Collagen & The Passage of Time: Understanding How Your Skin Changes and How to Support It

Collagen is often spoken about as the secret to youthful, glowing skin, but in truth, it’s so much bigger than beauty. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up around 30% of all the protein we have. It forms the structural framework of our skin, yes, but also our muscles, bones, blood vessels, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, organs and more.
It is, quite literally, the substance that holds us together.
As we move through life, collagen production naturally slows, existing fibers weaken, and the rate of breakdown accelerates. These shifts influence how our skin looks, heals and behaves, but they also affect how our body functions beneath the surface. Understanding this process gives us the power to support our skin and overall wellbeing with more intention and care.

What Collagen Does For the Body (and Why It Matters)

Collagen’s role stretches far beyond smoothness or firmness in the skin. It is responsible for:
- Supporting the structure of bones, muscles, organs and connective tissues
- Helping fibroblasts (your skin’s repair cells) form in the dermis
- Encouraging the growth of new skin cells
- Replacing old or damaged skin cells
- Giving your skin strength, elasticity and resilience
- Contributing to wound healing and helping your blood clot
- Providing a protective layer around vital organs
It is a protein with purpose, and when its levels change, so does our skin’s behavior.

How Collagen is Made: The Building Blocks

Like all proteins, collagen is created from amino acids, particularly:
-Proline
-Glycine
-Hydroxyproline
These amino acids twist together into a triple-helix structure, the iconic formation that gives collagen its incredible strength. But this process cannot happen without certain nutrients. The body must have enough:
-Vitamin C
-Zinc
-Copper
-Manganese
These act as cofactors, stabilizers and essential components of the collagen building process.

Where to Find These Nutrients (Food Sources):

Vitamin C; Oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, brussel sprouts.
Proline: Mushrooms, cabbage, asparagus, peanuts, wheat, fish, egg whites.
Glycine: Red meat, chicken and pork skin, peanuts, granola.
Copper: Liver, lobster, oysters, shiitake mushrooms, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, tofu, dark chocolate.
Zinc: Oysters, red meat, poultry, pork, beans, chickpeas, nuts, broccoli, leafy greens, whole grains, dairy.
Even with a balanced diet, the skin doesn’t always receive its ideal share, which is where topical skincare and professional treatments play a meaningful role.

Why Collagen Supplements Don’t Always Show Up in the Skin

When we take collagen internally, the body prioritises vital internal systems first. That includes organs, blood vessels, joints, bone health and connective tissues long before anything reaches the skin. This means your collagen supplements are working, just not always where you want them to.
This is why topical skincare, nutrient-focused routines and skin directed treatments are so valuable: they ensure the skin receives the ingredients and stimulation it needs while your body allocates internal collagen where it matters most for survival.

The Many Type of Collagen

There are 28 known types of collagen, each with slightly different molecular structures and roles. The five most relevant are:

Type I: Makes up 90% of the body’s collagen. Densely packed and found in skin, bones, tendons and ligaments.
Type II: Found in elastic cartilage and supports the joints
Type III: Found in muscles, blood vessels and organs, often working closely with Type I.
Type IV: Found in the layers of the skin, especially the basement membrane
Type V: Found in the cornea, some skin layers, hair and placental tissue.

Understanding these types helps explain why collagen affects so much more than ageing alone.

Natural Collage Decline: What Happens As the Years Pass

Collagen begins decreasing in our mid-20’s by roughly 1% per year. But it isn’t just the quantity that changes, the quality of collagen fibers declines too.
Over time:
- Fibers become thinner
- The triple-helix structure becomes less stable
- Existing collagen breaks down more rapidly
- New collagen forms more slowly
- The skin’s repair processes become less efficient
This naturally results in:
- Fine lines and deeper expression lines
- Loss of firmness or facial contours
- Slower healing
- Thinning, crepey texture
- Increased sensitivity
-Visible dehydration
During perimenopause and menopause, the reduction can accelerate sharply, up to 30% less collagen in the first five years post menopause.

Lifestyle Habits That Accelerate Collagen Breakdown

Smoking
- Decreases collagen production
-Damages collagen and elastin
-Slow wound healing
-Narrows blood vessels, reducing oxygen and nutrient delivery

Excess Sugar & Refined Carbs
Sugar binds to proteins through glycation, forming AGEs (advanced Glycation End Products). These molecules weaken nearby collagen, making it stiff, fragile and brittle.

UV exposure
One of the most potent collagen disruptors.
- Reduces collagen production
- Breaks down fibers more rapidly
- Creates irregular and disorganised repair process
Daily use of SPF 30 or higher is one of the most powerful anti-ageing habits you can adopt.

Peptides & Collagen: Why They Matter in Skincare

Collagen itself is too large to be absorbed through the skin. But when it’s broken down into smaller peptides and amino acids, the skin can use these building blocks to:
- Signal repair
- Support collagen synthesis
- Strengthen the dermal structure
-Enhance firmness and resiliene
This is why peptides, collagen supporting actives and treatment based stimulation (such as dermal needling) play a meaningful role in age supportive skincare.

Supporting Collagen At Every Age

While we cant stop time, we can support the skin with intention. Thoughtful homecare, protective habits, nutrient rich routines and collagen stimulating treatments help keep the skin stronger, more resilient and beautifully supported at every life stage.
Your skin is always capable of renewal, sometimes it simply needs the right environment to thrive.

A Solace Invitation to Support Your Skin

At Solace, every treatment is designed to honor your skin’s natural rhythms while supporting long-term collagen health. Whether you’re beginning to notice early changes in firmness, navigating perimenopause or menopause, or wanting to strengthen your skin’s structure for the years ahead, your journey is approached with precision, care and genuine understanding.
Through targeted, collagen stimulating treatments such as dermal needling, advanced facials and personalised homecare plans, we help rebuild the strength, resilience and glow your skin deserves.
If you’re ready to support your collagen more intentionally, and experience what thoughtful, treatment led rejuvenation feels like, you’re warmly invited to book your next appointment.
Your skin’s renewal begins here, and there is a Solace treatment waiting to support you.