A Facialists Notes On Elastin

So, continuing the ‘skin science’ topic, after speaking about collagen last week, I feel like it would be rude not to mention elastin as well.

Collagen and elastin go together like Bonnie and Clyde. It’s one of those terms we hear all the time, but nobody really knows what it is or what it actually does. So in skin school this week, we’re going to talk about it properly so you understand exactly what it is.

Put it this way, you could have all the collagen in the world, but without elastin, your skin would be almost dough-like. Elastin is exactly what it sounds like… elastic. It gives the skin the ability to bounce back. It’s the “youth”, if you will, when it comes to skin.

I like to think of it like a mattress. If collagen is the filling and bulk of the mattress, elastin acts like the springs that give it bounce. The mattress could be full of padding, but without the springs, it starts to feel a bit lifeless and lacks support and of course nobody wants that.

I would say in basic terms your collagen is the structure, elastin is the flexibility and hyaluronic acid is the hydration in the skin.

So if you’re starting to notice sagging skin, especially around the jowls, this could partly be where elastin has broken down (amongst other things, of course).

As we get older, our elastin starts to degrade and unfortunately, unlike collagen, it’s not something the body replaces easily. This is why you start to notice more laxity and less resilience in the skin over time.

The biggest culprits for damaging elastin are the usual ones that cause stress in the skin:

UV exposure (sun damage), which is by far the biggest cause!

Smoking

Environmental damage

Inflammation

Aggressive or excessive skin treatments

And by that I mean things like overusing heat-based treatments like radio frequency, repeated peels without barrier repair, microdermabrasion, DIY microneedling with poor technique, or harsh laser treatments when overdone.

Elastin isn’t something we can just apply to the skin or take as a supplement and expect it to come straight back. So the focus is really about protecting the elastin we already have.

That means wearing SPF daily, reducing inflammation in the skin, supporting the body with antioxidants to help fight free radical damage, and choosing treatments that support the skin rather than constantly stressing it out.

And of course, we can’t not mention the skin barrier. An impaired barrier has a huge impact on how well your elastin is protected. It allows moisture to escape and lets irritants, bacteria and environmental damage penetrate more easily, all of which can contribute to elastin breakdown.

A healthy barrier helps protect your collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, so everything works as it should.

Some of my favourite products that help to protect and support the skin (and in turn help maintain elastin) are:

Nimue Pre & Post Serum and the Nimue TDS serums, for promoting barrier repair and keeping the skin functioning optimally. Click here to order.

Calecim Multi-Action Cream, which uses stem cell-derived proteins to support collagen and elastin production. I’ve seen great results with this in improving skin firmness and laxity.

MULTI ACTION CREAM

£132.00

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SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream and Clearing Serum, which support skin renewal while still respecting the barrier. Click here to order.

And of course, Nimue Sun-C SPF 40 or SPF 50 Environmental Shield, because SPF is your biggest line of defence when it comes to protecting your skin, alongside a good pair of sunglasses and a hat. Click here to order.

Finally, a good quality antioxidant supplement can also play a role. I personally love the Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Antioxidant and have taken it for years. Antioxidants are essential for overall health and help to protect the skin from oxidative stress, which is one of the key drivers of collagen and elastin breakdown.

Skin Antioxidant

£36.00

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If you are concerned about your skin health and want to build a routine that actually supports your skin properly, you can book an online consultation with me here or fill out my free skin check-in form here, and I’ll guide you through it.

Thank you so much for reading,

Emmaline