Your Skin’s Savings Account

The Truth About Collagen Banking

Over the past couple of years I’ve heard about this trendy, new “beauty world concept” known as “Collagen Banking.”

These two simple words cleverly imply that, much like a fiscally diligent saver, one can employ a responsible aesthetic practice that results in a tidy beauty account complete with compounded interest.

Let’s discuss!

Firstly, let’s dive into collagen. I’ve mentioned this substance many times here in the past, generally in discussions about the importance of maintaining, and even growing it. But what exactly is it?

Collagen is actually the most abundant protein in your body.

What’s known as Type I collagen represents around 90 percent of the collagen found in all vertebrates, and forms the large fibers which make up most of the dense connective tissue in your body. You’ll also find it in scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and specific components of your bones.

Type II collagen is the basis of your cartilage, and Type III is found in your skin and blood vessels.

Together, these amazing molecules act as key structural building blocks, and are the “glue” that holds the body together, providing elasticity, support for healthy joints, firmness and strength. 

While it is a super substance, it is not, unfortunately, indestructible. It is negatively impacted by sun damage, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and, sadly, aging. After the age of 20, our bodies produce roughly one percent less collagen in the skin each year.

So now we turn to the concept of Collagen Banking. This is a proposed strategy for proactive, long-term skincare. By starting in your 20’s and 30’s, it is suggested that you will be able to prevent degeneration, and even promote the stimulation of new collagen, creating a kind of buffer against the inevitable decline in older age. By building this “reservoir” of collagen, you’ll offset the 1-1.5% annual loss.

The strategies suggested for Collagen Banking include:

• Consistent and daily use of sunscreen: Protecting your skin from UV-induced collagen breakdown is a crucial first step
• Active application of specific topicals: Ingredients like vitamin C, peptides and retinoids can stimulate collagen production and help with the reservoir building.
• Specific treatments: Laser resurfacing, microneedling, ultrasound, or radio frequency skin tightening all help to stimulate collagen even further.
• Some suggest that supplementation can help, but whether or not we can functionally absorb collagen by ingesting it (or if we should simply consume its precursors) requires another discussion.

So, all in all, these strategies add up to a good old fashioned skin care practice. I’ve always advocated for the daily use of sunscreen as both women and men benefit from protection against sun exposure for many reasons, and not just collagen defense. Regular application of quality products is also a great idea for skin for all ages and, of course, in-office treatments are an added bonus.

I’m all in favor of the practices involved in Collagen Banking, but I’d also like to remind everyone that it’s never too late to start. Protecting and encouraging your collagen is beautifully beneficial for you, no matter what decade you’re in!