Collagen supplements have become a beauty staple, with many taking them daily for better skin. But Dr Gizem Seymenoglu, a London-based medical aesthetic practitioner within Longevita’s network, says the “take it forever” approach may be missing the point.
The focus, she says, should be on taking collagen at a time when the skin has a reason to use those building blocks – otherwise, much of it may go to waste.
“And once you get the timing right, you still need to think about how much you’re taking and how consistently you’re taking it,” explains Dr Gizem.
Timing: give collagen “somewhere to go”
Dr Gizem says collagen supplementation makes most sense when the body is already going through a period of repair.
“Your body doesn’t know that you’re taking collagen for better skin,” she explains. “Those building blocks are available to the whole body. If you want to support the skin specifically, you should give the skin a reason to use them.”
“Needle-based treatments do exactly that,” says Dr Gizem. “They create controlled micro-trauma, which triggers the skin's natural repair response.”
Dr Gizem’s advice is to start collagen around two weeks before a treatment and continue for about a month afterwards.
“Used this way, the idea is to make collagen available when the skin is most likely to need it, with the aim of supporting hydration, elasticity and overall skin quality,” she explains.
Dose: check what is actually in the serving
According to Dr Gizem, people who feel disappointed with collagen may simply be taking too little.
“People will say, ‘I took collagen and nothing happened’, but the dose matters,” she says. “You need to look at how much collagen you’re actually getting, rather than just assuming one sachet or one serving is enough.”
Dr Gizem typically recommends around 10,000mg of collagen per day for adults taking it to support their skin. The aim, she says, is to provide the body with enough collagen to draw on, rather than taking a smaller dose that may offer too little to make a meaningful difference.
That means checking how much collagen each serving actually contains. A product containing 5,000mg per serving, for example, would require two servings to reach 10,000mg.
She adds that the right amount will not be the same for everyone, and that anyone taking prescribed medication or managing a health condition should check with a qualified medical professional before starting a new supplement.
Consistency: whatever you choose, stick with it
The third part of Dr Gizem’s approach is arguably the simplest: taking it consistently. This gives the body a steady supply of the building blocks it can use, rather than getting them occasionally with long gaps in between.
“You can buy the very best collagen, but if you take it one day, miss the next two and then start again, you’re not really following a proper course,” she says.
For Dr Gizem, consistency matters more than many of the details consumers tend to obsess over. Whether collagen comes as a powder, tablet or gummy is less important, she says, as is whether it is taken with food or on an empty stomach.
“People spend a lot of time asking whether they should take it in the morning, at night, with food or without food,” she says. “For me, getting the dose right and actually taking it consistently are much more important.”
So, should you stop taking collagen every day?
Not necessarily. Collagen production naturally begins to decline from our mid-20s, which is one reason people may turn to supplements as they get older. But for Dr Gizem, the bigger question is what you’re taking collagen for – and whether the way you take it matches that goal.
“If you're taking collagen as part of your general diet or for a specific medical reason, that's a different conversation. But if your goal is specifically your skin, taking it every day isn't the answer on its own - you have to give it something to do.”