When consulting with patients,
I often get asked,
"If you take collagen or get it injected, does your skin really get better?"
These days, as interest in procedures such as skin boosters, collagen boosters, and collagen injections has grown,
it seems that curiosity about collagen boosters and skin boosters has also increased.
Advertisements make it sound as though just one treatment can make your skin 10 years younger, but is that really true?
For any procedure, you need to understand it properly before choosing it in order to save time and money and get closer to the results you want.
So today, I’d like to take a closer look at the role collagen plays in the skin, as well as the types and effects of collagen boosters and collagen injections.

Why Is Collagen in the Skin Important?
One common misconception is that "collagen = elasticity."
Collagen is a major protein that makes up more than 70% of our skin and is an important component deeply involved in skin density, moisture retention, and even wrinkle formation.
In general, collagen naturally begins to decline in the mid-20s, and by the 40s it can drop to nearly half.
This is because, as we age, the rate of collagen production has a hard time keeping up with the rate of loss.
When collagen is lacking, the skin gradually becomes thinner, wrinkles form more easily, elasticity is lost, and the skin starts to sag.
In addition, the skin’s ability to retain moisture also decreases, making it more likely to become dry and rough.
Therefore, maintaining or supplementing collagen can, in itself, help slow skin aging and maintain healthy skin.
Collagen Injection Roles and Effects
Many people try to improve skin elasticity through oral collagen or collagen creams, but in many cases it is difficult to actually feel the effect.
This is because when oral collagen is consumed, it is broken down into amino acids and used by the body, so it does not necessarily go directly to the skin and can be utilized by various tissues throughout the body.
There is a limitation in that collagen is not directly supplemented in the skin.
The same goes for topical collagen.
Because collagen molecules are large, they cannot pass through the skin barrier and remain on the surface, providing only a moisturizing effect and having little impact on collagen production inside the skin.
Then what about directly injecting collagen into the skin?
Unfortunately, directly injecting collagen has limited effectiveness and also carries a risk of side effects.
This is because collagen injected from the outside is quickly broken down or not absorbed well in the body, making it difficult to expect long-lasting effects, and the body may recognize it as a foreign substance and trigger an inflammatory response.
Therefore, most collagen injections do not directly replenish collagen; instead, they more often use methods that stimulate the skin to produce its own collagen.
By gradually promoting collagen production within the skin, they help restore elasticity and volume naturally.
Types of Collagen Injections: Differences by Ingredient?
Collagen boosters differ in effect and duration depending on the ingredients used, and their impact on the skin also varies.
Hyaluronic acid-based skin boosters are excellent for immediate moisturizing effects,
but they have limited ability to directly promote collagen production, so there are limits to creating volume.
PCL (polycaprolactone) has long-lasting durability, but its larger particle size makes it difficult to spread naturally within the skin.
PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid) is also a representative ingredient that induces collagen production.
It is highly effective for improving volume, but if the particles do not spread evenly, there is a possibility of nodules (lumps), so special caution is needed.
On the other hand, PDLLA (poly-D,L-lactic acid) is an ingredient that addresses the drawbacks of existing PLLA,
and because it consists of finer, rounder particles, it is distributed more evenly within the skin and works naturally.
It also induces collagen production more uniformly, and since the risk of nodules is relatively low, stable results can be expected.
In other words, because it has a proper breakdown rate while still delivering lasting effects, it has recently been receiving more attention from those looking to improve skin elasticity.
The types of collagen injections vary in effect depending on the ingredient, so it is important to choose carefully by considering your skin condition and the results you want.

When choosing a collagen injection, you should not consider only how long the effect lasts; you should also take into account your skin condition and the results you want.
For example, if skin hydration is the priority, a hyaluronic acid skin booster may be suitable, while if the goal is to improve deep wrinkles, ingredients such as PLLA or PDLLA may be more helpful.
Even with the same product, the results can vary depending on the injector’s experience and skill, so it is important to decide after 충분한 상담.
Collagen injections do not create immediate change with a single treatment; rather, they work by gradually improving the skin over time.
Therefore, if you choose the right product along with consistent care, you can maintain improved skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction effects for longer.
Please choose a collagen injection that matches your skin condition and goals, and decide on the procedure only after thorough consultation with a specialist.
Thank you for reading this long post.
| This post was written for informational purposes in compliance with Article 56, Paragraphs 1 to 15 of the Medical Services Act. All treatments carry the risk of side effects and complications depending on the individual. Before treatment, be sure to have a thorough consultation with medical staff who have extensive experience before making your decision. |