Science, Not Trends: A Doctor’s Guide to Choosing Collagen...
- SE1
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
AND, extended half price microneedling offer!
Science, Not Trends: A Doctor’s Guide to Choosing Collagen
Collagen has become one of those supplements you see everywhere now: powders, drinks, gummies, even as an add-on in smoothie bars! The choice is huge, but so is the noise around it.
As a doctor working in women’s and hormonal health, I always come back to the same questions when I’m evaluating anything that we use for health: what’s actually in it, what dose are you getting, and what does the evidence really say?
The good news is that the science behind oral collagen is becoming increasingly robust. A 2026 umbrella review in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum brought together 16 meta-analyses, 113 randomised controlled trials and almost 8,000 participants. It found high-certainty evidence that collagen supplementation can improve skin elasticity and hydration, with convincing evidence across other areas of connective tissue health as well.
So, with an increasing scientific basis for its role in skin health and with so many products available, what should we be looking for?
Look at the dose: not just the word “collagen”
One of the easiest traps is choosing a product simply because “collagen” appears prominently on the packaging. But the presence of collagen alone doesn’t tell you very much: the dose matters too.
Some products may contain collagen in relatively small amounts, particularly when it has to fit into gummies, capsules or small-volume shots. That’s why it’s worth looking beyond the front of the packaging and checking exactly how much collagen a daily serving provides.
Each daily serving of Totally Derma® contains 10,000 mg of Arthred® hydrolysed bovine collagen. This is a substantial, evidence-aligned dose, sitting at the upper end of the range commonly investigated in clinical studies about collagen. Rather than simply including enough collagen to feature it on the label, Totally Derma® provides a clinically meaningful daily amount in line with the doses used in published research.
Check the type and form of collagen
Not all collagen products are formulated in the same way. Totally Derma® uses hydrolysed collagen, meaning the collagen has been broken down into smaller peptides that can be readily absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.
The source matters too. While many supplements use marine collagen, which is predominantly Type I collagen, Totally Derma® uses Arthred® bovine collagen to provide a broader spectrum of Types I, II and III collagen. This is particularly relevant for a formulation designed to support more than skin alone, as different collagen types are found across tissues including skin, bone, cartilage and connective tissue.
Look at the whole formulation
I also wouldn’t judge a supplement on one headline ingredient alone.
Totally Derma® combines its 10,000 mg collagen dose with 210 mg of hyaluronic acid, alongside vitamin C, grape seed extract, green tea extract, alpha-lipoic acid, zinc, manganese and copper.
Each of these ingredients has a specific biological role. The collagen provides the structural amino acid building blocks for connective tissues such as skin, cartilage and bone. The hyaluronic acid contributes to the skin’s extracellular matrix, where it helps bind water and support tissue hydration and elasticity.
Vitamin C is included because it is an essential cofactor in the body’s own collagen synthesis process: without it, normal collagen formation cannot occur efficiently. Trace minerals such as zinc, manganese and copper are also required for enzymes involved in connective tissue maintenance and repair.
The botanical extracts and antioxidants, including grape seed extract, green tea extract and alpha-lipoic acid, are there to help support the body’s natural defence against oxidative stress, which is one of the key factors involved in skin ageing and collagen breakdown.
For me, this is much more interesting than simply adding a long list of fashionable ingredients. The question should always be: why is each ingredient there?
Ask whether the actual product has been studied
There is now a substantial amount of research into collagen generally, but that does not automatically mean every collagen supplement on the market has been clinically evaluated.
Ideally, I want to see a company go one step further and investigate its finished formulation.
Totally Derma® has done this through its own clinical research, including a 12-week absorption and skin study in women aged 46–65. Researchers measured blood markers following supplementation, performed skin biopsies before and after the study period and used facial skin analysis to assess changes over time.
Beyond this, Totally Derma® has also undertaken further clinical studies looking at areas including skin, hair, nails, joint health and women’s health, building an increasingly broad evidence base around the formulation.
Be wary of products promising overnight transformation
Clinical credibility also means being realistic about what a supplement can achieve.
Collagen biology is gradual. Studies investigating oral collagen generally look at changes over weeks or months, not days.
That means that I would be cautious of anything promising dramatic overnight improvements or suggesting that supplementation can replace the fundamentals of skin health!
Good skincare, adequate nutrition, sun protection, exercise, sleep and appropriate medical treatment all still matter. Collagen should be viewed as one part of that bigger picture.
Science over trends
Ultimately, choosing a collagen supplement should be less about following the latest wellness trend and more about asking sensible questions.
Is the dose transparent? Is the form clearly stated? Does the formulation make biological sense? Is there credible research behind the ingredients, and ideally behind the finished product itself? Are the claims realistic?
These are the things I look for as a doctor, and they are also what differentiate clinically focused formulations such as Totally Derma® in an increasingly crowded supplement market.
This is a paid partnership with Totally Derma®. I work with brands whose products align with my evidence-led approach to hormonal and women’s health. Totally Derma® is a collagen supplement I’m pleased to recommend and one I take personally.
Extended half price microneedling offer!
HALF PRICE MICRONEEDLING!
At any available time in the online diary with Emma from 17th Aug to 31st Aug 2026.
To book you session at £112.50 instead of £225 use the link below and add code MICRO at the checkout when booking your chosen date.
Comments