You have most likely heard of collagen and/or elastin at least once or twice in your lifetime. In the beauty world, we are all about collagen & elastin. Why? Because it’s what gives our skin that bounce and glow that we’re all after! Collagen is what prevents our skin from sagging whilst elastin is responsible for allowing our skin to stretch and regain its shape easily. They work together via our skin’s extracellular matrix in order to provide strength and elasticity to our skin.
We all have collagen & elastin in our skin. When we are born/younger, our skin is FULL of collagen & elastin, which is why children always have glowing skin. This is because our skin must stretch and fold (in places such as the neck, elbow, and mouth) as we gradually grow into adults. Unfortunately, like other important proteins such as hyaluronic acid, our collagen & elastin deteriorates as we age. This loss of collagen & elastin causes sagging as well as fine lines & wrinkles on our skin.
Age isn’t the only factor when it comes to deterioration of collagen & elastin. Lifestyle choices can also play a huge role. Deterioration can arise early because of poor diet and health. On the other hand, we can also slow down the natural breakdown of collagen & elastin by making good diet & health choices.
How to Maintain Skin Health (and Slow Down Aging!)
Diet is an important part of maintaining skin health. By providing our body with vitamins and minerals, we supply our Collagen and Elastin with what’s necessary for production. There are a range of foods that are particularly good for collagen & elastin production. For example, foods rich in Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamins A, B & C are known to promote Collagen and Elastin and promote strong healthy skin. At City Laser Clinic, we remind our clients that these foods include:
- Fruit – especially oranges, grapefruits, and mandarins
- Vegetables – especially broccoli, brussels sprouts, and mushrooms
- Seafood – especially, tuna and oysters
- Lean meat including turkey and other poultry
As mentioned above, a healthy lifestyle in general is beneficial for your collagen & elastin production. These healthy choices include:
- Regular exercise
- Avoiding cigarette smoke
- Minimising or abstaining from alcohol consumption
- Drinking plenty of water, at least 2 litres per day
At City Laser Clinic, we remind our clients that supplements and vitamins are helpful. Although the best way to supply your body with what it needs is with a nutritious, balanced diet. It’s important to note that collagen benefits other parts of your body as well such as your bones, muscles, blood vessels, and other organs.
How does our body produce Collagen & Elastin?
Elastin and Collagen are proteins that are naturally produced by our bodies. Collagen is responsible for holding our skin together, providing its structure, whilst elastin allows it to stretch and rebound into its original shape. When we’re younger, our collagen (and skin) is thick and strong. However, as we age, the collagen becomes thinner. This results in fine lines & wrinkles as our skin loses its ‘support’.
The elastin & collagen are supplied by small blood vessels (capillaries) that supply our skin with oxygen. This oxygen is vital in maintaining cell growth and re-growth. A healthy diet and lifestyle are important factors in determining the volume of oxygen and proteins passing through our blood. If your blood is oxygen rich, your collagen and elastin fibres as well as other proteins and amino acids will have what it needs to maintain cell growth & re-growth.
A simple test – A pinch!
Unfortunately, once we hit 30 years of age, we start to lose 1% of collagen every year. This is the time to really kick down on your skin routine and food/lifestyle habits if aging is worrisome to you. Using skincare and living a healthy lifestyle from your early 20’s is a better preventative though.
If you’re not sure of your current skin resiliency, you can easily test it yourself at home. Pinching the top of your hand near the knuckles is a simple test of the elasticity of your skin. Simply pinch and release the skin (gently – you don’t want to cause wrinkles) and note how long it takes to spring back. Compare it with your friends and family – you should find that the younger the person’s skin will snap back quicker.
Treatments to stimulate collagen & elastin
If you have already started seeing the signs of aging, it’s not too late to treat. The sooner you start treatments, the better results you will receive. You will also prevent further fine lines & wrinkles from appearing. At City Laser Clinic, we offer a range of ‘rejuvenation’ treatments that will stimulate & strengthen your collagen and elastin fibres.
We only use medical graded technology to improve your skin’s cell structure to ensure safe and efficient treatments. These treatments include:
- Q-Switched Laser Rejuvenation – Treatment using the MedLite Q-Switch laser is perfect for those looking for a safe, quick, long-lasting procedure to rejuvenate and revitalise their skin. It is not painful, requires no numbing, and has no downtime. The results from the Q-Switched laser are gradual, making it ideal for those wanting to improve their skin without anyone around them noticing a quick change.
- CO2 Laser Rejuvenation – Our Fraxis CO2 Laser Treatment will resurface your skin, significantly reducing any fine lines & wrinkles. This treatment is ideal for prevention as well as reducing existing fine lines & wrinkles. Downtime varies from zero to 1-2 weeks depending on the intensity you’re after, however only 5-8 treatments are generally required.
- Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling – RF Microneedling will also provide a natural result however, will provide results quicker than the Q-Switched Treatments. RF Microneedling is ideal if you already have deep lines, however, can also be used as a preventative treatment. Unlike other forms of microneedling, Vivace’s RF Microneedling only has 1 day downtime.
- Cosmetic Injectables – Cosmetic injectables are the only way to instantly turn back the clock if that is your preferred treatment option. At City Laser Clinic, we have a doctor who performs injectables and is available via appointment only.
Treatment Option Factors
The type of treatment that is most suitable to your skin will depend on a variety of factors such as:
- Your skin type
- Other skin concerns/conditions you may have
- Your availability/schedule
- Your budget
- Downtime of suggested treatment(s)
- Your expectation
- Current medication
A free initial consultation is required prior to commencing any treatment at City Laser Clinic. The consultation will ensure that a qualified skin therapist can thoroughly assess your skin, skincare and discuss your concerns. This will allow us to accurately prescribe you a course of treatments that will best meet you and your needs.
Please note that our consultations with Dr. Alavi for cosmetic injectables are $80. This fee will also be deducted from your initial treatment within two weeks of the consultation date.
To schedule a consultation or ask us a question, you can contact us via email, call us, or book online.
