Collagen worth it?

Understanding how collagen works, what damages it, and the smartest ways to preserve youthful skin

- Dr Madhuri Agarwal

In my practice at Yavana, I constantly see patients pointing to the skin along their jawline or the fine lines near their eyes with the same concern.

They want to know if the expensive collagen drink they saw on social media actually works.

As these questions come up almost daily. Collagen has become the buzzword of the decade. We see it in powders, protein bars, and even coffee. However, understanding it requires looking past the marketing hype and understanding the actual biology of the dermis.

Glue that binds

The Greeks understood its function long before we had microscopes. The word comes from Kolla, meaning glue, which is effectively what it is. Collagen is the primary protein that holds the body together. It constitutes a massive 70 to 80 percent of the dry weight of your skin and acts as the structural net giving your face its contour and snap.

I often tell patients to think of a new mattress. It is firm because the springs inside are tight and plentiful. That is your skin at age eighteen. Those springs are the collagen fibers keeping everything resilient.

Slow decline