Forget crypto. Our investment strategy is focused on yielding luminous skin. Getting and maintaining that youthful glow is all about playing the long game.
The currency? Collagen. It’s the secret sauce that provides the vibrance, plumpness, and elasticity we all crave without a viral filter. So naturally, we want more of it, especially as we age.
Enter: collagen banking, a process that helps amass your riches in youthful skin and confidence.
“Collagen banking is the theory and practice of actively attempting to use best practices to build collagen stores in the body and skin to help prevent the aging process,” says Joshua Ross, celebrity aesthetician and founder of SkinLab South Bay. According to him, it’s a practice everyone who wants to maintain their youthful glow should be paying attention to.
“Collagen banking is important to the aging process because a loss in collagen is one of the main reasons we see signs of skin aging like loss of elasticity and sagging,” he explains.
So, how do you bank collagen?
Well, just like with any good investment strategy, you want a diversified portfolio. Methods include red light LED therapy, retinol, and collagen supplements. “Red LED light therapy is the best [method] for collagen banking,” Ross shares (because of its efficacy). “It works by stimulating the mitochondria in your skin, which then sends energy to the fibroblasts responsible for creating collagen.”
For best results, Ross recommends using red LED light therapy at least three times a week. For those hesitant to try it, retinol is an alternative powerhouse for collagen banking. “It increases cell turnover, thus creating new collagen. Collagen supplementation can also help bank collagen by increasing our body’s natural production.” Ross recommends using these daily when implemented for collagen banking.
Ross says visible results of collagen banking include:
- Improved elasticity for a bouncier, plumper appearance.
- Increased skin firmness that reduces drooping and sagging skin.
- Reduced fine lines, due to the overall health improvement in the skin’s aging process.
Consistency is key when it comes to collagen banking. “[It] should be done consistently and in perpetuity to maintain the results,” he advises.
Ross emphasizes the importance of beginning collagen banking early—ideally by the age of 25. “After 25, you’ve already begun losing collagen,” he points out. Even though it’s most effective before 25, it’s never too late to start. Collagen banking can still yield results at any age.
In addition to at-home methods, Ross suggests paying a visit to your trusted aesthetician. They can give your collagen reserves a boost with a professional treatment. “Microneedling, peels, and exfoliating facials all support collagen production,” he adds.
Below are some of our favorite collagen banking products that give you a major ROI.