Collagen makes up about 75% of the dry weight of your skin. In simple terms, it’s the framework that keeps everything tight and in place. As we get older, our collagen levels start to drop, which leads to visible changes in the skin. In fact, after age 25, we lose about 1% of our collagen each year. As the skin becomes less elastic, larger pores and wrinkles begin to appear.

“Collagen is a key structural protein in the body and plays a major role in keeping the skin firm, strong, and elastic,” says aesthetic doctor Sophie Shotter, MD, in a previous interview with Vogue.

“Over time, the cells responsible for making collagen become less active,” explains Mercedes Abarquero Cerezo, a pharmacist and scientific medical manager at L’Oréal. “Things that speed up collagen loss include sun exposure, diet, stress, and hormonal changes—especially in women during menopause.”

5 signs your skin is losing collagen

While losing collagen is a natural part of aging, there are many products and treatments that can help boost levels and improve skin elasticity. First, you’ll want to recognize the signs that your skin is losing collagen before talking to your dermatologist or skin specialist about a treatment plan. Here, experts explain what to look for.

Loss of firmness and increased sagging

The first sign is usually a change in firmness. “Your skin starts to feel less resilient, pores look more noticeable because their support structure weakens, and the skin gradually becomes thinner,” explains cosmetic dermatologist and brand founder Sam Bunting, MD.

Skin appears dry

Since collagen acts as the skin’s support structure, it also helps the skin hold onto water. When collagen levels drop, your skin may look drier because it can’t retain moisture as well. This can be improved with dietary changes, as well as topical products and application techniques.

More noticeable expression lines and wrinkles

Because lower collagen levels cause a loss of firmness, you might notice that fine lines don’t fade away when your face is at rest, and wrinkles become more visible.

Skin looks less full and plump

As collagen decreases, your skin will visibly look thinner, softer, and less elastic. You may notice that it doesn’t bounce back as quickly as it used to when you gently press it.

Your face shape changes

Other signs of collagen loss include thinner skin, a more hollow look around the eyes, changes in face shape (like narrower temples), brittle nails and hair, and even joint pain and muscle weakness. Collagen really affects everything.

Collagen and menopause

According to Bunting, menopause has a major impact on collagen levels. The main cause is the loss of estrogen. “Estrogen directly supports collagen production, so when estrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, collagen production falls sharply,” she explains. “That’s why many women notice a big change in skin firmness, thickness, and resilience during this time.”

What are the early signs of collagen loss?

Bunting says the signs start out subtle. In your 30s, you might notice “fine lines, a slight change in texture, and that your skin doesn’t recover as quickly,” she explains. “By your 50s, especially around menopause, lines are deeper, there’s visible sagging, the jawline softens, and the skin is noticeably thinner.”

Do signs generally change with age?

The short answer is yes. “Fine lines and texture changes in your 30s and early 40s turn into deeper lines, sagging, and visible thinning from the mid-40s onward,” Bunting adds. Signs usually speed up around menopause. “Women can lose up to 30% of their skin collagen in the first five years after menopause,” she says. “After that, they continue to lose about 2% per year.”

Is collagen loss permanent?

According to Bunting, the skin still has the ability to produce newCollagen throughout your life. “Using a well-formulated retinoid consistently at night is the most effective way to stimulate that,” she explains. Collagen production also needs cellular energy, which comes from your mitochondria—the powerhouses of your cells. “Supporting skin energy is the next big step in maintaining collagen long-term,” Bunting says.

How to slow collagen loss

Unfortunately, you can’t completely avoid collagen loss, but you can slow it down. Here, Abarquero Cerezo recommends these approaches to help reduce the rate of collagen loss in your skin:

– Avoid things that speed it up, like smoking and sun exposure.
– Use SPF sunscreen every day.
– Get enough rest and manage stress.
– Exercise regularly.
– Maintain a healthy weight.
– Eat a balanced, whole-foods diet with key nutrients, vitamins, and essential amino acids that support collagen production—such as eggs, dairy, legumes, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, meat, and fish.
– Use products with collagen-boosting ingredients, “like glycosaminoglycans, proxylane, peptides, cassia extract, hyaluronic acid, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and niacinamide.”

Do collagen creams actually work?

Topical products with collagen, like creams and masks, can improve how your skin looks—but they probably won’t stop the actual loss of collagen inside your skin. “Collagen is a molecule used in cosmetics that has a high molecular weight,” notes Abarquero Cerezo. “So, its absorption is limited to the skin’s surface layer.”

In other words, collagen creams are great for an immediate effect on surface texture. But to keep a balance between collagen loss and repair, you’re better off sticking with the ingredients and tips listed above.

Below, a selection of Vogue’s favorite products with collagen-boosting ingredients.

– Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream – $20 (Amazon)
– Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream – $145, now $109 (25% off) (Amazon)
– Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Face Moisturizer – $49, now $37 (24% off) (Amazon)
– Dr. Diamond’s Metacine InstaFacial Emulsion RetinoPro Growth Factor Night Cream – $350 (Nordstrom)
– SkinMedica HA5 Hydra-Collagen Replenish + Restore Hydrator – $192 (BlueMercury)
– SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Cream – $185 (BlueMercury)
– Sungboon Editor Deep Collagen Retinol Power Boosting Spicule Capsule Cream – $32, now $22 (31% off) (Amazon)
– Reframe Circadian Cream Overnight Collagen Seal – $135 (Reframe)

Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue’s senior beauty & wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the topic Five signs that your skin is losing collagen

BeginnerLevel Questions

1 What is collagen and why does my skin need it
Collagen is a protein that acts like the scaffolding of your skin It keeps it firm plump and smooth As you age your body makes less of it which leads to wrinkles and sagging

2 What are the five main signs that my skin is losing collagen
The most common signs are
1 Fine lines and wrinkles
2 Sagging or drooping skin
3 Thinning skin
4 Hollow areas
5 Stiffness or loss of bounce

3 At what age does collagen loss usually start
Collagen production starts to slow down in your midtolate 20s but you usually wont notice visible signs like wrinkles until your 30s or 40s

4 Is collagen loss only caused by aging
No While aging is the main cause lifestyle factors like smoking too much sun exposure high sugar diets and poor sleep can speed up collagen loss significantly

IntermediateLevel Questions

5 How can I tell the difference between a dry skin line and a collagenloss wrinkle
A dry skin line is usually temporary and disappears after you apply moisturizer A collagenloss wrinkle is a permanent crease or fold that remains even when your skin is wellhydrated

6 Im seeing sagging skin but Im only 35 Is that normal
Yes it can be While 35 is still relatively young genetics sun damage and lifestyle can cause earlier sagging Look for subtle changes like a less defined jawline or slightly droopy eyelids

7 Can losing collagen make my pores look bigger
Yes As collagen breaks down the skin around your pores loses its support This makes the pore walls relax causing them to look larger and more noticeable