Collagen, Hair Growth & Longevity: What Happened After 8 Weeks of NEE-V
By Eryn Behan, Founder of NEE-V
When Maria sent me these photos, I had to look twice.
They were taken just eight weeks apart.
The difference she noticed in the appearance, thickness and overall condition of her hair was incredible to see.
As the founder of NEE-V, receiving messages and photographs like these is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. But Maria's experience also raises a question I'm increasingly interested in:
Can collagen support healthier, stronger-looking hair as we age?
The answer deserves more than a marketing claim.
Maria's experience is her own and individual results will always vary. The science surrounding collagen supplementation and hair is also still developing.
But her experience opens up a much bigger conversation about collagen, hair, skin, healthy ageing and something I believe we're going to hear much more about over the coming years: longevity.
8 Weeks of NEE-V: Maria's Experience
Maria's NEE-V journey, photographed eight weeks apart. Individual results vary.
Does Collagen Help Hair Growth? What the Science Actually Says
The evidence around collagen and hair is becoming increasingly compelling, particularly when we look at specific, clinically researched collagen peptides.
Hair itself is primarily made from keratin, but collagen plays an important structural role in the tissues surrounding the hair follicle and in the skin where each hair grows.
This is why the type of collagen you take matters.
NEE-V is formulated with VERISOL® Bioactive Collagen Peptides®, rather than generic collagen. In human clinical research, women taking 2.5 g of VERISOL® daily for 16 weeks experienced a statistically significant increase in hair thickness compared with placebo.
For anyone looking for a collagen to support thicker, fuller and healthier-looking hair, that's an important distinction.
And it's one of the reasons I have always said:
Not all collagen is created equal.
Hair health is influenced by many factors, including age, hormones, nutrition, genetics and overall health, so no supplement can guarantee the same result for every person. But when choosing a collagen for hair, I believe it makes sense to choose one containing specific collagen peptides with human research behind them.
And then we have Maria.
After just eight weeks of taking NEE-V consistently, the visible difference in her hair speaks for itself: longer, fuller and noticeably healthier-looking.
Her experience is individual, but combined with the research behind the collagen peptides we use, it's a powerful example of why I'm so passionate about NEE-V.
Real results. Clinically researched collagen peptides. One daily ritual.
Not All Collagen Is the Same
This is one of the most important things I've learned since creating NEE-V.
Collagen isn't simply collagen.
Collagen & Longevity: How to Choose the Best Collagen for Healthy Ageing
When you're comparing collagen powders, it's easy to look at the number of grams on the front of the tub and assume more must mean better.
That's not necessarily how I look at it.
I'm much more interested in questions like:
What collagen peptides are being used?
Have those specific peptides been clinically researched?
What was the researched daily amount?
What is actually in the formulation?
And can the product realistically become part of someone's everyday routine?
NEE-V was created around this philosophy.
Rather than following the idea that more must always be better, I wanted our formulations to be purposeful, considered and grounded in research.
Less hype. More integrity.
That philosophy has become increasingly important to me as the wellness industry grows.
Why Does Hair Change as We Age?
Hair changes throughout our lives.
Many women notice changes in hair thickness, texture, density or shedding as they get older, particularly around periods of hormonal change such as perimenopause and menopause.
But ageing isn't the only possible explanation.
Nutrition, iron levels, thyroid function, hormones, stress, genetics, illness and some medications can all affect hair.
This is important because sudden, significant or unexplained hair loss shouldn't simply be treated with another supplement.
It deserves a conversation with an appropriate health professional.
For the rest of us, I think there is enormous value in looking at hair as another visible reflection of a much bigger picture.
How are we eating?
Are we getting enough protein?
Are we moving our bodies?
Are we sleeping?
Are we managing stress?
Are we supporting our skin?
Are we building and maintaining muscle?
What does our overall health look like?
These are not glamorous questions.
But increasingly, I think they're the questions that matter.
From Anti-Ageing to Healthy Ageing
For decades, women have been sold the idea of anti-ageing.
I've never particularly liked it.
