Reviewing Collagen Supplements: Independent nurse prescriber Caroline Hall explores the literature around collagen supplementation in aesthetics.

Copyright © 2023 International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Plastic and Aesthetic Nursing www.PANjournal.org 41 T here has been a huge rise in the use of nutraceuticals over the last five years. Collagen supplementation has been particularly popular, and we are seeing an increase in patient interest due to media and raised awareness and usage of lifestyle supplements. The use of supplements remains somewhat controversial given the lack of regulation regarding over-the-counter supplements and the quantity and quality of ingredients. There’s also the question: do they actually work? As more evidence begins to emerge supporting the use of supplementation, more practitioners are using a holistic approach and combining non-surgical treatments with cosmeceutical skincare products and nutraceutical supplements to give optimum results for patients. At the time of writing this article I did not use, nor recommend, any collagen supplements in my practice. Despite being asked by my patients on a regular basis if I recommend collagen supplementation and if so, what brands could I recommend, I felt that my lack of knowledge surrounding the products and any associated evidence prevented me from feeling confident in doing so. As medical professionals, an evidence-based approach should be at the core of our practice and I feel it is important we look at the evidence base of a product before we recommend it to our patients. I have therefore decided to write this CPD article to look at the evidence surrounding collagen supplementation, to understand its mechanism of action and what evidence there is to support its use in skin rejuvenation.