Beauty: Making the most of your skin's collagen

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Ah, summer's over and winter beckons...
Despite the bad weather, judging by the red shoulders and noses on Monday mornings, you may have a vague guilt about sun damage to your skin. It seems the common approach to a non-existent summer is to soak up sporadic sunshine - sunscreen application gets sloppy, rather than slip, slop slappy. So, now is the time to make good - before winter fires and dry wind also take their toll.

The sun's rays and cold, windy weather all contribute to ageing by breaking down and reducing the production of two proteins, collagen and elastin, that provide the structure and elasticity of skin. Collagen, and how to preserve it, is a focus for the anti-ageing industry. But what is it? And why is it so important in keeping us beautifully, youth-like? Most importantly, what can we do to mitigate the effect our lives have on collagen?

Collagen is found in the 'dermis' layer of the skin (just below the very outer layer, the epidermis). Elastin is also found in the dermis, and together, they play key roles in the function and appearance of skin. Elastin provides (as its name suggests) the elasticity, and collagen the structure. There are many different types of collagen in the body - in bone, cartilage and skin - it provides the framework for our bodies.

During the ageing experience, collagen production gets slower. There are many causes for this but lifestyle and health habits play a large part. ?A major factor in decreased collagen production is sunlight. Whether or not you tan, ultra violet radiation can interact with collagen, decreasing its production. Sun-damaged collagen is also thought to be less soluble and therefore does not 'plump up' in the usual way. Repetitive facial movements can also cause wrinkles. Smoking is a prime example of this.

Unfortunately, collagen cannot be absorbed from the skin's surface via a face cream. You can have it injected though, and then there are dermabrasions, chemical peels, botox and all-out face-lifts. However, if you prefer less severe beauty methods, there are alternative ways to achieve younger looking skin. Life choices, such as drinking water to literally inflate the skin, lowering stress levels and eating fresh fruit and vegetables can all help.

Plump up

Naturally occurring acids, called hydroxyl acids, referred to as AHAs, can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles by removing old layers of skin. AHAs occur in the peels of fruit such as lemon, lime and pineapple and there are recipes on-line for 'at-home' treatments (a word of caution: natural does not mean benign.

Always do a patch test, especially if you have sensitive skin).?Vitamins also play a key role in the health and appearance of your skin. The best way to benefit from vitamins is to eat foods containing them, so your whole body benefits. Some can also be applied directly and supplements containing them can be effective. ?Vitamin A is important for healthy skin and found in high concentrations in animal liver.

Luckily, it is also found in egg yolk, dairy products and rosehip seed oil. Known as retin

With high concentrations in citrus fruit, tomatoes and green
vegetables, vitamin C heals wounds and is a powerful anti-oxidant. Known as absorbic acid, it is unstable, so there are limited products available with enough in them to take effect. Natural cosmetics company Avalon Organics have a Lavender Luminosity Renewal Facial serum which is a good example.

Vitamin E is an excellent moisturiser to keep the skin plumped up and youthful, The Bodyshop's ?version is a classic. ?But lifestyle choices can prevent you having wrinkles in the first place. Or if wrinkles are already a reality, you can age gracefully, wearing your badges of maturity and wisdom with pride - there is after all a 'world's sexiest older woman' list now...