Like collagen, elastin is a protein that functions in your skin like a rubber band, stretching and contracting back to its original shape, although becoming weakened and losing elasticity the older it gets and the more it is used.
As with collagen, elastin uses vitamin C and amino acids as its powerhouse for reproducing. It’s also important to eat sufficient proteins in your diet in order to help replenish your body’s supply…including collagen and elastin.
You will most likely begin to see signs of a decrease in elastin in your skin between the ages of 30 and 40. As mentioned in our section on Elasticity (Link), pollutants and sun exposure can weaken the elastin and have a negative affect on its production in your body, along with that of collagen.