Beauty Tips
Are Collagen Supplements the Secret to Younger-Looking Skin?Experts weigh in on whether this beauty trend is legit -- or all hype |
What Is Collagen, Anyway? Sure, collagen is a major beauty buzzword -- but what the heck is it? "Collagen is a fibrous protein that is an integral part of the infrastructure of the skin," explains S. Manjula Jegasothy, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the Miami Skin Institute. Along with elastin (another protein in skin), it's what gives skin its flexibility, strength and suppleness. "Everything you associate with skin's texture has to do with two molecules -- collagen and elastin," says Jegasothy.
Collagen is also found in your bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, says Meg Hagar, R.D., the founder of No Diet Nutrition in New York City. "It contributes to the structure of organs and connective tissues to protect them," she says. In other words, not only does it play a superimportant role in maintaining your skin's smoothness and plumpness, but it also helps keep your bod strong.
Image via Getty
SEE NEXT PAGE: How Collagen Production Changes With Age
Collagen is also found in your bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, says Meg Hagar, R.D., the founder of No Diet Nutrition in New York City. "It contributes to the structure of organs and connective tissues to protect them," she says. In other words, not only does it play a superimportant role in maintaining your skin's smoothness and plumpness, but it also helps keep your bod strong.
Image via Getty
SEE NEXT PAGE: How Collagen Production Changes With Age