Night Listening | Don’t follow the trend blindly! Oral collagen really can’t improve skin function!

As we age, it is inevitable that our skin will become loose, dull, and rough. Nowadays, many oral collagen products on the market claim to have the effects of "beautifying and nourishing the skin" and "improving the skin." In addition to oral collagen, products such as peach gum and bird's nest are also said to be able to supplement collagen, beautify and nourish the skin, and improve the skin. Do they really have those magical effects?

Collagen exists in large quantities in skin, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, and is indeed the main substance that maintains skin elasticity and prevents wrinkles. As time goes by, the collagen is lost, and the skin becomes bumpy. Unfortunately, the lost collagen cannot be supplemented orally.

The collagen-containing foods we eat on a daily basis must first be broken down into amino acids in the intestines before they can be absorbed by the body. After absorption, the amino acids are transported to various parts of the body to synthesize new proteins. Therefore, there is no difference between eating collagen and eating eggs, and they will eventually be broken down into the same thing in the intestines. Oral collagen cannot achieve the effect of "what you eat is what you need".

If eating it directly doesn't work, will applying collagen on the face work? The answer is no.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body and plays a major role in shielding. Collagen is a macromolecular substance that cannot penetrate the skin and enter the human body. It can only stay on the surface of the skin and play a short-term moisturizing effect.

Therefore, whether you apply collagen on your skin or take it orally, it cannot significantly improve your skin quality. Next time you see this kind of product, don't buy it!

Review | Li Feng, Director of Dermatology Department, Peking Union Medical College Hospital