We are trying to make up for age and environmentally related skin aging with treatments that damage the skin to produce new collagen in the hope to erase wrinkles.

In truth, collagen is responsible for skin firmness, not so much for most of the wrinkles we see in the face.

Nasolabial folds come from shifting fat pads and receding bone.

Forehead lines, frown lines, crow’s feet and barcode lines come from muscle contractions.

Sagging skin is the disconnect of the epidermis to the dermis due to oxidative stress (toxins, inflammation, stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, lack of antioxidants, radiation damage).

Deliberately damaging the skin to produce new collagen not only causes inflammaging, it may produce less functional, excess collagen and even more facial contraction.

Research found that fibroblasts, turn into cells with muscle-like function (myofibroblasts) from injury and damage. This causes stiffness and micro tension in the face, and potentially more wrinkles. If you are under constant low-grade inflammation, the myofibroblasts stay present, keep producing collagen deposits, more tension and compromise functionality.

Healthy, beautiful skin is functional and a radiant face is so much more than collagen.

A healthy skin barrier, functional collagen and elastin, a calm nervous system, proper lymph and blood flow, healthy muscle tone, bouncy fat tissue and a strong bony scaffold is what makes a face beautiful.