Hydroxyproline: the ultimate skin tightening cream ingredient

Hydroxyproline, collagen, skin firming and cellulite

LipoTherapeia: Check our advanced skin tightening and cellulite treatments in London, based on the best technologies in the world and on more than two decades of experience over more than 20,000 sessions

• Hydroxyproline: the most important skin firming cream active, for both face and body - and an essential cellulite cream active

• Skin firming and cellulite creams with hydroxyproline peptide

• What about hydroxyproline serums for cellulite, anti-ageing and skin tightening?

• Not all hydroxyproline-containing creams are the same

• Hydroxyproline, centella asiatica, cocoa flavanols and chlorogenic acid

• Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

• Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

• The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening

Hydroxyproline: the most important skin firming cream active, for both face and body - and an essential cellulite cream active

Collagen is a protein that contains high amounts of the aminoacids proline, glycine and hydroxyproline in its structure.

Hydroxyproline, specifically, is only found in collagen in the body - nowhere else - and it is THE most important aminoacid in the collagen protein.

Studies have shown that a hydroxyproline peptide stimulates collagen type I and III synthesis, as well as elastin synthesis. In addition it inhibits collagen breakdown.

Collagens type I and III are the ones that are primarily found in skin, ligaments and tendons (as opposed to collagen type II, which is found in cartilage).

Due to these qualities, bioavailable hydroxyproline peptide is one of the most important skincare actives today for skin firmness and skin elasticity, and consequently:

• Face and body skin firming creams

• Anti-ageing creams

• Stretch mark creams

• Post-liposuction aftercare creams

• Cellulite creams

Skin firming and cellulite creams with hydroxyproline peptide

As part of an anti-cellulite formulation containing other similar actives (e.g. cocoa flavanols, centella asiatica / gotu kola, hyaluronic acid etc), hydroxyproline is an essential, all natural active ingredient in the fight against skin laxity, skin aging and cellulite.

A hydroxyproline peptide is much more stable and absorbable than the pure hydroxyproline aminoacid, and therefore it is a preferred form for use in skincare.

For maximum results, skin firming and cellulite creams should always be combined with exercise and healthy nutrition, rich in:

• Vegetables, herbs, spices, berry fruits and oily fish (or vegan equivalent), which help support collagen

• Adequate protein intake (something which unfortunately most women lack), which help provide collagen

• A good collagen powder, rich in hydrolysed collagen type I & III, would also help, at a typical dose of 5-20g of pure collagen a day (this means that collagen drinks or capsules, which only contain 0.5-3g of collagen are quite pointless)

Obviously, there is no point applying a cellulite cream in an effort to reduce cellulite if you develop new cellulite every day by eating unhealthily / not exercising.

And there is no point applying a skin firming cream if you do not give your body the protein it needs to build skin and muscle (both primarily made of protein) and all the other co-factors needed for collagen/elastin production (polyphenols, carotenoids and vitamins found in herbs, veg, berry fruits, citrus fruits etc).

Always ensure you buy a cream containing a high concentration of hydroxyproline and other actives, and use it daily for 6-12 weeks at a time - not occasionally and not for just a few days.

What about hydroxyproline serums for cellulite, anti-ageing and skin tightening?

Shallow magazine/web articles like to push serums as being superior to creams. However, the fact of the matter is that serums are way too diluted and too little in quantity to have any effect on cellulite / body skin firmness.

High concentration and high quantity of product are equally necessary: you cannot possibly reduce cellulite or firm up body skin with 5-10 drops of some diluted watery serum.

Especially for body applications, you do need a lot of product.

For example, we recommend the use of 10g of our Celluence® Body cream per day. In contrast, most serum bottles contain 15-30ml (roughly equal to 15-30g) and they suggest you apply just a few drops, i.e. less than 0.5g a day.

That may be just about enough for the face (not even, really), but it is wholly inadequate for body use.

And no, serums do not get absorbed more than creams, they actually get absorbed less, simply because they are only water-soluble and cannot pass through the outer lipophilic layer of the skin. In contrast, creams are amphiphilic, i.e. both fat- and water-soluble, and can go through both the outer lipophilic and inner hydrophilic skin layers.

Not all hydroxyproline-containing creams are created the same

Concentrated AND absorbable collagen peptide creams are very rare to find.

There are many diluted ones (some contain as little as 0.01% hydroxyproline) and quite a few more concentrated ones, which however, leave the skin greasy and do not absorb well.

And there are some rare products which contain 1% hydroxyproline.

This means that the content of active molecules between hydroxyproline skincare products can vary as much as 100 times in the end-product.

Or to put it differently, you may need to apply a cream/gel/serum with a diluted collagen peptide extract 100 times just to get the benefit of applying a concentrated cream/gel/serum once. Simple maths.

So whether you buy a hydroxyproline cream for anti-aging, stretch marks, skin firming, cellulite reduction or post-liposuction aftercare, do your research first, as you would need 100x bottles of a 0.01% cream to have the same effect as one bottle of an 1% cream.

Hydroxyproline, centella asiatica, cocoa flavanols and chlorogenic acid

• Hydroxyproline is well-known for its collagen (and elastin) synthesis stimulation

• Cocoa flavanols are known for their elastin synthesis stimulation and also for protecting both collagen and elastin from damage

• On the other hand, centella asiatica is well researched for both its collagen synthesis stimulation and collagen remodelling action

• And chlorogenic acid, from green coffee, is well researched for its anti-glycation action, which further protects collagen from damage

All in all, it is a good idea to combine key active ingredients together for maximum efficacy, naturally.

However, very few cellulite creams combine those ingredients and even fewer in meaningful concentrations.

Again, do your research and look for high concentrations of multiple high-purity actives, to ensure you apply on your skin a worthwhile product - not a rip-off one.

Have a skin tightening/cellulite treatment in London with the experts

At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.

This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.

As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.

Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.

And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.

Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, microneedling-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.

And our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.

We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.

Learn more, check prices and book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment at our London clinic.

Advanced, infrared / blue / red light therapy treatments in London at LipoTherapeia

At LipoTherapeia we are passionate about phototherapy (also known as photobiomodulation/PBM, red light therapy, infrared light therapy, blue light therapy, LED light therapy etc) and we use the most powerful equipment available today (up to 200mW/cm2), for best results and treatment of large body areas.

We use specialised therapy protocols for skin rejuvenation / anti-ageing, pigmentation / post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), moderate/severe acne, skin redness, sensitive/inflamed/irritated skin, wound healing, sports injuries / musculoskeletal pain and overall wellness / well-being.

Our LED phototherapy sessions are comfortable, deeply relaxing and super-safe and are great to enhance our radiofrequency/ultrasound treatments for skin tightening / cellulite reduction.

On our booking page you can book stand-alone phototherapy sessions or combine them with our other treatments, as an add-on.

Learn more or check prices and book an expert LED phototherapy treatment at our London clinic.

The Cellulite School™: Get advanced training in cellulite reduction and skin tightening

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, LED phototherapy, cellulite and skin tightening?

Attend a half-day, 1-day, 2-day or 3-day one-to-one masterclass and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible.

Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.

Learn more or check prices and book training at our London clinic or via Zoom.