Collagen is always a buzzy word in skincare, and there is a good reason for it. It is an essential protein that keeps your skin looking youthful by helping maintain your skin’s firmness and elasticity. However, as we age, our body naturally stops producing collagen as quickly. To combat this issue, many skincare products market the inclusion of collagen as an anti-aging solution. There are so many marketed benefits of topical collagen, but do any of these products really work?
Today, we are breaking down the different forms of topical collagen used in skincare. From full-sized collagen to collagen microparticles. In this article, we’ll explore how these different types of topical collagen function in skincare. And whether they actually deliver on their marketed promise to increase your natural collagen production.
What is Topical Collagen?
Topical collagen is applied directly to the skin in your skincare products. It can be in your creams, serums, or lotions. There are other types of collagen, like collagen supplements and injectable fillers with collagen in them, that work internally. However, topical collagen works from the outside. Products with topical collagen claim to improve the skin’s appearance by increasing your natural collagen production, moisturizing, improving elasticity, and reducing the appearance of fine lines.
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However, due to its size, full-sized collagen molecules cannot get to the important part of your skin. This means traditional collagen is not effective in skincare products. However, chemists and scientists have been working to overcome this challenge by identifying new types of collagen. Specifically, to identify a topical collagen that can penetrate your skin barrier.
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Collagen (Full-Size Molecule)
Collagen, in its natural, full-size form, is a large molecule that struggles to penetrate the skin’s barrier. While it can hydrate and form a protective layer on the skin’s surface, it doesn’t directly stimulate collagen production beneath the surface.
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Collagen has to come in contact with cells in your dermis for it to trigger additional collagen products. So, products with collagen on the ingredients list will not enhance your natural collagen production. Instead, full-size collagen primarily works as a moisturizer and makes skin smoother. When your skin is hydrated, the appearance of fine lines can be reduced temporarily.
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Hydrolyzed collagen, also known as collagen hydrolysate, is collagen that has been broken down into smaller pieces through a process called hydrolysis. This was one of the first ways scientists tried to reduce the size of collagen. And while it is true the collagen molecule needs to be smaller to penetrate your skin barrier, how well the collagen is hydrolyzed affects its ability to penetrate your skin barrier.
Hydrolyzed collagen can have a wide range of sizes. The process is not precise, producing a variety of collagen sizes. While the smallest pieces of topical collagen may be able to penetrate the skin barrier, there are large pieces that sit on the surface like full-sized collagen molecules. Typically, the majority of the collagen hydrolysate pieces are too large to penetrate the skin barrier. This means hydrolyzed collagen is similar to full-sized collagen.
Hydrolyzed collagen provides hydration and forms a barrier on the skin to lock in moisture, just like full-sized collagen. While it may not significantly increase collagen production within the skin because there are not enough small molecules, it helps improve texture and hydration levels, giving the skin a smoother, plumper appearance.
Collagen Peptides
Collagen peptides are smaller chains of amino acids that are derived from the breakdown of larger collagen molecules. Peptides occur naturally in your skin. They form as your body breaks down old proteins and replaces them with new ones. In the body, when your cells come in contact with these fragments, they know it’s time to make more fresh collagen and other important proteins like hyaluronic acid or elastin.
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Peptides are becoming increasingly popular in skincare products for two reasons. The first is their natural ability trigger important functions in your skin. The second is they are the smallest molecules that your body produces that behave just very similarly to their full-sized parent molecules.
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Collagen peptides are more effective than larger collagen molecules at penetrating the skin’s surface, making them a better option for those looking to boost collagen levels topically. However, most studies show peptides are more beneficial when paired with other active ingredients like retinoids and antioxidants.
Ultra-Low Molecular Weight Collagen
Ultra-low molecular weight collagen is a newer skincare ingredient. It is similar to hydrolyzed collagen, but it is highly processed, making it more expensive. This form of collagen is broken down into very small molecules, designed to better penetrate the skin barrier. The currently viral collagen mask on TikTok uses this form of collagen along with collagen peptides. Because these molecules are smaller, they may have a better chance of reaching deeper layers of the skin.
This form of collagen is more likely to stimulate collagen production at a deeper level, making it a promising option in topical formulations. The lower molecular weight also improves the skin’s ability to retain moisture and can enhance the overall firmness and elasticity.
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Collagen Microparticles
Collagen microparticles are an emerging technology in skincare. There are not many products today that contain collagen microparticles, because they are still very early and expensive to make. The microparticle structure was selected to improve the delivery of active ingredients. These microparticles are engineered to be small enough to penetrate deeper into the skin’s layers, where they can help support the skin’s natural structure and collagen production. According to research, collagen microparticles have shown potential in improving skin texture, hydration, and elasticity by allowing more effective delivery of collagen to the dermis. Their size and structure make them a promising innovation in topical anti-aging treatments.
Do Topical Collagen Products Actually Work?
The efficacy of topical collagen largely depends on the type used in the formulation. Larger collagen molecules, while excellent for hydration, do not penetrate the skin deeply enough to significantly boost collagen production. So any product claiming anti-aging benefits with collagen or collagen hydrolysate is probably just marketing hype. On the other hand, smaller molecules like collagen peptides and ultra-low molecular weight collagen have a better chance of penetrating the skin and promoting collagen production from within. For best results, topical collagen should be combined with other skin-supporting ingredients like retinoids and antioxidants, which work synergistically to enhance skin health and appearance.