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What Is Collagen?
  • Collagen: 80% of Your Skin
  • Sun Damages Collagen
  • The Sun 'Flips' the DNA Switch

    • Collagen: 80% of Your Skin

    A full 80 percent of the dry weight of your skin consists of the protein collagen. It's therefore the most prominent of the three main components to your skin's extra cellular matrix — the tissue that gives skin its structural support. The other components are elastin and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).

    Sun Damages Collagen

    Collagen gives skin its strength. Elastin fibers give skin its ability to stretch and recoil (the source of the term elasticity). With repeated sun exposure, both collagen and the elastin fibers become damaged, causing skin to lose its structure and, eventually, to wrinkle and sag.

    The Sun "Flips" the DNA Switch

    As we expose our skin to the sun over time, the sun's ultraviolet rays activate genes that are already in our skin, causing them to function in an abnormal way, producing damaged-looking skin. Skin treatments may reverse this process by creating newer-looking skin.

    Wrinkle and anti-aging treatments include the following: Laser Skin Resurfacing, Fractional Laser Resurfacing, IPL, Radiofrequency Rejuvenation, SmartSkin and Injectables/ Dermal Fillers.

    Last modified: October 27, 2009
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    St. Louis skin care expert Dr. George Hruza discusses dermal fillers.
    How Did Treatment
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    74% Life?
    of reviews werePositive
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     So far so good

    Two days ago I had a Sculptra treatment. My doctor was exper...[more]
    Staten Island, NY Dec 30, 2011

     Eprime Treatment Improved Wrinkles

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    Chicago, IL Dec 13, 2011

     Better than Botox

    I've had Dysport 3 times now. It's great. Lasts longer, does...[more]
    Los Angeles, CA Dec 13, 2011
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    Q: For a patient with little time or money to spend, what do you...

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    Q: What is hyaluronic acid?
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    Q: Why do I have more wrinkles than my twin sister?

    Signs of aging skin, like fine lines and wrinkles, are... [Read More]

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