Skin Wrinkles And All About Collagen

May 9th, 2009

Collagen is something that is strongly associated with wrinkles. Let us have a look at what it is we should know about collagen and its relationship to skin wrinkles.

Most people have heard of collagen when talking about skin care and wrinkles. High costing plastic surgeons offer to inject collagen straight into your skin to plump up everything from lips to wrinkles. However let us look at what it really means when dermatologists refer to the breakdown of collagen. Also we should see if it is actually possible to replace or repair collagen to reduce the appearance of wrinkles as we age.

Collagen basically is a fibrous protein that experts estimate makes up about a quarter of all proteins in the human body. It is found in tendons, muscles, bones, and skin. Collagen is a connector that strengthens and firms tissues throughout the body. Collagen is found in the dermis or middle layer of the skin and helps give skin form and keep it taut and elastic. A decrease in collagen fibers will leave skin loose and susceptible to skin wrinkles.

With age the amount of natural collagen in our bodies starts to decrease. As we age, our body naturally produces less and less collagen, allowing the skin to sag and wrinkle over time. Some of this loss of collagen can be attributed to heredity, some to the slowing of cell division and reproduction, and some to changing hormones. The process of collagen loss is accelerated by factors like sun exposure, stress, and smoking. Studies have long linked exposure to direct sunlight to cause severe and at times serious skin damage. Sun rays thin the outer layer of skin, the epidermis. This leaves the dermis more susceptible to damage that breaks down existing collagen and also increases the amount of free radicals that disturb the skin’s natural balance. While UV exposure is the top contributor to premature aging, smoking also significantly affects the wrinkling of the skin. Restricted blood flow from continuous exposure to cigarette smoke contributes to a break down of existing collagen while decreasing the amount of collagen the body produces. Smoking is also linked to a significant increase in free radicals. A third factor that impacts premature aging like wrinkles is mental and emotional stress.
There have been studies which have actually provided evidence that stress accelerates cell division in chromosomes that decreases the length of telomeres (caps at the end of chromosomes) until they are too short to divide any further. As this process is a given sign of natural aging, it stands to reason that accelerating the process would lead to premature aging, including wrinkles on the skin.

Even though there comes a time in our lives when the amount of natural collagen in our bodies starts to decrease, there are so many products on the market that claim they can replace or stimulate production of collagen. The reality is that a collagen injection is a very expensive and very temporary fix for erasing wrinkles. Just like the collagen found naturally in your skin, injections will break down over time.

The best long term solution to skin wrinkles is finding an anti-wrinkle product that can nourish the skin and stimulate production of collagen. After all we all want a permanent solution to skin wrinkles which will leave our skin looking much younger, more taut, and more vibrant. By clicking on the highlighted link words you will come across a product which has been received with astounding success across Europe and the United States of America.

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