Nutrition and skin.

Glycation – sugar in collagen: excess blood sugar binds to collagen and elastin fibres and forms so-called AGEs (advanced glycation end products). The fibres become stiff, brittle and yellowish, the skin loses elasticity. The process accelerates with blood-sugar spikes – soft drinks, white flour, sweets – and is one reason diabetes ages the skin earlier.

What the skin needs: protein as building material for collagen (fish, pulses, eggs), vitamin C as a necessary cofactor of collagen formation (peppers, citrus, berries), omega-3 fatty acids for barrier and anti-inflammation (oily fish, flaxseed), zinc for wound healing, carotenoids and polyphenols as antioxidants (colourful vegetables, olive oil, green tea). In short: a Mediterranean diet.

Collagen powder and supplements: collagen peptides are digested, not built directly into the skin; some studies show small improvements in hydration and elasticity after eight to twelve weeks, the effects are moderate and manufacturer-funded. Supplements make sense with a proven deficiency – vitamin D, B12, iron – not as a substitute for food.

Alcohol and salt: alcohol dehydrates, dilates vessels and disturbs sleep; salt makes face and eyes swell in the morning. Both show quickly and disappear quickly. Before treatments, avoiding alcohol matters because it encourages bruising.

Perspective: nutrition slows ageing and improves the basis on which treatments work – microneedling and PRP need building materials. It does not fill a tear trough or relax a frown line. Combining both gets the best of both.