Collagen has become a staple of skincare advertising and social media wellness trends. But it is not just a buzzword.

It is the most abundant protein in the body and helps support structures throughout the body, including skin and bone.

For women, collagen loss can become especially noticeable during perimenopause and menopause. Some studies suggest that skin collagen may fall by as much as 30% in the first five years after menopause, with further losses of around 2% a year after that. On social media, this is sometimes called the “collagen cliff”, but the underlying idea is not new. Researchers have been writing about the effects of menopause on skin for decades, with papers from at least the 1940s pointing to the connection.

This sharper drop happens on top of the gradual changes that come with ageing. Collagen appears to decline over time, with some estimates suggesting a fall of around 1–1.5% a year from early adulthood.

Oestrogen helps regulate many processes in the body, including the production of collagen. In animal studies, oestrogen has been shown to increase collagen production and skin thickness. Human research has also found benefits for skin thickness, elasticity and wound healing.

This is partly because oestrogen acts on fibroblasts, the cells responsible for making collagen in the skin. When oestrogen levels fall during perimenopause and menopause, this signalling becomes weaker. The........

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