[Lifestyle] Are collagen shots and supplements really the secret to youthful skin?

[ThunderStorm.]

 

Treatments to boost the protein are all the rage, but the evidence is uncertain and any results could be short-lived.

boost collagen production and reduce other signs of skin ageing such as pigmentation.”

Although celebrity endorsements and dramatic before-and-after pictures can be persuasive, it is also worth remembering that these procedures are not a permanent fix for skin ageing – they require continuing treatments, which can be costly. The most effective long-term strategy to protect and preserve your collagen is to minimise UV exposure from an early age, through consistent use of sunscreen.

Sherratt showed me a photo of him during Britain’s 1976 heatwave, when he was nine. Unlike the proteins inside our cells that are regularly renewed, he said, type I collagen in the dermis had a half-life of about 15 years and elastin was thought to be meant to last a lifetime. “These proteins accumulate damage over time. So, it’s highly likely that some of the extracellular matrix proteins in my face and forearm still carry damage from that 1976 holiday.”

For those of us who did not faithfully apply sunscreen in our youth, it is worth being realistic about how much even the most advanced treatments can achieve. While they may temporarily firm and smooth the skin, the deeper biological damage has already taken place – and much of it may be irreversible.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025/jul/18/do-collagen-shots-supplements-really-work-youthful-skin