Does Collagen Have Any Benefits for Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin condition that causes inflammation in the skin, resulting in red, scaly, and often itchy or painful patches on different parts of the body.

Collagen, a key protein in skin, muscles, tendons, and more, is one supplement that often comes up in conversations. But does collagen actually have any benefits for psoriasis that are backed by science?

“Collagen is the protein that fills the deeper layers of skin, and decreases in collagen with age cause us to look older, with more wrinkles. The concept of collagen supplementation is that you want your body to make more collagen in your skin, so you eat collagen, since it has all the ingredients necessary to make more collagen,” says Steven Daveluy, MD, a professor and the program director at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine in Detroit, where he specializes in treating patients with skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema.

Orally as a supplement: Collagen supplements are sold in the form of powders, pills, or liquids. Most are made up of collagen peptides or hydrolyzed collagen, which are broken-down forms of the protein that are easier to absorb. They’re sometimes paired with additional nutrients related to skin and hair health, like biotin, vitamin C, or zinc.

Topically: Collagen is also included in many creams and serums, but it’s effectiveness in boosting collagen production is questionable, says Steven Feldman, MD, PhD, a professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. That’s because topical collagen is too large to seep through the skin and into the body, so it only works on the outside like a moisturizer. “If you're putting it on the skin, it wouldn't be absorbed. It would just sit on the surface,” Dr. Feldman says.

This is the preferred route for building collagen and supporting the collagen production process from within, Dr. Daveluy says. “A healthy diet already has those same amino acids and vitamins [as a collagen pill]. I'm a big fan of getting your nutrients from a healthy diet instead of supplements.”

• Collagen injections and collagen-stimulating fillers are used to fill in lines and wrinkles in the skin.
• Collagen wound dressings stimulate wound healing.
• Oral collagen supplements may reduce joint pain and improve joint function, especially when paired with exercise.

  [5]

• Vascular prosthetics, using donor collagen tissue grafts, are used to reconstruct arteries and make blood vessel prostheses.

There is no strong evidence that collagen has any positive effect on psoriasis — and there isn’t an obvious link between the two, says Chris Adigun, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in private practice in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

“There is currently no clinical evidence to support taking a collagen supplement to improve psoriasis severity,” Dr. Adigun says.

“Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease — it’s a disorder of the immune system that leads to [a rapid buildup of skin cells], but it’s also a systemic inflammation that leads to joint pain. Collagen has no place in any of that. They’re just not connected,” she says.

There are theoretical reasons collagen might offer support for some people with psoriasis; but these benefits aren’t related to treating the autoimmune condition directly, Daveluy says.

“Studies have shown that collagen peptides can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin, but it hasn't been shown if this is helpful in psoriasis or other skin diseases,” he says.

It can help with moisturizing skin and healing the skin barrier, which are important if psoriatic skin is cracking and damaged, too, for example, Adigun says. But other treatment options yield better, evidence-based, results, such as topical steroids and systemic medications.

“That's where we should focus our efforts. However, if [people are] interested in improving the appearance of their skin, its hydration and elasticity, and potentially improving wrinkles over a long period, then that would be the only place that oral collagen would have any role in their treatment plan,” Adigun says.

Research specifically testing collagen as a treatment for psoriasis is limited.

But the study had several limitations, according to Feldman: a very small sample size, no control group, and a short duration. “If you just put Vaseline on the skin, scales can disappear, psoriasis can improve, and the itch could get better. Without a control, there's no way to know if this is any better than just plain Vaseline,” he says.

The study was also open label, which means participants knew what treatment they were receiving, unlike blinded studies where this information is hidden to prevent biases. “The improvement may be due to the placebo effect: if you believe a treatment will work, it actually will,” Daveluy says.

It’s an area that requires far more high-quality research — and clinical trials in people with psoriasis. “The collagen studies have focused on the anti-aging effects,” Daveluy says.

If you’re considering collagen — either orally or topically — it’s important to discuss it with your dermatologist, says Adigun.

Helpful questions to ask include:

• Is topical collagen safe to apply to my skin?
• Can collagen — oral or topical — interfere with my current psoriasis medications?
• Is oral collagen safe for me, given my medical history?
• Are there specific ingredients I should avoid in collagen products?

Adigun says some people’s skin may be hypersensitive to new topical products. Daveluy also warns that patients with food allergies, especially to fish or shellfish, should check the source of any collagen product.

Ask your healthcare team about other complementary treatment options aside from collagen, too. “Talk to your dermatologists about treatments that actually have evidence that they are beneficial for psoriasis. Your skin and your wallet will thank you,” Daveluy says.

• Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes skin cells to grow faster, leading to itchy, inflamed, scaly patches. It’s typically treated with topical steroids, light therapy, oral medications, or biologics that target immune system pathways.
• Collagen piques people’s curiosity because it’s marketed as a supplement to boost skin health. But research showing benefits of collagen for psoriasis management is limited. Dermatologists note there’s no clear or direct connection between collagen supplementation and improving psoriasis itself.
• Talk to your doctor before trying collagen, whether oral or topical, to avoid potential adverse effects from allergies, interactions with current treatments, or products that may irritate already inflamed skin.