Kseniya Kobets, MD, director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, emphasizes the importance of collagen in maintaining a youthful appearance. Collagen is a structural protein that gives skin its shape and strength, accounting for 30% of the body’s overall protein. As we age, collagen production naturally declines, leading to wrinkles, loss of firmness, and sagging. This process typically starts around age twenty-five and accelerates in our thirties and forties.
Collagen degrades over time, with the most efficient production occurring in our twenties. After that, we begin losing about 1% of collagen per year and our ability to regenerate it also declines. This process varies by ethnicity and speeds up by menopause. Additionally, daily life and certain lifestyle habits, such as sun exposure, environmental stressors, and enzymes within the body, can also contribute to collagen degradation.
The result is a gradual loss of skin structure, leading to wrinkles, rough texture, enlarged pores, crepey skin, and increased fragility, often experienced as easy bruising. Early signs of collagen loss often show around the eyes, mouth, and forehead, while by our forties and fifties, fine lines deepen due to continued collagen and elastin loss and compounded by a loss of bone and fat in the cheeks and jawline, causing sagging around the jowls and neck.
To protect against collagen loss, it is essential to maintain a nutrient-rich diet, wear SPF 30 or higher daily, and incorporate proven ingredients into your skincare routine.
