Dr Johanna Ward is a multi-award-winning doctor, skincare columnist, published author and the Founder of ZENii. Since Skin Fusion recently launched in the United Arab Emirates, she was invited to talk at Professional Beauty in Dubai.
Dr Ward outlined how collagen is changing the game in the skincare industry. We have summarised everything you need to know below.
So what is Collagen?
It is the most abundant protein in the body and accounts for 30% of the body’s total protein. It comprises 3/4 of your skin’s weight and is also stronger than steel. Collagen gives the body the structural support that form the building blocks of your skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue.
Without it we would be just a clump of cells. It is basically our scaffolding. In fact, the word Collagen comes from greek word 'Kolla' meaning glue.
How much do we lose?
Humans lose about 1% of our collagen from the age of 25 onwards. During the first 5 years of menopause women then lose a further 30% By the age of 60, most of us have lost 60-80% of it. BUT we can prevent this!
There is a large amount of clinical evidence to support the benefits of supplementing this key protein. This includes randomised control trials, systematic reviews and meta-analysis.
How does it work?
It creates a dialogue with your fibroblast cells and puts your skin back into production mode. It signals for NEW collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production by your own body.
- It bio-regenerates the skin
- It jumpstarts the fibroblasts activity
- It is clinically proven to;
- improve hydration and elasticity
- reduce wrinkle depth
- improve collagen and elastin production.
What to look for?
- Collagen needs to be hydrolysed in order to be broken into small chains amino acids for maximised absorption. ZENii's range of supplements are all hydrolysed.
- Choose a daily dose of 10,000mg Marine Collagen. This is the clinically evidenced dose for good results. All ZENii products contain this dose for guaranteed results.
- Vitamin C is a co-factor which means it enhances the results. Premium supplements such as Skin Fusion contain a high dose of Vitamin C and other essential nutrients which can enhance results.
- Lliquid has the best bio-availability but powder is also very effective.
- Make sure it is heavy metal and toxin free. At ZENii we test all batches for heavy metals and certify them free from mercury, cadmium and hormones. All our supplements are made to pharmaceutical standards and are manufactured under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) codes. We use non GMO’s raw ingredients and we test and certify every batch heavy metal and toxin free. We only use marine collagen from freshwater sources.
- If you are vegan or vegetarian, ZENii has a 100% vegan version available called ‘Beauty Glow’. This was created with new ground-breaking science to perfectly replicate the amino acids in human type 1 collagen.
Why you should start taking Collagen now?
For the best anti-ageing and skin health support you should start taking it from the age of 25.
Taken regularly it will improve your skin, hair and nails to give you younger looking skin. It can even help with joint support as it helps bind tissue. Whilst more clinical evidence is needed to prove this, the studies that already exist are very promising.
It won’t be long until the whole skincare industry realises the immense benefits that collagen supplementation can have on health.
Read more about multi-award winning Skin Fusion, adored by skincare lovers and revered by skincare experts globally.