Ageing isn't something we need to fight.
The much more interesting conversation is about how well we age.
That's where longevity comes in.
Longevity is often interpreted simply as living for as many years as possible. But I'm much more interested in the idea of healthspan: supporting the years in which we remain healthy, strong, active and able to enjoy our lives.
For me, that means thinking beyond what we see in the mirror.
Skin health matters.
Muscle matters.
Bone health matters.
Nutrition matters.
Movement matters.
Sleep matters.
Metabolic health matters.
And yes, for many of us, feeling good about our hair matters too.
Beauty and longevity don't need to exist in separate worlds.
I think the future of wellness is where they meet.
The NEE-V Healthy Ageing Guide 2026: 25 Questions Answered by Doctors, Researchers & Global Experts
Why I Created NEE-V
I didn't create NEE-V because I wanted to become an influencer.
I created it because I became fascinated by the science behind collagen, the enormous differences between products and the gap I could see between wellness marketing and evidence.
That curiosity has grown far beyond collagen.
Today I'm increasingly interested in the science of healthy ageing, longevity, strength, cellular wellness and the everyday behaviours that may help us feel better for longer.
It's also why I've become increasingly involved in the wider conversation around where wellness is heading.
For me, building NEE-V isn't simply about selling another supplement.
It's about asking better questions.
What actually works?
What does the research say?
What are consumers being told that isn't quite accurate?
And how can we make evidence-led wellness simple enough to become part of everyday life?
That's the conversation I want NEE-V to be part of.
Talking Longevity & the Future of Wellness on Ticker News
I recently joined Ticker News to talk about the future of wellness in Australia, the growth of the longevity industry and how NEE-V is finding its place in an increasingly crowded wellness market.
One of the themes I keep coming back to is trust.
There is more information available to us than ever before.
There are also more products, more trends, more promises and more noise.
I don't think consumers need more hype.
I think they want to understand why they're taking something.
They want transparency.
They want evidence.
And increasingly, they want wellness products that support not only how they look today, but how they want to feel and function in the years ahead.
That's where I believe wellness is heading.
And it's where NEE-V is heading too.
Collagen, Hair, Skin and Longevity: How Does It All Fit Together?
Collagen shouldn't be positioned as the answer to longevity.
It isn't.
And taking collagen isn't a replacement for eating well, exercising, building muscle, sleeping properly, wearing SPF or looking after your overall health.
I see it as one part of the picture.
Collagen is a major structural protein in the body. As we age, the collagen within our tissues changes, which is one reason collagen has become such an important part of the healthy-ageing conversation.
For skin specifically, certain collagen peptides have been studied for outcomes including skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkles.
But the bigger lesson for me is this:
There is rarely one ingredient, one treatment or one habit that determines how well we age.
The best approach is layered.
That's something I've written about previously in relation to Botox and collagen, but I think the same principle applies to longevity.
Nutrition.
Movement.
Strength.
Sleep.
Gut health.
Sun protection.
Evidence-led supplementation.
Consistency.
They work together.
So, What Should You Look for in a Collagen Supplement?
If you're trying to choose the best collagen powder for you, don't simply look for the biggest number on the label.
I would look for:
Clinically researched collagen peptides.
Ask what specific ingredient you're actually taking and what research exists behind it.
A purposeful daily serving.
More isn't automatically better. Look at the amount studied for the particular ingredient and intended benefit.
Ingredient transparency.
You should be able to understand what you're putting into your body and why it's there.
A formulation suited to you.
Marine or bovine. Flavoured or unflavoured. There isn't one answer that's right for everyone.
Something you'll actually take consistently.
The “perfect” wellness product sitting untouched in your cupboard isn't particularly useful.
For me, simplicity and consistency win.
What Maria's 8-Week Result Means to Me
Maria's photographs aren't proof that everyone who takes NEE-V will experience the same result.
And I wouldn't want to pretend they are.
They're something else.
They're the experience of a real NEE-V customer who consistently incorporated the product into her routine and was excited enough about what she saw after eight weeks to share it with us.
