Scan any beauty insider’s skincare shelf and you’ll likely spot one product they all have in common: collagen supplements. Whether in gummy, powder, liquid or capsule form, they’ve become a staple of the beauty world, hailed as the secret to glowing skin, stronger nails and thicker hair. But among the glossy promises, one question remains—do collagen supplements actually work?
Collagen is the body’s structural protein, found in skin, bones, muscles and ligaments. It provides strength and elasticity and is essentially the “glue” that holds everything together. There are 28 types of collagen, but when it comes to beauty, the first five are most relevant: Type I, the most abundant, keeps skin elastic and strengthens hair and nails; Type II supports cartilage and joint health; Type III works with Type I to maintain skin firmness and support muscles and blood vessels; Type IV acts as a structural glue between skin layers (though it isn’t available in supplement form); and Type V, less well known, helps form cell membranes and plays a role in placenta development during pregnancy.
