What is glycation and how does it affect skin ageing?

If you’re concerned about loss of firmness, wrinkles or a dull complexion, there’s a process that’s increasingly being talked about: glycation.

Although not as well known as collagen or elastin, glycation plays a key role in skin ageing. Understanding what it is and how it affects the skin allows for a more comprehensive approach to skincare.

What is glycation?

Glycation is a natural process that occurs when sugars bind to proteins in the body, such as collagen or elastin. As a result, molecules known as AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) are formed, which alter the structure and function of these proteins.

In simple terms, glycation causes the skin’s fibres to become stiffer and less functional.

What is glycation in the skin?

When this process occurs in the skin, it directly affects the components responsible for its firmness and elasticity.

Collagen and elastin form a network that keeps the skin firm, supple and resilient. However, when affected by glycation:

• They lose flexibility
  
• They become more fragile
  
• Their ability to regenerate decreases

Glycation and collagen: why it affects firmness

Collagen is the protein that provides structure to the skin. When affected by glycation, its fibres harden and lose their ability to adapt. This has several consequences:

• Firmness decreases
  
• Increased appearance of wrinkles
  
• The skin loses density

That is why the relationship between glycation and collagen is key to understanding skin ageing.

Glycation and ageing: a progressive process

Glycation is a process that occurs gradually and is influenced by various factors:

• The passage of time
  
• Diet
  
• Oxidative stress
  
• Sun exposure

As this process progresses, the skin not only shows visible signs of ageing, but also loses its functionality.

How does glycation affect skin quality?

The impact of glycation goes beyond wrinkles. When the skin’s proteins are affected, there is an overall change in its quality:

• Reduced elasticity
  
• Loss of firmness
  
• Dull appearance
  
• Greater tendency to sag

In other words, the skin not only ages, but also loses its ability to respond and adapt.

A more comprehensive approach to skin ageing

We now know that skin ageing does not depend on a single factor, but on multiple processes occurring simultaneously. That is why the current approach to skincare aims to act at different levels:

• Supporting the skin’s structure
  
• Protecting against oxidative damage
  
• Contributing to the maintenance of its proteins

In this context, some formulas combine hydrolysed collagen with other complementary ingredients to address the skin in a more holistic way, taking into account processes such as glycation.

The skin also ages from within

Glycation is a clear example of how skin ageing does not depend solely on what we see in the mirror. Internal processes such as collagen stiffness or elastin degradation directly influence how the skin looks and behaves over time.

That is why understanding what glycation is allows us to adopt a more comprehensive approach to skincare.