That means a lot to me.
When I started NEE-V, I wanted to create products I could genuinely stand behind.
Every customer who comes back, every review, every message and every story like Maria's reminds me why I kept going.
Eight weeks. One daily ritual. One remarkable customer experience.
Individual results will always vary.
But consistency is something I believe in enormously.
The Next Chapter of NEE-V: Cellular Wellness
NEE-V was never meant to stop at collagen.
The deeper I've gone into the science of healthy ageing, the more interested I've become in what happens beyond skin.
Strength. Vitality. Muscle. Energy. Cellular health. Longevity.
Behind the scenes, I've been developing our next product in the cellular wellness space, designed around strength, vitality and longevity.
I wanted to create something simple.
Evidence-led.
Easy to understand.
And easy to make part of an everyday routine.
One ingredient. One daily ritual.
I can't share everything yet.
But this next chapter represents where I believe NEE-V is going.
From beauty from within to wellness from within.
And I can't wait to share more.
Final Thoughts
Maria's eight-week NEE-V experience is a beautiful example of why I love hearing directly from our customers.
But for me, this story is bigger than hair.
It's about changing the way we think about ageing.
Rather than constantly asking how we can look younger, perhaps the more valuable question is:
How can we support ourselves to age well?
That means being curious.
It means questioning hype.
It means understanding the science.
And it means building simple, sustainable rituals we can carry with us for years rather than weeks.
That's what healthy ageing means to me.
And increasingly, that's what NEE-V means too.
Created with care. Backed by science. Loved for results.
Ready to Start Your NEE-V Ritual?
Discover our range of evidence-led collagen formulations and find the one that works for your everyday routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does collagen help hair growth?
Research specifically examining collagen supplements and hair growth is still developing, so collagen shouldn't be presented as a guaranteed hair-growth treatment. Hair health is influenced by many factors including nutrition, hormones, genetics and overall health.
How long does collagen take to work?
There isn't one timeframe that applies to every person or every outcome. The timeframes used in clinical research vary according to the specific collagen peptide and outcome being studied. Consistency is important when taking any supplement according to its recommended use.
Can collagen make hair thicker?
Some people report changes in the appearance or condition of their hair while taking collagen, including Maria's experience shared in this article. However, individual customer results should not be interpreted as proof that collagen will increase hair thickness for everyone.
What is the best collagen for women?
There isn't one collagen supplement that's best for every woman. Consider the source of collagen, the specific peptides used, clinical research behind those peptides, formulation, serving size and whether the product suits your lifestyle.
Is marine collagen better than bovine collagen?
Neither is automatically “better”. Marine and bovine collagen come from different sources, and the more useful questions are what specific collagen peptides are being used, what evidence supports them and which formulation is appropriate for your preferences and goals.
Is collagen good for women over 40?
Collagen production and the structure of collagen-containing tissues change with age. Some women choose collagen supplementation as part of a broader healthy-ageing routine, alongside nutrition, movement, strength training, sleep and appropriate skin care.
What does collagen have to do with longevity?
Collagen is an important structural protein, but taking collagen has not been shown to extend lifespan. At NEE-V, we see collagen as one potential component of a much broader healthy-ageing approach focused on healthspan, strength, nutrition, movement, sleep and overall wellbeing.
Can I take collagen during menopause?
Many women incorporate collagen into their wellness routine during perimenopause and menopause. However, collagen isn't a treatment for menopause itself. Speak with an appropriate health professional if you have concerns about significant hair loss, symptoms or supplementation.
Why does NEE-V focus on clinically researched collagen peptides?
Because the word “collagen” alone doesn't tell you everything about a product. We believe consumers should understand the specific ingredients they're taking, the rationale behind the formulation and the research supporting them.
What is cellular wellness?
Cellular wellness is a broad term used in the wellness industry to describe supporting the biological processes that underpin overall health and function. For NEE-V, it represents the next evolution of our healthy-ageing philosophy: looking beyond appearance towards strength, vitality and longevity.