Can Collagen Really Make Your Skin Firmer?

Menopause Research: Daily Collagen Peptides Improved Skin Firmness Even After Supplementation Ended

Collagen peptides have become increasingly popular among women looking to support healthier, firmer skin as they age. But collagen isn’t only being used by women — men are increasingly turning to collagen supplements too, particularly for joints, tendons, and skin as they get older.

As collagen production naturally declines over time—and falling estrogen levels around menopause contribute to thinner, less elastic skin—many people wonder whether collagen peptide supplements can help maintain skin firmness and structure.

What Was the Purpose of the Study?

A clinical trial investigated whether a daily intake of bioactive collagen peptides (BCP) could improve objective measures of facial skin quality, including skin firmness, hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), dermal density and dermal thickness.

In addition to assessing changes during the supplementation period, the researchers also investigated whether any improvements remained after participants stopped taking the collagen peptides.

How Was the Study Conducted?

The study was conducted by researchers from the Skin Research Institute of Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and the National Skin Centre, in collaboration with the GNC Research & Development Center in Japan. It was designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, considered one of the most reliable study designs for evaluating treatment effectiveness.

The study included 77 healthy women between the ages of 35 and 55. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 5 grams of a proprietary bioactive collagen peptide supplement derived from bovine Type I collagen or an identical placebo each day for 12 weeks. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving the collagen supplement until the study had ended.

Throughout the study, researchers used objective instruments to measure changes in facial skin firmness, hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), dermal density, and dermal thickness. After the 12-week supplementation period, participants stopped taking the supplement for four weeks, allowing researchers to assess whether any benefits continued after supplementation ended.

What Did the Researchers Discover?

Researchers found that women who took BCP experienced significant improvements in several measures of skin health compared with those taking a placebo. The most notable finding was an improvement in facial skin firmness.

They also observed improvements in skin hydration, dermal density, and dermal thickness, along with a reduction in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) from the skin. Importantly, some of these benefits were still present four weeks after participants stopped taking the collagen peptides.

Improved Facial Skin Firmness

Women who took the bioactive collagen peptides experienced significantly greater improvements in facial skin firmness than those who received the placebo. While the placebo group showed little change, the collagen peptide group demonstrated measurable improvements over the 12-week supplementation period.

Benefits Continued After Supplementation Ended

Four weeks after participants stopped taking the supplements, the collagen peptide group retained improvements in facial skin firmness. In contrast, the placebo group did not demonstrate the same sustained effect, suggesting that some of the benefits of collagen peptide supplementation persisted beyond the treatment period.

Improved Skin Hydration

The collagen peptide group also showed significantly greater improvements in skin hydration than the placebo group. This indicates that the observed changes were unlikely to be explained by normal variations over time alone.

Reduced Water Loss from the Skin

Researchers found that participants taking collagen peptides experienced a greater reduction in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) than those receiving the placebo. Lower TEWL indicates that the skin was better able to retain moisture.

Increased Dermal Density and Thickness

Objective measurements also showed greater increases in dermal density and dermal thickness in the collagen peptide group compared with the placebo group. These findings suggest that changes occurred within the deeper layers of the skin rather than only at the surface.

The collagen peptide supplement was well tolerated throughout the study, and no treatment-related safety concerns were reported.

Why Does This Matter?

Collagen is one of the main structural proteins in the skin, helping to provide strength, firmness, and elasticity. As we age, the body’s natural collagen production gradually declines. Around menopause, falling estrogen levels can accelerate these changes, contributing to thinner, drier, and less elastic skin.

This study suggests that daily supplementation with a specific bioactive collagen peptide may help support skin firmness and improve several objective measures of skin structure and function. The finding that some improvements remained after supplementation ended is particularly interesting, as it suggests the benefits may not disappear immediately when the supplement is stopped.

However, it is important to remember that this study evaluated one specific collagen peptide formulation in healthy women aged 35 to 55 years. Further research is needed to determine whether similar results can be achieved with other collagen peptide products or in larger and more diverse groups of women.

Study Limitations

Although the results are encouraging, the study has several limitations that should be considered.

The trial included only 77 healthy women between the ages of 35 and 55, so the findings may not apply to all women or to people with underlying skin conditions.

The study evaluated one specific proprietary collagen peptide formulation. The results cannot automatically be assumed to apply to all collagen supplements, as they can differ in their source, processing methods, and peptide composition.

They also suggested that the product’s low molecular weight and high hydroxyproline content may have contributed to the observed effects. Because collagen supplements vary considerably in their composition, the findings cannot automatically be applied to other products.

In addition, the supplementation period lasted 12 weeks, with a follow-up of four weeks after treatment ended. While some improvements remained during this period, longer-term studies are needed to determine how long the effects may last.

The Lillepin Takeaway

This study provides encouraging evidence that a specific bioactive collagen peptide may help improve facial skin firmness and other objective measures of skin health. One of its most interesting findings was that some improvements remained even after supplementation had ended.

Although the results cannot be assumed to apply to every collagen supplement, the study adds to the growing body of research suggesting that certain collagen peptides may help support healthy aging skin.