Does Collagen Thicken Hair?
Posted July 2024
“Collagen thickens hair.”
A standard, unsurprising, knee-jerk reaction to this statement is a boatload of skepticism. Hair is made up of keratin, a protein with a completely different amino acid profile — from number to sequence — from collagen, the main structural protein of connective tissues.
So, how can it be that collagen thickens hair? But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. It wouldn’t make sense to talk about the “how” bit without first addressing this core question:
Does collagen thicken hair?
It does.
Before we share the supporting evidence, though, let’s all get on the same page about what “thicker hair” means. It can mean increased hair density. I.e., more hair per square inch of scalp. And it could also mean thicker hair strands.
Now, it's time for the proof. Several clinical trials involving human participants (so no worries about the generalizability of findings) show that collagen benefits hair thickness on both fronts:
How does collagen thicken hair?
Some crucial background knowledge on hair growth you must know.
What to know about hair growth
Hair structure
Each hair has a hair shaft and a hair root.
The shaft is the visible part of your hair that sticks out, while the hair root is embedded in the scalp, extending down to the deeper layers of the skin. At the base of the hair, the hair root widens to a round hair bulb — this is the region of the follicle that actively produces hair.
Hair growth
New keratinized cells are constantly forming in the hair bulb. These cells “clump” together and harden.
Because new hardened keratinized cells continue attaching to the hair “from below”, it is gradually pushed up out of the skin, extending the hair strand’s length.
It’s a cycle
There are 3 phases to the hair growth cycle.
The anagen phase is where new hair cells continue to grow in the hair bulb. At any point in time, about 90% of your hair is in this active growth phase.
At the end of the anagen phase, the hair root separates from the papilla, which supplies it with blood and nutrients.
A transitional phase called the catagen phase starts. This lasts anywhere between 2 to 4 weeks.
The complete separation of the hair root from the papilla kickstarts the final phase, known as the telogen phase, where the hair falls out.
New hair cells then multiply at the base of the “empty” hair follicle — restarting the anagen, catagen, and telogen cycle all over again.
How collagen thickens hair
Alright, now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, here are the 3 leading theories (as put forth by researchers) on how collagen thickens hair:
Complement collagen with other hair-boosting actives
It’s clear that collagen thickens hair.
But if you scroll back to the section where we covered the 2024 study, you’ll notice that the researchers used a collagen supplement containing a mix of collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, and biotin.
Why? Answer: because these ingredients complement and enhance collagen’s positive effect on hair:
This is why we’ve formulated our Premium Collagen Peptides with hyaluronic acid and biotin. We’ve also gone the extra step to include vitamin C, a cofactor for collagen synthesis. Because an uptick in collagen production equals a healthier scalp, which supports the growth of thicker hair.
And if you’re wondering whether it’s effective, we’ll let our customers’ before-and-after collagen results speak for themselves.
Annelis M: “My hair is sooo much healthier and has filled out especially at the ends. The collagen very clearly works wonders!!”
Cunie J: “Wow, finally something worked to grow out my bald spot! I'm so impressed”
Tarsha D: “I suffer really bad from stressed induced alopecia. When I lose my hair it takes about a year to grow back. I had been on these collagen drinks for 2 weeks and my last bald spot has grown insanely! I also have naturally really thick hair, the thickness has doubled which is driving me mental but proves this stuff really does work!”
