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Collagen is the main structural protein in human connective tissues, most notably our skin. The vast majority of the collagen in our skin is found in the dermis the second layer of skin that sits beneath the epidermis), where it's also produced. Skin cells in the dermis (fibroblasts) synthesize the collagen that holds the rest of the dermis together, giving our skin its underlying structure.
As for the structure of collagen itself, it’s kind of like a braid or rope: Individual amino acids link up to form long chains, which bundle together to form thicker strands. Those strands then twist and coil around each other to form triple helices. Finally, those helices connect end to end and stack on top of each other to form clusters called fibrils. In other words, collagen is a pretty complex and massive molecule.
That’s why creams formulated with pure collagen simply can’t live up to their lofty claims— those huge braided molecules are just too big to penetrate your epidermis, and definitely too big to get down into the dermis where the real magic happens. So even though collagen creams feel nice and may help moisturize the skin, that’s about it in terms of benefits.
Hormonal acne is acne which develops in response to hormonal changes, especially a rise in androgens, such as testosterone. The rise in androgen levels can trigger a process of higher sebum production, changes in skin cell activity, inflammation, and colonization of bacteria, resulting in acne.
The secret to winning the battle against hormonal acne is having the right regimen for your skin. Products that are too strong can be irritating and drying, causing your skin to overproduce oil, which leads to more acne. Picking the wrong active ingredients may have no effect on hormonal acne. Using the right regimen for your acne type and skin tolerance can effectively clear acne while keeping your skin healthy and balanced.
collagen may be effective for hormonal acne, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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