How to Preserve Collagen: What Damages + What Actually Helps
Collagen is one of those skincare topics we hear about constantly, but there is still a lot of confusion about what actually helps preserve it and what may be damaging it more quickly. While we can’t stop the natural aging process, there are plenty of realistic ways to support healthy collagen through skincare, treatments, nutrition, and everyday habits.
In this article, I’m breaking down what collagen does for our skin, the biggest causes of collagen damage, and the natural methods I personally use to keep my skin feeling firm, healthy, and radiant. It’s not about extreme routines, and I don’t promise that we will never age; these are just practical ways to take care of the collagen you have and encourage healthy renewal along the way!
Collagen Explained
Collagen is an important protein that helps make up the structure of our skin. Collagen is also abundant in our body in our ligaments, muscles, organ linings, and bones. Internally, collagen proteins help protect organs, help blood not to clot, and also help new cells to grow. But today, we are talking about collagen specifically in the skin.
We want to keep the collagen in our skin alive and healthy because thats what helps keep skin firm, soft, plump, and radiant (dare I even say, youthful?). Our bodies naturally produce collagen at a steady rate up until about our mid-twenties; after that, collagen production slows down, and collagen protein cells are damaged more easily. Thats why there is a focus on preserving our collagen and boosting collagen growth, because we are making less and we don’t want to lose it!
scrub me secret: I would say my thoughts and approach to skincare is 85% about overall skin health and 15% about vanity. Think like not having any lines or wrinkles. But focusing on having healthy, happy skin and body helps me look and feel younger than I am. Win, win!
How I Preserve My Collagen, Naturally
I’m 36, so I’m focused on both preserving the collagen that I have and also boosting collagen with certain treatments. I’ve been an esthetician since I was 19, so I was lucky to start learning about skincare and preserving my collagen early. That has definitely benefited my skin long-term, but no need to worry if you feel like you missed the skincare train in your early adulthood. It doesn’t matter what age you start preserving your skin and stimulating collagen growth; you’re going to get some benefits and most likely see some visible results.
Here is what I do for my skin:
I’m not trying to look 20 but I also want to keep things healthy and firm!
☀️ Daily Vitamin C - Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that defends against free radical damage that attacks our healthy collagen. I use Josh Rosebrook Vitamin C serum every morning underneath my Purity Woods moisturizer that also contains a high-quality vitamin C ingredient. These products go underneath my daily SPF. Read my blog on vitamin C here to dive deeper on this ingredient.
💧 Peptide Serum - Peptides help our collagen and elastin structure stay healthy and strong, and they also signal to skin cells to rebuild/rejuvinate collagen proteins. I love a peptide serum or a peptide moisturizer. Right now I’m using the Josh Rosebrook Creamy Peptide at night.
🧴 Antioxidant-Rich Serum, Moisturizer, + Facial Oil - Antioxidants are always an excellent skincare ingredient for preserving our skin and repairing damage caused by free radicals and other factors. Antioxidant ingredients in skincare products help prevent the loss of collagen and elastin by stabilizing unstable free radical molecules that cause significant damage. Antioxidants also feed skin important nutrients it needs to keep the proteins healthy.
There are SO many different antioxidant-rich ingredients in skincare items; obviously the grapeseed oil and carrot essential oil in the Scrub Me Nourishing Serum is my personal favorite. Shea is also antioxidant-rich, so that's why I like to use it for my body butter. I use both of those products daily.
In this blog post here, I list a bunch of antioxidant skincare ingredients and some of my favorite products.
💡 Red LED Therapy - Red LED therapy can stimulate, strengthen, and renew collagen and other elements of our skin. I use my LightStim device on the red LED and infrared blend setting about 4x a month. Thats it! I know I should probably work it into my routine a couple times a week, but this is working for me for now. How do you know which LED device to get and which ones are effective? Read this blog post here.
Lightstim Elipsa LED
💆♀️ Facial Massage For Circulation Boost - I give myself a long, methodical facial massage once a week using my hands and a gua sha stone. But more than a few times a week, I give myself a mini face massage using circular and upward motions with my fingertips while I apply my moisturizer or facial oil. This type of facial massage boosts circulation and oxygen flow in my skin, keeping collagen and other proteins healthy. Find all my guided facial massage tutorials on my YouTube channel; I show you how to use your hands, a gua sha stone, and facial rollers for facial massage in the correct way.
What Causes Collagen Damage
These are things that make our collagen decrease at a more rapid rate.
Overexposure to the sun - UV rays from the sun cause free radical damage. A free radical is an unstable molecule that is commonly found in UV rays as well as air pollution. These molecules attack our collagen and elastin proteins and degrade them.
