexion. However, this is exactly where the crux of the matter comes. Young skin has up to 80% collagen, but the proportion decreases with age. Just like with hyaluronic acid, the body's own production decreases over the years. This can be noticeable not only on the joints, but also on the skin. It loses elasticity, tone and volume - the youthful appearance disappears.

Boost collagen production: 3 tips

It is well known that our lifestyle has a major impact on our external appearance. Someone who doesn't sleep much, smokes a lot of cigarettes a day and parties all night long can develop wrinkles much more quickly than someone who gets enough rest and values ​​a healthy lifestyle. Let's discover together which simple tips you can use to stimulate your body's own collagen production.

1. Reduce harmful influences None of us are 100% successful in avoiding harmful influences. After all, we can hardly escape the exhaust fumes in hectic city traffic. At this point it is important to strike a balance. Spend more time in nature in your free time and supply your entire body with valuable oxygen. Sunrays are essential to boost the body's synthesis of vitamin D. But here too, the dose makes the poison. Exposing your skin to the sun for several hours can also promote the formation of wrinkles. In addition to a nutrient-rich diet, avoiding tobacco makes all the difference. Did you know that cigarettes slow down the formation of new collagen fibers and promote their breakdown? One more reason to keep your hands off the glow stick.

2. Massage your facial skin A facial massage is not only beneficial but can also help prevent wrinkles in place. If you massage yourself regularly, you strengthen your muscles and stimulate blood circulation. Last but not least, collagen production can also be stimulated in this way. Our tip: Use a high-quality skin care product for the massage, as this will kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand, you provide your protective layer with valuable nutrients and, on the other hand, the facial massage is particularly easy. A little tip: Daily use of one can also be a great support for massage  Be a facial cleansing brush .

3. Help with hyaluronic acid and collagen

Hyaluronic acid has drawn attention as a moisture magnet. In fact, the substance is able to bind large amounts of water, which is also a benefit for the skin. Steiger Naturals is an expert in the field of hyaluronic acid. For many years we have been offering premium preparations and cosmetic items to supply our customers' skin with valuable hyaluronic acid. Our Premium 3D Hyaluronic Care Cream Day & Night is particularly popular. In addition to high and low molecular hyaluronic acid, it also contains shea butter, avocado and squalane. It has been shown again and again that hyaluronic acid and collagen are a particularly good team in the fight against skin aging. They both occur naturally in the body. While hyaluronic acid moisturizes and plumps your skin, collagen works to increase firmness and elasticity. We used this knowledge when developing our Premium 3D Collagen Booster Day & Night - more on that later.

How can collagen products work?

Collagen is produced by the body itself. Since the ability to synthesize decreases with age, it may make sense to look into collagen sources. Foods such as skin and bones of cattle or fish scales contain collagen. However, that doesn't sound very inviting to most people. A real alternative are dietary supplements with collagen. Particularly clever: Sophisticated beauty creams combine the valuable ingredient with other substances and thus ensure maximum effectiveness.

Collagen: dietary supplement vs. cosmetic product

There are now some nutritional supplements on the market that contain collagen. However, caution is advised here because not all products deliver what they promise. Drinking ampoules with collagen are promising, but like collagen capsules, they should impress with a good composition of active ingredients. The  Bioactive collagen peptides from Steiger Naturals contain collagen type I, collagen type II and collagen type III. The easy-to-dose powder is aimed primarily at people with joint problems. What is unique is that the mix is ​​enhanced by the potential joint helpers chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. If you want to do something specifically for your skin, you can go directly to cosmetic products containing collagen. They are applied where collagen is needed. The products from Steiger Naturals also provide the sensitive protective layer with other substances such as hyaluronic acid or liposomes. A particular advantage is that they are particularly easy to incorporate into your care routine and, according to reports, improve the way your skin feels in no time.

Premium 3D Collagen Booster Day & Night from Steiger Naturals

We at Steiger Naturals have developed a highly concentrated 3D collagen booster . The serum uses a sophisticated triple lifting effect to stimulate the skin's own collagen system. Several valuable substances work together for this: TRYLAGEN®, collagen I, III and IV, hyaluronic acid and liposomes. With these actors, the skin is built up from the inside, cell renewal is supported and the skin is regenerated. Our customers report that their skin noticeably gains more moisture and the complexion visibly improves. What is particularly practical is that the 3D Collagen Booster can be combined with your usual care products. To do this, simply apply the serum to clean, slightly moistened skin in the morning and evening. Then massage in gently and apply your usual facial care.

Sources

1. Collagens--structure, function, and biosynthesis - PubMed (nih.gov)
2. Collagen not only supports bones, tendons and ligaments, but also actively pulls them together. | Max Planck Society (mpg.de)
3. Written on your face (deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de)
4. [An overview of the beneficial effects of hydrolyzed collagen intake on joint and bone health and on skin aging] - PubMed (nih.gov)
5. German Cancer Research Center: Smoking and skin damage