Collagen for Hair: A Natural Path to Stronger, Thicker, and Shinier Hair

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about 30% of all proteins. It consists of long chains of amino acids, particularly glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, and is a key component of the skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. It is also crucial for the health and beauty of your hair. As collagen synthesis in the body decreases with age (by 1-1.5% annually after the age of 25), a collagen-rich diet and collagen supplementation become increasingly important for maintaining strong, lush, and shiny hair. In this article, we will explore the various ways collagen affects hair health and beauty, as well as which type of collagen is best for your hair.

Collagen and Hair

Collagen is a protein that helps keep hair soft, shiny, and full of life. It also ensures optimal hair growth and slows down the aging processes affecting hair. The role of collagen in keeping hair healthy and shiny is multifaceted: it stimulates hair growth, can improve hair by providing the amino acids necessary for hair growth, prevents hair damage from external factors (such as UV rays), and helps combat damaged hair follicles. Additionally, it can slow down the process of hair loss caused by aging and the formation of gray hairs, contributing to the longevity and durability of your hair.

Benefits of Collagen for Hair

1. Collagen Promotes Hair Growth

Hair is primarily composed of the protein keratin. For keratin to be synthesized, specific amino acids are required. By consuming collagen (or other proteins), the body breaks down these proteins into amino acids, which are then used to create other proteins. Collagen consists mainly of three amino acids: proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline, with proline being a key component of keratin. Therefore, consuming collagen provides the building blocks necessary for hair growth.
Additionally, a 2022 study found that using fish collagen for a period of 6 weeks led to increased expression of hair growth factors, leading to the conclusion that fish collagen may aid in hair growth.

2. Collagen Reduces Hair Loss

Collagen makes up 70% of the dermis, the middle layer of your skin that contains the root of every single hair and contributes to its elasticity and firmness. As the body produces less collagen with age, this can affect the renewal of dermal cells, potentially leading to hair thinning. Therefore, supplying the body with collagen can help maintain a healthy dermis and prevent hair thinning.

• A study involving over 1,000 participants aged 20-70 revealed that 12 weeks of collagen supplementation increased the level of this protein in the skin. Maintaining a healthy scalp is one of the key foundations for keeping hair shiny and resilient.
• A 2022 study discovered that using fish collagen stimulated the growth of dermal papilla cells (which contain blood vessels supplying growing hair with oxygen and nutrients) and reduced the hair growth inhibition factor in experimental animals. This suggests that fish collagen supplementation might prevent hair loss through several important mechanisms of action.

A study of female patients suffering from alopecia (telogen effluvium) showed that those who used a dietary supplement with collagen for 180 days had thicker hair, stronger hairs and greater hair shine compared to patients who took a dietary supplement without collagen. All in all, it can be concluded that dietary supplements with collagen can help reduce hair loss and strengthen the scalp.

3. Collagen May Slow Down the Formation of Gray Hair

As we age, the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives hair its color, naturally begin to die off. Additionally, free radicals resulting from oxidative stress can damage melanin cells, leading to increased graying.
 Collagen, with its antioxidant activity, could potentially reduce the number of free radicals, which in turn may help preserve melanin cells and decrease the formation of gray hair.

4. Collagen Helps Reduce Hair Damage

Free radicals are compounds that develop in the body due to oxidative stress, UV radiation, air pollutants, smoking, poor diet, alcohol, and other environmental factors. Excessive free radicals can damage our hair, making it thin, lifeless, and prone to breakage. It is well known that as we age, the body’s defense mechanisms against free radicals weaken. Thus, a source of antioxidants is necessary to protect hair from the harmful effects of oxidative stress. Fish collagen has been shown to be a strong antioxidant and may help maintain the health, fullness, and shine of hair by reducing oxidative stress.

Long-Term Effects of Collagen on Hair Appearance and Health

Given the numerous functions of collagen related to hair health and beauty, it can be concluded that long-term use of collagen may lead to:

• Stronger and thicker hair that breaks less frequently
• Reduced hair loss
• Enhanced hair growth
• Decreased appearance of gray hair

Which Collagen is Best for Hair?

There are a large number of products with collagen on the market, and for this reason it is important to choose a product that is from a reputable manufacturer and contains high-quality, and if possible, patented and clinically tested ingredients. Beauty Harmony Collagen is a unique product on the Croatian market that contains a combination of 2 patented collagens: Naticol® i Naticol® CySkin. They form a combination of 10,000 mg of peptide complex and L-Cystine with a unique amino acid profile, which will support hair health in several ways:

• Collagen is a source of several amino acids that make up keratin, a key component of hair.
• Collagen may aid in hair growth.
• Collagen may reduce hair loss caused by aging.
• Collagen may slow down the formation of gray hair.
• Collagen protects hair from damage caused by oxidative processes.

In addition to collagen, Beauty Harmony Collagen is enriched with a high amount of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10, amino acids, zinc, and natural extracts of wild and cultivated rose hips to further stimulate collagen and keratin production and contribute to hair health and beauty.
What sets Beauty Harmony Collagen apart from other similar products is that it is a liquid collagen with an excellent taste, flavored with 4 types of fruit: apple, red currant, raspberry, elderberry, and sweetened with natural stevia.