Stimulating Collagen Is The Best Thing You Can Do For Your Skin, According To Experts

Reported by Vogue.

Collagen is not a buzzword. It is the most abundant protein in your body — woven into your muscles, bones, tendons, and skin — and starting in your mid-20s, you lose roughly 1% of it every year. That slow, steady decline is what eventually shows up as sagging, deep-set wrinkles, a softened jawline, and skin that feels thinner than it used to. According to Vogue, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jane Yoo, founder of Jane Yoo MD Dermatology, puts it plainly: neglect collagen stimulation and your face will tell on you.

The good news is that the ingredients to fight back are already in most serious skincare routines — you just need to understand what you're working with. Vitamin C is non-negotiable. Carrie Gross, co-founder of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, calls it as essential as SPF, explaining that it neutralizes the free radicals that break down collagen fibers while simultaneously improving the quality and volume of new collagen produced. She recommends starting at 20. Retinoids — retinol and prescription-strength tretinoin — remain the gold standard for collagen induction and cell turnover. Beyond those two, Dr. Yoo flags peptides, bakuchiol, growth factors, glycolic and lactic acid, and niacinamide as supporting players worth adding to your arsenal. And don't skip eye cream; Dr. Yoo notes the eye area is typically the first to show age, thanks to constant muscle movement and thinner skin.

What Actually Works Fastest

If you want dramatic results, in-office treatments are still the most powerful option. Dr. Yoo cites fractional laser resurfacing, radiofrequency, microneedling, chemical peels, and ultrasound therapy as the heavy hitters — all of which work by creating controlled injury that triggers the body's full wound-healing response, its most potent collagen-synthesis mechanism. For those not ready to book a derm appointment, at-home devices like microneedling rollers, NuFace microcurrent tools, and LED therapy offer a gentler, slower version of the same principle. Less dramatic, but still worth doing.

Genetics matters here, too. Dr. Yoo explains that baseline collagen density and fiber architecture are inherited — meaning some people are simply starting with a fuller deck. But she's clear that DNA is not destiny: "Genetics sets the ceiling and the floor, not the outcome." Consistent sun protection, smart topical use, and well-chosen procedures can close the gap between a genetically resilient complexion and one that needs more support. What won't close that gap? Erratic product use. Carrie Gross is emphatic that gentle, consistent actives outperform aggressive ingredients used sporadically every time — no single miracle product exists, and chasing one is a fast route to irritated, compromised skin.

Build the routine, stay consistent, and let the science do the work — your skin's collagen production is absolutely influenceable, and the earlier you start treating it seriously, the more you have to show for it later.

Read the original at Vogue.