Check your subscription status, update your details and more. Your body uses collagen to give your skin strength and elasticity, so supplements of this protein seem to make sense to reduce wrinkles. But columnist Alice Klein finds it isn’t this simple While I was writing my forthcoming book on the science of the skin, the number one thing that friends asked me to look into was collagen supplements.
Do they really reduce wrinkles as promised? As a 40-year-old with increasingly crinkly skin, I wanted to know the answer to this, too, so I spent a long time poring over the evidence and interviewing skin scientists and doctors. Collagen is the major structural protein in our skin, forming a woven network of fibres that is strong but flexible, a bit like a trampoline mat.
As we age, our skin produces less collagen to maintain this structure, leading to sagging and wrinkling. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with _New Scientist_ events and special offers. #### Health ### Allergic reactions after sex should be listed as an antibiotic risk, experts say News #### Health ### Scientists confirm fruit and vegetable skin really is good for you News #### Health ### Inhaling CO2 may rescue nerves’ ability to regrow News #### Health ### Why the world’s first spinal cord transplant is so controversial News Hannah Fry: I lost my dad to Alzheimer’s.
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