Your skin is slowly losing collagen, and that is the simple reason it feels less firm and shows more lines as you age. Collagen (the main support protein in your skin) is the scaffolding that keeps skin plump and tight. After about age 20, you make a little less of it each year. The good news is that you can slow the loss and even help your skin build new collagen.
Here is the short answer. Collagen drops because of sun, sugar, smoking, stress, falling hormones, and normal aging. You can build new collagen with daily sunscreen, retinoids (vitamin A creams), microneedling, and a few other proven tools. The biggest wins come from protecting your skin first, then adding treatments that tell your skin to rebuild.
What is collagen, and why does it matter for skin aging?
Collagen is the protein that gives your skin its structure and bounce. Think of it as the scaffolding under your skin. When you have plenty of it, skin looks full and firm. When it drops, skin gets thinner, sags, and lines set in.
The deeper layer of skin (the dermis) is mostly collagen by weight. As you age, you make less collagen and the fibers you have get more disorganized. By your 60s, the amount of collagen in your skin can be much lower than it was in your 20s. That loss is exactly what wrinkles, sagging, and a softer jawline look like at the tissue level.
What depletes collagen? The honest list.
A handful of things speed up collagen loss. If you only fix one, fix the biggest one in your own life.
Sun. Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is the number one cause of collagen loss for most people. It triggers enzymes that cut collagen apart and damages the cells that make new collagen. This is why the skin on your buttock looks younger than the back of your hands at the same age. Same body, very different sun exposure.
Smoking. Smokers show skin aging faster than non-smokers. Smoke narrows the tiny blood vessels that feed your skin and adds a heavy load of damage that breaks collagen down.
Sugar. When your blood sugar runs high, sugar sticks to collagen and stiffens it. This process is called glycation (sugar binding to proteins). Stiffer, more brittle collagen does not bounce back the way young collagen does. Sugar and sun together are an especially hard combination on skin.
Falling hormones. Estrogen helps your skin make collagen and hold water. After menopause, skin collagen drops noticeably in the first years if nothing is done. For some women, this is where a conversation about perimenopause and hormone therapy fits into a skin plan.
Stress and poor sleep. High stress raises cortisol (a stress hormone), which slows collagen building and blocks the overnight repair your skin depends on. Short sleep is not a small cosmetic factor. It shows up in your skin.
What actually builds new collagen?
Here is the hopeful part. Your skin can still make new collagen, even in your 60s and 70s. The cells are still there. They are just signaling less. Treatments that restart that signal, or that gently injure the skin to trigger repair, work.
Daily sunscreen. The single highest-impact step is a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, used every day, year round, even in Michigan winters. Sunscreen is not just prevention. When you remove the daily sun damage, your skin can tip back toward making collagen instead of losing it.
Retinoids. Retinoids (vitamin A creams, like prescription tretinoin or over-the-counter retinol) have the strongest evidence of any cream for building collagen. They are slow, taking 3 to 6 months for visible change, but they work. We often prescribe a retinoid as part of a skin plan.
Microneedling. Microneedling uses tiny needles to make controlled micro-injuries in the skin. Your skin heals by making new collagen. We offer it as a series, often pairing it with PRP or with exosomes (investigational cell-signaling preparations) applied right after. Exosome preparations are investigational, are applied topically to the skin surface only, and are never injected. You can read more in our guide to PRP for skin, hair, and joints.
Radiofrequency microneedling. This is a step up. The needles add heat at a set depth, which both triggers healing and tightens existing collagen. It tends to work better than plain microneedling for sagging skin.
Vitamin C, peptides, and antioxidants. Topical vitamin C is needed for your skin to build collagen and also protects it. Peptides (small protein fragments) gently signal skin to make more collagen. These are useful layers, smaller in effect than retinoids and microneedling.
Fixing the inside drivers. Creams are not enough if your inner biology is working against you. Good sleep, steady blood sugar, healthy hormone levels for your stage of life, and less chronic inflammation all matter. People who only treat skin from the outside tend to plateau sooner. This whole-body view is the heart of longevity-focused care.
What I see in clinic
Most people come in after buying one cream after another, hoping the next one finally works. The pattern is almost always the same. They have skipped daily sunscreen, never tried a real retinoid, and no one has looked at the inside drivers like blood sugar or hormones. When we fix those basics first, the creams and treatments finally start to pay off.
How long does it take to see collagen change?
Collagen is slow, so patience matters. New collagen takes weeks to form and months to mature into stable fibers.
Expect surface and hydration improvements in the first month, early tone and texture changes from retinoids by month three, and real firmness and fine-line changes between months six and twelve when the whole plan is in place. People who quit at eight weeks are often just one or two months from the real payoff. We tell patients this up front so they can plan their patience. If you want to map out a plan, that is what the $35 consultation is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does drinking collagen actually work?
The evidence is better than many expected. Several good studies show small but real gains in skin stretch and hydration after taking collagen peptides daily for 8 to 12 weeks. It seems to work by signaling your skin cells, not by adding the protein directly. It is a fine optional add-on, not a replacement for sunscreen or in-office treatments.
What is the single best thing I can do for my skin?
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every day, all year, even in Michigan winters. Sun is the biggest cause of collagen loss for most people. Blocking it is the foundation of any real skin plan.
How often should I get microneedling?
A typical starting plan is 3 to 6 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, then upkeep every 3 to 6 months. We often pair it with topical, investigational exosome preparations or growth factor serums, applied to the skin surface only and never injected. If you have more sagging, we usually suggest radiofrequency microneedling instead.
Does sugar really age the skin?
Yes. High blood sugar sticks to collagen and stiffens it over time, a process called glycation. Sugar plus sun is an especially hard combination on skin. Keeping your blood sugar steady is a real part of a skin plan.
Can men benefit from collagen treatments too?
Yes, just as much. Men tend to lose firmness more in the jawline and neck than in fine lines, but the same causes and treatments apply. We see many men in their 40s and 50s who want to age well without obvious work done.
Are retinoids safe to use long term?
Yes, with proper use. Retinoids have decades of study behind them and are the most proven cream for building collagen. They make skin more sun-sensitive, so daily sunscreen is a must, and early dryness settles with time. We match the strength to your skin.
When should I start thinking about collagen loss?
Earlier than most people do. Collagen starts dropping in your 20s and the visible changes usually show up in your 40s. People with the best skin in their 60s often started caring for it in their 30s.
Ready for a plan?
If you have been buying skincare and hoping the next product moves the needle, the missing piece is usually a coherent plan: the right daily basics, the right in-office treatments, and attention to the inside drivers like blood sugar, sleep, and hormones. At your visit we will look at your skin, review your labs, and build a realistic plan around your goals.
Arbour Longevity - 2217 Packard St #15, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 - (734) 436-3357 - Hours: Thursday through Monday, 10am to 7pm.
References
- Promoting collagen synthesis: a viable strategy to combat skin ageing. 2025.
- Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin. American Journal of Pathology.
- Nutrition and aging skin: sugar and glycation. PubMed.
This article is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice.
Gandhi Bhattarai, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, Anti-Aging/Functional Medicine BC
Triple board-certified nurse practitioner and founder of Arbour Longevity in Ann Arbor. Every article is written from clinic practice and reviewed against current guidelines.
✓ Medically reviewed · Last updated August 21, 2026
How we reviewed this article
Arbour Longevity articles are written by the treating clinician, checked against primary sources (peer-reviewed journals, FDA labeling, Endocrine Society and other specialty guidelines) and re-reviewed when guidance changes. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Email info@arbourlongevity.com.
This article is educational and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Whether a treatment is appropriate for you is determined during consultation.
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