If you’ve ever stood by a shelf or paused mid-scroll to debate the merits of collagen versus collagen peptides, welcome to the club. Ever since the role of collagen—a key protein in the skin that effectively serves as its scaffolding, keeping it firm and smooth—came to the forefront, it’s become a sought-after ingredient in both topical skin-care products and oral supplements alike. That’s because your own natural stores of collagen decline and degrade over time, due to aging as well as factors like sun exposure and excess sugar. It’s understandable, then, that you might want to replace it.
However, re-upping your skin’s natural supply of collagen isn’t quite as simple as ingesting or slathering on more collagen. Here’s what you can do to bolster your skin’s natural stores of the sought-after protein.
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Experts have long been reluctant to endorse collagen supplements wholeheartedly, but the tide may finally be turning. “I’ve become more open to collagen supplementation as the research has accumulated,” says Melanie Palm, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in La Jolla, California.
Most collagen supplements studied for skin contain hydrolyzed collagen, also known as collagen peptides, or short chains of amino acids. Hydrolysis breaks collagen—a large protein—into smaller peptide fragments that are easier to digest and absorb. Research on oral hydrolyzed collagen peptides has produced promising but mixed results.
“Several studies and reviews have found that hydrolyzed collagen peptides taken consistently may modestly improve skin hydration and elasticity and, in some studies, the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles,” Dr. Palm says. However, she adds, the key word is modestly; drinking collagen for a month won’t transform your skin. Some recent reviews have also raised questions about the quality and potential industry funding of the available research.
It helps to know what happens when you actually take a collagen supplement. Once you ingest it, your digestive system breaks down that collagen, “providing the body with amino acids that can be used as building blocks for collagen synthesis,” says Jenna Queller, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Boca Raton, Florida. Your body can then use those amino acids for protein synthesis throughout the body, including the synthesis of collagen—but there’s no guarantee that they’ll go straight to your laugh lines, for example.
As a result, both dermatologists stress that collagen peptide supplements are nowhere near a substitute for a thoughtful skin-care and wellness routine. “I consider it an adjunct, not a replacement for a balanced diet, sunscreen, retinoids, or other evidence-based skin care,” says Dr. Palm.
How to Get More Collagen
If you’re aiming for firmer skin, collagen peptide supplements are best considered an addition to—not a replacement for—a collagen-minded skin-care routine. However, it’s worth being discerning in this arena too. “Collagen molecules are generally too large to penetrate deeply into the skin and directly replace the collagen that is lost with aging,” Dr. Queller explains. Smaller hydrolyzed collagen fragments may penetrate the outer layers of skin more readily than intact collagen—but even so, these ingredients “are primarily supporting hydration and the appearance of the skin rather than rebuilding the deeper collagen matrix,” she says.