What Is Collagen and Why Does Our Skin Need It?
Chances are good that you may have seen the buzzword “collagen” mentioned frequently in the beauty and wellness circles, especially in relation to anti-aging products and treatments. The question that’s probably on your mind is: What does collagen do to your face? Our Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas team sees many patients who want to give their skin a plumper, more youthful and radiant appearance. To put it simply, having plenty of collagen is good for your skin, but being deficient in collagen isn’t. Collagen plays an important role in the health and appearance of our skin.
Our body naturally creates its own collagen. The protein keeps your skin full, supported, and sculpted—and is one of the main building blocks of our bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
When we’re younger, our skin has an abundance of collagen, which is what gives it that plump, lifted appearance. This prevents the skin from sagging. Unfortunately, our natural supplies of collagen start to dwindle early in life. Luckily, however, all hope isn’t lost, since there are techniques we can use to slow down the loss of collagen and help to build more collagen in the skin.
Sciton’s SkinTyte™ is an infrared light-based device that’s highly effective for improving skin firmness. It improves mild to moderate sagging skin, loss of elasticity, and wrinkles with minimal downtime and without the need for surgery. The energy that’s delivered by this device promotes contraction of the skin while also triggering its natural healing processes. The gentle heat given off promotes collagen production in the targeted areas, and the collagen layer in the skin gradually becomes stronger.
Additionally, there are also topical skin products that are scientifically proven to boost collagen production, such as retinoids that encourage the growth of this protein. Laser skin resurfacing and microneedling are two other cosmetic procedures that help to add volume to the skin by supporting collagen development.
If you want more answers to questions about skin care, our Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas team can provide answers and explain about how to enhance your skin’s appearance. Call us at 501-227-8422 or 1-800-225-8422, or submit a contact form online and schedule a consultation if you would like to discuss cosmetic treatments.
What Can You Do to Improve Skin Elasticity?
When we think of skin aging, one of the first things that often comes to mind—in addition to lines and wrinkles—is skin sagging. It’s common for loose skin to develop around the eyes and on other areas such as the cheeks and around the jawline. The main cause of this reduced elasticity is a loss of collagen that occurs as we age. Weight loss fluctuations or pregnancy may also cause stretched skin because of damage to collagen and elastin fibers. Sun damage can also break down fibers that are important for providing structure and strength. The resulting loose skin can be frustrating and have a negative impact on self-esteem. Want to counteract sagging and obtain firmer, tighter-looking skin? Patients often come to our practice searching for options for skin tightening. Here’s what our Little Rock-based team recommends for enhancing skin quality without the need for invasive cosmetic surgery.
Use Retinols and Retinoids
Retinoids represent one of the most potent anti-aging ingredients available. Many over-the-counter products such as facial serums and creams contain these derivatives of vitamin A. These products encourage your skin to produce increased amounts of collagen, which can have a tightening effect.
Exercise
For certain areas of the body, such as the arms and legs, building muscle mass through regular exercise may be one of the best ways of making the skin look firmer. Even though exercise on its own won’t tighten skin, increased muscle can “fill in” the space below the skin. Exercise may be particularly effective if your loose skin occurred due to weight loss. Sometimes resistant fat below the skin may make it appear loose, so exercise can help you to shed this weight and make the skin appear tighter.
Skin-Tightening Procedures
Non-invasive skin tightening treatments may produce modest improvements for skin laxity. SkinTyte™ is an infrared-based procedure that delivers heat to provoke a healing response from the body and generate increased levels of collagen and elastin in targeted areas.
Skin Rejuvenation Treatments
Treatments such as chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, and microneedling encourage collagen production to improve the overall texture and tone of the skin. As collagen levels rise, skin can appear firmer, tighter, and smoother.
For more advice about treatments for skin tightening at Dermatology Group of Arkansas, contact us by calling 501-227-8422 or 1-800-225-8422, or fill out a contact form online to arrange a consultation.