As the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen has many roles. It is often referred to as the scaffolding in the skin, providing strength and elasticity, while also credited with muscle and tendon health. The problem? Our natural collagen production declines from our mid-20s. Which is where supplementation comes in.
A divisive topic among experts on their effectiveness, collagen supplements were recently the subject of the most extensive study to date. This revealed that “In relation to skin, musculoskeletal health, and osteoarthritis conditions, collagen supplementation was consistently associated with favourable outcomes,” detailed the report entitled Collagen Supplementation for Skin and Musculoskeletal Health and published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum in January 2026.
Hyaluronic acid has similarly been the subject of many clinical studies as a topical skincare ingredient, oral supplement and as injectables. Found naturally in the skin, it is a hydration powerhouse. As a humectant, it acts much like a sponge, drawing in moisture and holding up to 1000 times its weight. This is why it is a renowned plumping agent, improving skin texture, tone and the appearance of wrinkles.
@ahacosmetics Hyalyronic acid or Collagen?🤔 #fyp #trending #skincare #study ♬ original sound - AHAstyle
Collagen and hyaluronic acid have become the two headline ingredients in modern beauty marketing as both have a part to play in enhancing skin’s resilience, but which is more important? The answer is simple: they both are in their own ways. “They do different jobs, so it’s not really a competition,” explains dermatological doctor, Dr Nora Jaafar. “Importantly, they address two concerns consumers notice quickly: wrinkles and dryness. If collagen loss is one of the key biological drivers of ageing, hyaluronic acid loss is one of the key visual contributors. One affects structure, the other hydration.”
Below, Dr Jaafar and Dr Fiona McCarthy, the medical director and founder of The Bronte Clinic and a consultant medical oncologist, break down the two ingredients, detailing what they do, who should use them and how you can most effectively incorporate them into your skincare routine.
Collagen vs hyaluronic acid: what does each ingredient do?
Putting it simply, “Collagen is associated with firmness and youthfulness, ” Dr Jaafar tells me. “It provides the skin’s structural framework, helping maintain firmness, elasticity and support.” As mentioned above, the concern comes from the fact that collagen depletes by 1 per cent per year from our mid-twenties, and Dr McCarthy says that this accelerates even further during the perimenopause years due to oestrogen deprivation. This results in “sagging, jowling, deepening lines and wrinkles, and loss of facial definition.”
Hyaluronic acid is almost synonymous with hydration and plumpness in the skincare space. Dr Jaafar describes it as “a humectant that attracts and holds water, helping skin appear hydrated, smoother and more plump.” Much like collagen, its levels also decline, “and as a result, skin starts to look dull, crepey and appear more lined,” Dr McCarthy reveals. But its effectiveness is very much down to the molecular weight used. She breaks it down: “High molecular weight HA molecules are unable to penetrate the skin barrier, so they sit on the surface and reduce water loss, while low molecular weight HA molecules can penetrate the upper layers of skin and improve hydration.” You will also notice the ubiquity of sodium hyaluronate in skincare, which she adds is “smaller and can therefore penetrates more readily than the low molecular weight HA. The best HA skincare formulations use a combination of molecular sizes for this reason.”
@labeaute.aestheticclinic Dry, tight, dehydrated skin? ✨ Hyaluronic Acid helps: • Hydrate the skin • Retain moisture • Improve skin texture • Restore a healthy glow Different skin types may need different formulations, but hydration remains essential for everyone.
Which skin types should use them?
According to the experts, all skin types can use both ingredients, especially, says Dr Jaafar, dehydrated, dry or mature skin.
Which form of collagen and hyaluronic acid is best?
Collagen and hyaluronic acid are used ubiquitously in the skincare industry and come as oral supplements, in topical products, and as skin-booster cosmetic treatments. When it comes to collagen skincare, it works to hydrate and improve uneven texture, rather than stimulate production. Dr McCarthy explains this is because “the collagen molecule is simply too large to penetrate the skin’s barrier. It will sit on the surface of the skin.” To rebuild structural collagen, she advises the use of reinoids as “these have been extensively studied over decades and have a robust body of evidence to demonstrate real improvements in collagen production.”
Collagen supplements have stronger evidence regarding their effectiveness. “Several clinical studies have demonstrated improvements in skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkle appearance with consistent collagen peptide supplementation,” says Dr Jaafar. The largest review of collagen supplements so far also detailed benefits beyond healthier-looking skin to relief from osteoarthritis pain and stiffness.
