What Is Collagen?
Collagen (KOL-uh-jin) is a protein in the body. Different types of collagen are in many body parts, including hair, skin, nails, bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels, and intestines.
What Does Collagen Do?
Collagen has many different roles in the body. It:
- helps make bones strong
- lets the skin and tendons stretch
- helps with healing after an injury
What Are the Different Kinds of Collagen?
Our bodies have many different kinds of collagen. Most of it is type I collagen, found in bones and tendons. But we also have:
- type II collagen, found in (the bendable material in the nose, ears, and joints)
- type III collagen, found in skin, the lining of blood vessels, and the intestines
What Problems Can Happen With Collagen?
Depending on which type of collagen is affected, problems can include: