A collagen treatment can help you feel and look your best. These treatments are becoming more and more popular because they can take years off your face and give you lovely, dewy skin. At Aurora Innovative Healthcare Center for Women in San Antonio, TX, we offer aesthetic services designed to boost collagen production and reduce facial lines, wrinkles, and sagging.
What Should You Expect From a Collagen Treatment?
Collagen treatments reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and tighten up sagging skin. As a result, your skin will look firmer and plumper. Collagen is one of the key building blocks in our bodies, responsible for keeping our hair shiny, bones strong, and muscles limber. It also occurs naturally in our skin, promoting cell turnover and combating dull, sallow skin.
Expect to look younger, more refreshed, and enjoy a much more even skin tone after your treatment.
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is a protein that occurs naturally in our bodies. Since it is both fibrous and strong, it can help hold up and even out the skin.
How Collagen Loss Affects Your Skin
Collagen is essentially the framework that props up your skin, so skin tends to sag and wrinkle more when it’s depleted. There are a few factors that contribute to collagen loss, some within your control and some outside of it.
Aging
Everyone experiences collagen loss as they age. The natural loss of collagen is one of the primary reasons that we get wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Skin that has less collagen in it can look dull or ashy as well. Although you can take collagen supplements to counteract the effects of aging, professional collagen treatments are much more effective at counterbalancing the march of time.
External Factors
There are plenty of external factors that can contribute to collagen loss. Sun exposure can deplete our collagen stores over time. Sun-damaged skin has far less collagen in it than non-damaged skin, which is why wearing sunscreen is one of the best things that you can do to roll back the clock. Smoking can also halt collagen production and even destroy your existing collagen. Putting out the cigarettes for good is one of the best things that you can do for your health and skin.
Diets that are high in sugary or heavily processed foods can significantly reduce your body’s collagen stores. If you want to maintain your collagen levels for the long run, consider swapping out some of these foods with whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Drinking plenty of water can help your skin to look naturally plumper as well.
Benefits of Collagen
Although everyone is different, there are a few benefits that most people can realistically expect from their collagen treatment. Lifestyle, diet, and reducing the amount of time that you spend in the sun can help prolong the benefits of your treatment.
Fewer Lines and Wrinkles
One of the key reasons why people get these types of treatments is to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. If you have crow’s feet, laugh lines, or minor wrinkles, there’s a good chance that you’ll see a marked improvement in how prominent they are after your treatment. These types of treatments are far less invasive and costly than surgical remedies, which is why they’re so popular.
Minimized Acne Scars
Collagen can smooth out and minimize acne scars, giving you much more even and smooth skin.
Tighter Skin
When we lose collagen through age-related or environmental factors, our skin tends to sag. These types of treatments promote collagen production in the skin, fortifying the skin’s framework and reducing sagging. Tighter skin tends to look younger.
Plumper Cheeks
Collagen increases elasticity in your skin and can help your lips and cheeks look plumper at the same time, reducing the look of sallow, sagging cheeks, and jowls.
Younger Looking Skin
These types of treatments give you younger-looking skin by encouraging cell regeneration. Many people find that their skin looks far younger and dewier after getting a collagen treatment.
Minimized Sun Damage
Although collagen can’t reverse the effects of sun damage, treatments may be able to minimize it by promoting a more even skin tone and reducing the appearance of dark spots.
More Luminous Skin
Collagen helps people get that coveted glowing from within look. In addition to reducing fine lines and wrinkles, this benefit is one of the key reasons why people opt for these types of treatments.
Boosting Collagen
While getting one of these treatments will stimulate collagen production and give you immediate benefits, there are other things that you can do to ensure that your body is preserving and maximizing its collagen. Taking these steps between treatments makes a world of difference.
Get More Vitamin C
If you want to increase or maintain your collagen production, Vitamin C is your best friend. Work a Vitamin C serum into your daily beauty routine, and try to eat foods that are higher in this essential vitamin. Citrus fruits, certain kinds of berries, and leafy greens all contain hefty doses of Vitamin C.
Use Aloe Vera
Aloe vera doesn’t just help your body recover from burns; it can also stimulate collagen production in your skin. You can use pure aloe vera or lotions with aloe vera in them topically or even add some aloe vera to your diet. You can purchase aloe vera leaves at most specialty supermarkets. Simply scrape the inner gel out of the leaves and add it to smoothies or even sauces and stir-fries.
Take Supplemental Collagen
You can get supplemental collagen at virtually any health food or drug store. Over time, supplemental collagen can help you maintain or increase your collagen levels, although they are not a substitute for a professional collagen treatment.
Get Enough Sleep
There’s a reason that we call it “beauty rest.” Getting enough sleep can help your body repair itself overnight and keep your collagen levels at their highest. Try limiting caffeine and stimulants right before bed, and try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day for the best results. There are plenty of apps that you can download to help you maintain a proper sleep schedule.
Eat Protein
Getting enough protein in your diet can help you maintain and increase your collagen levels. Lean sources of protein are among the best options, so try to eat a lot of chicken, fish, and healthy cuts of meat. You can also get protein from eggs, cheese, beans, and certain types of vegetables. Try to stay away from processed foods and fattier cuts of meat.
Reduce Stress
Stress can cause premature aging and hurt our body’s ability to produce and maintain a healthy supply of collagen. Although it’s impossible to eliminate stress completely, you can employ healthy stress-reducing techniques to keep your body out of fight or flight mode. Meditation and exercise are two great stress-busting techniques.
Stop Smoking
Smoking can damage your skin, slow down blood flow, and even destroy collagen. If you want to ensure that you’re producing the optimal amount of collagen and maintain the results of your treatment for the long run, you should consider quitting smoking. There are plenty of in-person and online resources that can help you butt out the cigarettes for good.
Use Sunscreen
Get into the habit of using sunscreen every day, and remember to reapply it throughout the day for the best results. Prolonged sun exposure damages your skin and can erode existing collagen. Make sure that you put sunscreen on your face, neck, and chest.
Eat Antioxidants
We are what we eat! Working foods that are heavy in antioxidants into your diet, like green tea, blueberries, cinnamon, and certain essential oils like thyme and basil, can help you preserve your existing collagen. Try to eat a variety of different fruits and vegetables for the best results.
One surefire way to work a lot of vegetables and fruits into your diet is by drinking fresh green smoothies. Mix kale or spinach with citrus fruits, berries, a banana, and a splash of water for a yummy smoothie that tastes almost like dessert. You can also add cauliflower, peas, or spinach to your pasta or blend additional vegetables into cream-based soups.
Use Retinol
Skincare products that have retinol in them will help you ward off wrinkles and fine lines. They also promote cell regeneration, which helps you maintain your collagen levels and have plumper, dewier skin. Retinol is more affordable than ever, and many drugstore lotions contain potent amounts of retinol. It’s a good idea to start with a lower level and work your way up because retinol can be an irritant in larger doses.
Simply incorporating these collagen-boosting habits into your daily routine will help you to maximize the effects of your treatment and be healthier overall. Even swapping out a few negative habits for good ones can have a dramatic effect over time.
Good Candidates for Collagen Treatments
If your skin is showing the effects of aging or sun damage, or if you’re noticing that you’re developing sagging skin or jowls, you could be an excellent candidate for a collagen treatment. Since these treatments are non-invasive and require no downtime, they’re a good choice for everyone who wants to shave a few years off their faces.
Additionally, these treatments tend to work well for those who have acne scarring or sun damage, as collagen production can help to minimize the effects of these common skincare complaints. Talk to our team to determine if you’re a good candidate. We will give you an idea of what you can realistically expect after your treatment and set up a personalized plan for you. Generally speaking, people see natural but dramatic results from just a few sessions.
Get Dewy, Healthy Skin Today
If you want dewy, healthy, youthful skin, consider getting a collagen treatment. These treatments can significantly reduce the effects of aging and give you plumper, luminous skin. Best of all, they stimulate ongoing collagen production for long-lasting effects that you can build on with a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Talk to our team to learn about what personalized treatments and plans are available for you. We pride ourselves on customizing our services for each patient, helping you to reach your goals every step of the way. With a transparent process, friendly staff, and treatment plans that work, we’re your anti-aging secret weapon. Contact Aurora Innovative Healthcare Center for Women in San Antonio, TX today for a pressure-free consultation today.