As far as hyaluronic acid goes, topical products with varying molecular weights can improve hydration. “Your skin will look plumper, lines appear softened and texture improved,” says Dr McCarthy, but, and this is crucial to note, it “does not result in the replenishment of our endogenous HA stores.” So, while applying hyaluronic acid in skincare will enrich your skin, it will only do so at the dermis, rather than topping up the body’s natural production and is dependent on continual use. “Topical HA formulations can not address ageing at a deeper level.” Dr Jaafar adds. “Hyaluronic acid can absolutely create a more youthful appearance through plumping, but it is not rebuilding the underlying architecture of the skin in the way treatments that stimulate collagen production can.” Note the concentration of hyaluronic acid too. “The optimal HA concentration is between 1-2 per cent – anything higher than this can result in paradoxical reduction in hydration to the skin – more or higher is definitely not better in this case,” Dr McCarthy stresses.
Hyaluronic acid supplements are an emerging category, but both experts agree that the topical approach is the most direct and reliable way to combat dehydration.
What ingredients work better topically than collagen for anti-ageing?
Both experts agree that peptides have greater evidence in the anti-ageing space when compared to topical collagen. In contrast to collagen, where the molecule is too large to penetrate the skin barrier, “Peptides are small chains of amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, including collagen), and their smaller size means they can penetrate the skin barrier and have a meaningful clinical impact,” explains Dr McCarthy. It is worth paying attention to the type of peptide used, as there are many different ones – all of which work differently. “Some peptides work by signalling the collagen-producing cells (fibroblasts) to increase their production of collagen, some work by stopping collagen breakdown. One peptide subgroup that is particularly well recognised in terms of collagen production is matrikines, and studies demonstrate that these can reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve skin texture,” she goes on to reveal.
The gold standard, she stresses, in terms of collagen stimulation, is retinoids. “Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) are key as they have the most robust evidence base in terms of efficacy,” the consultant medical oncologist says. “They stimulate fibroblasts to produce collagen, accelerate cell turnover, improve pigmentation, and refine skin texture.”
Daily SPF is essential. “Daily sunscreen is the single most important anti-ageing product because it prevents the collagen degradation that drives photoageing,” Dr Jaafar stresses. Dr McCarthy agrees and takes it one step further, saying that if you’re “only going to add one product to your routine, this is it.” UV radiation is the most significant driver of extrinsic ageing, responsible for collagen degradation, pigmentation, and loss of elasticity.”
How long does it take to see measurable results?
Topical hyaluronic acid addresses dehydration instantly. “Hyaluronic acid works quickly, and the results are visible within minutes to hours of application, simply because it is drawing water into the skin,” says Dr McCarthy. However, she cautions that “these results are transient and rely on consistent and continued use. There is no meaningful cumulative structural benefit that builds over time.”
Collagen supplements, however, are another story. Patience is key, states Dr Jaafar. “Most studies report measurable improvements after approximately eight to 12 weeks of consistent use. Any intervention targeting collagen production requires patience because collagen remodelling is a slow biological process.” If you are using retinoids to stimulate collagen, this is also a slow and steady process. Dr McCarthy details, “Collagen production from retinoids takes a minimum of three months of consistent use to see the benefits. Retinoids stimulate fibroblast cells to produce collagen, and this takes time. However, the benefits are significant (reduction in fine lines, improvement in skin texture, reduction in pigmentation), all leading to healthy, glowing skin.”
Do collagen-focused and hyaluronic acid-focused products complement each other?
“Absolutely,” stresses Dr Jaafar. “Hyaluronic acid helps optimise hydration and skin appearance in the short term, while collagen-supporting ingredients target longer-term structural changes. The most effective anti-ageing routines usually address both hydration and collagen preservation simultaneously.”
What does an optimal routine using both ingredients look like?
Hyaluronic acid serums and topical collagen can be used morning and night, while collagen supplements are typically ingested in the morning. Dr Jaafar suggests this simplified routine to get the most out of the hydrating and plumping ingredients. For the AM: antioxidant serum, hyaluronic acid serum, moisturiser and broad-spectrum SPF 50, while in the PM: retinoid, peptide-based treatment and moisturiser containing hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid.
Original article appeared on British Vogue
