Beauty care always includes taking care of our hair. In the pursuit of keeping it looking healthy and beautiful, we use numerous products to nourish it externally. However, true hair care actually comes from within.
Taking collagen supplements for hair is one way to increase the amount of this important protein in the body. Collagen supplements come in various forms, including capsules, powder, and gummies. Taking a collagen supplement offers a lot of benefits for your hair, the most important of which is – improving hair structure and elasticity.
How does collagen production affect your hair?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, providing elasticity, strength, tone, and shape. Collagen production peaks around the age of 20. As we age, the body’s collagen production decreases by 1% annually, and after 50, it can drop by up to 50%.
That’s why the skin becomes dehydrated, and thinner, and wrinkles form as visible signs of aging, while bones, joints, and muscles become weaker.
Can our hair age too?
Like everything else in our body, our hair changes due to collagen loss.
Just like any part of our body, hair begins to age at some point, mainly due to decreased collagen production. In terms of hair, the most noticeable sign of aging is the appearance of gray hair.
Also, hair falling out more than usual, can also be another sign of declining collagen levels in the body. Lack of collagen can lead to hair thinning, affecting both men and women.
Due to reduced collagen production, the hair shaft becomes thinner, and the hair loses elasticity and moisture. This leads to breakage and split ends. Hair simply loses its natural shine and beauty and starts looking unhealthy, which can’t be remedied by external care alone since these changes occur within the body.
The solution lies in nourishing hair from the inside.
What can collagen do for your hair?
Collagen supplementation can help your hair retain or regain a healthy appearance and natural shine in several ways.
Collagen is a primary component of the dermis, a connective tissue layer that houses hair follicles. When collagen levels in the body drop, ingesting bioactive collagen peptides increases collagen density in the dermis and scalp skin, improving hair quality. By protecting the scalp’s skin layer, collagen can also help prevent hair thinning and shedding.
Due to its regenerative effects, collagen strengthens hair follicles, preventing breakage and split ends. It provides essential moisture to hair, and by improving skin hydration, it also hydrates the scalp—crucial for those with dry hair.
In addition, taking collagen supplements can provide the body with essential amino acids it cannot produce on its own. These amino acids are necessary for the production of keratin proteins that form the structure of hair follicles. By increasing keratin production, it helps improve shine, reduce split ends, and prevent excessive breakage due to dryness or follicle fatigue caused by a lack of important nutrients. It can also help repair damage caused by heat styling tools such as hair dryers or straighteners, as well as environmental factors (UV rays or pollution) because collagen is a natural antioxidant
The powerful link between collagen and keratin
Although collagen isn’t found in the hair itself, it’s vital for its healthy and beautiful appearance as well as growth.
Collagen contains three non-essential amino acids that serve as key building blocks: glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids, especially proline, help the body produce the protein that is the main component of hair—keratin. In this way, collagen for hair can be beneficial if you’re looking to grow it longer, as it participates in the production of the protein that promotes hair growth.
Collagen in the fight against free radicals
Some studies suggest that collagen can act as a powerful antioxidant in the fight against free radicals, thus preventing hair damage. Strong oxidants negatively affect the entire body, including hair, specifically hair follicles.
Since the body’s defense against free radicals decreases as we age, older individuals are particularly prone to hair damage due to free radicals. That’s why it’s important to take supplements with antioxidant properties, like marine-derived collagen.
Since collagen can act as an antioxidant against free radicals that cause damage to the cells responsible for producing hair color, it may help slow down the graying process.
Other vitamins that help collagen keep your hair healthy are:
- Biotin and other B vitamins for strong hair and healthy follicles. Liquid collagen for hair, in combination with biotin, is a powerful tool for strengthening hair. Just like collagen, biotin works directly on the hair follicle, nourishing hair and making it strong. In addition, it prevents hair loss and stimulates the growth of new hair, and can also affect volume.
- Vitamins D3 and A help prevent hair loss and stimulate growth. Vitamin D3 plays an important role in the entire hair growth cycle—in the growth phase, the regression phase, and the resting phase. A lack of vitamin D can lead to damaged, brittle, and stiff hair and significantly slow down hair growth. Taking vitamin D stimulates the creation of new hair follicles and promotes hair growth. Like vitamin D3, vitamin A is important in the fight against hair loss and promoting hair growth. It also plays a major role in the normal production of sebum, which, in addition to preventing hair loss, helps prevent dry hair.
- Zinc preserves hair pigment and slows down graying. Zinc is a powerful mineral important for the entire body, including hair.