Collagen is a natural substance found in your body's tendons, cartilage, connective tissue and bones. It is also an important protein in your skin, helping it retain its elasticity and suppleness. Sun damage causes collagen to break down, resulting in rapid aging and wrinkles. Using a sunscreen with a high protection factor can help prevent sun damage and collagen breakdown.
Function
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the skin's collagen is present in the dermis, the middle layer of the skin, and in the subcutis, the skin's deepest layer. In the dermis, collagen gives skin its strength and resilience. In the subcutis, collagen, along with a network of fat cells, is responsible for conserving the body's warmth and protecting the organs from traumatic injury.
Significance
When the skin is overexposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, it reacts with a sunburn. Your body's immune system responds to the sunburn with an increase in blood flow to the dermis, one of the two skin layers where collagen is located. This causes the warmth and redness you experience. Excessive or repeated sunburns can cause premature aging of the skin and may even lead to skin cancer.
Features
While collagen is lost as you age, California-based dermatologist Cynthia Bailey, M.D., says that sun damage is the major culprit of lost collagen in the skin. Not only does sun damage cause the collagen to break down, but it also reduces the body's ability to replenish the collagen.
Solution
A healthy diet can help the skin's appearance and fight the decrease in collagen. Foods high in Vitamin C are perhaps the most beneficial. MayoClinic.com explains that vitamin C not only keeps the capillaries in your skin healthy, but also actually helps form and replenish collagen. The DermNet NZ website further recommends a diet rich in antioxidants to slow the effects of aging on the skin.
Misconceptions
There are a number of creams on the market that contain collagen. The manufacturers claim that by applying their product to your skin, collagen will rebuild and replenish, restoring your skin's appearance. Dr. Bailey, however, cautions her patients away from such products, explaining that collagen cannot be added to the skin from the outside. It can only be made inside the skin by your body's own cells.
