Collagen makes up 70% of your skin and connective tissues and when the aging process happens, this collagen starts to break down.
This degradation of collagen usually begins during the mid-20s but can begin earlier based on external factors.
How Does Collagen Degradation Cause Skin Aging
The loss of collagen is also known as collagen fragmentation and this speeds up as the skin ages. When this process ages the skin becomes dry and less resilient.
As this process goes on, the skin loses its youthful glow and there is an increase in the appearance of fine lines, skin dryness, thinning of the outer skin, and finally, it transforms into wrinkles.
The lesser the collagen in the skin, the thinner the skin becomes and signs of aging become more and more visible.
How to prevent the degradation of collagen
Aging of the skin is a natural process and cannot be avoided but what can be avoided is the further degradation of collagen.
The first step to slow down collagen degradation is having a healthy and balanced diet.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is very well known to boost the production of collagen. You can include food rich in vitamin C to promote collagen synthesis and slow down collagen degradation.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is great at preventing sun damage to the skin. The damage from the sun to the skin is known as photoaging and it is one of the most common factors responsible for the early degradation of collagen.
Did you know that being straight in sunlight can speed up your aging process? This is why it is essential to not only include Vitamin A and E(protects cells from damage) in your diet but to also use A high SPF sunscreen before stepping out in the sun.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking has numerous adverse effects on your health. Apart from causing lung, breathing, and many other issues, smoking also affects the production of collagen in the body.
It can speed up the appearance of fine lines around your lips. Avoiding smoking can boost the appearance of your skin within months.
While you can follow these steps to slow down the collagen degradation in your body, after a point of time it would be wise to include a collagen supplement in your diet to compensate for the loss of collagen over the years.
You can opt for a highly bioavailable Collagen supplement made from natural ingredients with zero added sugar to help you combat aging signs.