The SoCal Cosmetic Network

Collagen is the primary protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant protein in mammals, which makes up about 40% of the total. It is one of the long, fibrous structural proteins whose functions are a bit different from those of globular proteins such as enzymes.

Collagen is tough and inextensible, with great tensile strength, and is the main component of cartilage, ligaments, tendons, bone, and teeth. Along with soft keratin, it is responsible for skin strength and elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging. Collagen strengthens blood vessels and plays a critical role in new tissue development. It is present in the cornea and lens of the eye in crystalline form, and is also used in cosmetic surgery, along with cosmetic plastic surgery for burns.

It is a protein in the extra-cellular membrane that supports the cell and gives it structure from the outside. They are connected to the cell from the fibronectin protein, which is connected to the integrin proteins embedded in the plasma membrane.

Collagen has been widely used in cosmetic plastic surgery procedures and certain skin substitutes for burns patients. The cosmetic use of collagens is declining because:

* There is a fairly high rate of allergic reactions causing prolonged redness and requiring inconspicuous patch testing prior to cosmetic use, and
* Most medical collagen is derived from cows, posing the risk of transmitting prion diseases like BSE
* Alternatives using the patient’s own fat or hyaluronic acid are readily available.

Collagens are still employed in the construction of artificial skin substitutes used in the management of severe burns. These collagens may be bovine or porcine and are used in combination with silicones, glycosaminoglycans, fibroblasts, growth factors and other substances.

Synthetic alternative to collagens and natural ECM have long been clinical goals for non-immunogenic biomaterials. One such MIT-invented family of materials self assembles to form a nanofibrous matrix PuraMatrix Synthetic ECM, which can culture anchorage-dependent cells for tissue engineering and bioproduction.

Collagen is also sold commercially as a joint mobility supplement.

If you are considering if collagen will benefit you, click on one or more of the links below to connect with a qualified cosmetic plastic surgeon about your situation in more detail…