Is Collagen Hydrolysate Good for Your Hair?

Collagen hydrolysate, also known as hydrolysed collagen or collagen peptides, is a form of collagen that has been broken down into smaller fragments. Since these peptides are smaller than regular collagen molecules, they can be absorbed better and distributed throughout the body easier.

This kind of collagen can be found in a range of hair care products because its small molecule size allows it to be absorbed by the skin – whereas non-hydrolysed collagen is less likely to penetrate the epidermis. But what benefits does hydrolysed collagen have for your hair?

What does collagen hydrolysate do for your hair?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking collagen supplements or using collagen-based haircare products can help to improve your hair’s overall quality. Here are some of the ways it can do that.

Fight cell damage

One of the most significant benefits of collagen is that research suggests it is an antioxidant compound, meaning it combats oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the body. These free radicals often develop as a result of external stressors – smoking, air pollutants and poor diet are all examples.

So, if you live in a busy city, you find it difficult to eat a healthy, balanced diet or you habitually smoke, that could mean that your hair, as well as the rest of your body, could be sustaining damage as a result of oxidative stress. In fact, multiple studies indicate that oxidative stress can be an important contributing factor for hair loss.

As an antioxidant, collagen helps to prevent and protect against this kind of damage, promoting healthy hair that looks and feels its best.

Preserve natural hair colour

The antioxidant properties of collagen may have another effect: reducing greying as you age.

As you get older, your body naturally starts to lose cells, including those that create melanin, the pigment that gives your hair its colour. That’s why older people tend to have lighter or greyer hair than younger people. However, age isn’t the only factor.

Free radicals can attack and damage those same melanin-producing cells, which can result in premature colour loss. Therefore, it has been theorised that antioxidant compounds like collagen could help to prevent this damage and allow you to keep your hair’s natural colour for longer.

Reduce age-related hair thinning

Research suggests that collagen may help your hair indirectly by instead helping your skin – specifically the skin of your scalp. Part of collagen’s role in the body is that it forms around 70% of the dermis – the middle of three layers that make up your skin. This is the layer that contains the hair roots.

Collagen gives the dermis elasticity and strength, helping the skin to look youthful and avoid tightness. As you get older, it becomes more difficult for the body to produce collagen to fulfil this function, so you start to lose cells in the dermis faster than they can be replenished. It’s theorised that this contributes to hair thinning as you age.

As a result, it’s been suggested that getting more collagen from external sources, such as hair products, supplements and your diet, may help to slow this process and keep your scalp in good condition, thus reducing the amount of hair thinning you experience.

Strengthen hair

Hair is made up primarily of keratin, a protein which is itself made up of a variety of amino acids. Similarly, amino acids make up collagen, another protein – and when you consume collagen, it is broken down into those amino acid building blocks.

When this happens, your body then takes these building blocks and distributes them to the area of the body where they are needed most. In some cases, the amino acids from collagen can be used to rebuild keratin and strengthen your hair strands.

This is similar to what biotin is believed to do for your hair, as it, too, can be used to produce more keratin for your hair. Because of this, some hair care products such as our Collagen & Biotin range use both proteins in order to maximise the positive effects on your hair.

Increase hair volume

In the same way that collagen boosts elasticity in the skin, it’s believed that it may also do so in the hair. Using a collagen shampoo or similar product is thought to add a thin layer to the outside of the hair strands, coating the outer cuticle that protects each individual hair.

It’s this protective layer that can make the hair appear more voluminous without styling, and it can also add a healthy shine that promotes a luscious, hydrated look – perfect for remedying lacklustre or fine hair.

Stimulate hair growth

A recent animal study has suggested that fish collagen has a significant positive effect on hair growth, suggesting that it can help to reverse hair thinning and loss.

In testing, scientists believe that the administration of collagen encourages hair to enter the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. This is the phase of active growth, both for existing hairs and for brand new ones.

While this has yet to be tested on human subjects, it does show promising results and an encouraging indication that collagen may have a real positive impact on hair growth.

Whether you’ve tried collagen shampoos before or you’re a newcomer to this staple of the haircare industry, hydrolysed collagen can help to keep your hair looking and feeling amazing. Why not try it today and find out what it can do for your hair?

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