A diet that consists of a lot of processed (packaged) and/or fast foods - Consuming processed sugars, processed grains, and fast food causes a process in the body called glycation. This is where excess sugars and fats bind to collagen (and other proteins), making them stiff and brittle. Glycation also causes chronic inflmmation, which leads to more collagen and cell damage.
Consumption of drugs and/or alcohol - Alcohol, recreational drugs, and many prescription drugs cause free radical damage in the skin and body. Thats where the unstable free radical molecule attacks proteins (collagen) and cells. Excessive drug and/or alcohol use can also prevent the absorption of essential nutrients from other items in our diet. Inability to absorb important nutrients will lead to collagen loss.
High stress - High stress and chronic stress cause a lot of inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation is overall really damaging to many functions in our body. Specifically, inflammation can speed up the degeneration that happens to the bonds of our collagen and elastin cells, aging skin more quickly.
Smoking cigarettes or vaping nicotine - Smoking or vaping nicotine triggers the production of an enzyme called Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) that break down collagen fibers and degrade the structure of our skin tissue. Nicotine consumption also constricts blood vessels, preventing essential nutrient flow to the skin.
Effects of Collagen Damage
scrub me secret: As we age, our collagen will decrease. Thats Life! We always have to remember that aging is a privilege; our skin and body will change, and thats part of the journey. I hope to always be able to embrace my beauty because it mostly comes from within. And yours does too. 😊
Skin elasticity will feel more lax and less plump - Without enough important collagen proteins, skin becomes more prone to sagging or feeling loose.
Skin isn’t able to heal itself as quickly - Collagen is an important part of our skin’s structure; the more collagen we have, the stronger our skin is. More collagen in our skin means the ability to heal faster.
Static fine lines and wrinkles - lines or wrinkles that show even when you aren’t expressing - When skin starts to lose its structure due to collagen damage, lines and wrinkles show up more easily and set into the skin.
Expert Tips for Preserving Your Collagen
Scrub Me Secret: Another thing I do for myself is try to incorporate bovine protein into my diet in the way of bone broth or a bovine protein supplement. Ingesting this type of collagen protein has been shown to have positive effects on our skin’s collagen and our internal collagen. I recently just wrote a blog post about new findings about vegan collagen supplements; you can find it here!
These are some of my best tips for keeping your skin healthy, firm, and youthful-looking for as long as possible.
Don’t overdo it with chemical peels, laser, retinoids, and other cell turnover products/treatments
Yes, retinoids, chemical peels, and other skincare that causes our skin cells to rapidly turnover is effective for keeping collagen, elastin, and skin cells healthy. BUT as soon as you overdo the exfoliation, controlled damage, and cell turnover, you’re compromising your skin barrier, and the health of the collagen in your skin will suffer.
I wouldn’t suggest retinol more than 4x a week - and most only need it 2x a week. As for lasers, chemical peels, microneedling, and other treatments like that. I personally suggest getting something like that once a quarter, or less if you want. Monthly facials are more important, as long as you have a great esthetician like me 😉
Create Healthy Stimulation For Your Collagen Using Face Massage, Red LED, or Both
Sometimes the most simple things are the things that make the biggest difference. Giving your face a small facial massage daily or a longer facial massage 1-2x a week will help maintain your collagen health and continue to aid your collagen in renewal. That’s something you can add to your skincare routine at a really low cost.
Investing in a red LED device is also a great idea if you are concerned about improving your collagen production and preserving the healthy collagen that you do have. Quality and effective red LED devices can be a bit of an investment, so, understandably, not everyone will be able to purchase one. Another option would be to visit an esthetician or skincare expert for a red LED treatment a couple times a month.
Use Skincare With Peptides & Antioxidants
Using skincare with both peptide ingredients and antioxidant ingredients is going to support your collagen in 2 different ways. Peptides signal renewal properties in your collagen proteins and help collagen rebuild if it’s damaged. Antioxidants protect collagen from getting damaged and reduce the effects of UV and environmental damage.
Minimize Free Radical Damage By Using Sun Protection, Prioritizing Fresh Foods, & Treating Your Body Well
Reducing stress and enjoying life is actually good for your collagen!
As I’ve mentioned a few times in this blog, free radical damage is something that causes our collagen and elastin to degrade more quickly. Free radical damage comes from overexposure to UV rays, eating processed and fast food, drug use, and nicotine use. Choosing healthy habits like cooking and baking at home, sun protection, drinking water, getting in daily movement, trying to keep stress low, and overall treating your body well are all things you can do to reduce free radical damage.
Those are my best tips! Don’t overdo the harsh stuff, support your healthy skin cells, and treat your body well.