I heard Collagen can help increase elasticity of your skin. It is included in seaweed. Collagen is also a age-defying substance due to helping maintain elasticity of the skin.
Has anybody ever tried this to help the anus stretch with more ease?
Here's a link about collagen.
http://www.wisegeek.com/which-foods-contain-the-most-collagen.htm

That's a very interesting article...thanks for the post!

Collagen is a protein that is present in many tissues of the body and makes strands that go through organs, muscles, and yes sub-layers of the skin. Body produces collagen as any other protein by connecting amino-acids together into long strands. ANY protein that we eat will be digested in our guts to the level of amino-acids that will be reabsorbed into our bloodstream and than used as needed to form new proteins of OUR kind (human origin).
So, no particular food "gives you more collagen" - you do not absorb collagen as it is from the food or supplements - you use ANY protein of animal or plant origin to digest it to the level of amino-acids and than make your own proteins from the scratch.
That said - unless you are not eating any proteins - yes, you need to include them in your diet so you would not lack essential amino-acids, and any protein will do (eggs, milk, meat, etc., plant proteins do NOT have all essential amino-acids).
Unfortunately, with age our body just stops being efficient in regenerating enough of collagen and maaaany other things - so we get old....and wrinkly ....and arthritic...and develop plaques...and loose teeth and LOL ....yeah , FUN TIME : (. We can maybe make it little bit better with some supplements - but unfortunately not to the point when significant results are seen

Hey Fiss,
I am going to get a "seaweed" facial this month--maybe that will help with collagen in my skin???

Seaweed is great for detox and also has many trace minerals and vitamins and rare pigments that definitely helps skin !!!! For collagen production you will have better results with "Thermage" or other laser treatments. They actually make micro-injury to the skin and FORCE skin to produce extra collagen- the only sci. proven method.
Enjoy your facial : )) - I wish I have time or money or energy or will for those *sigh...

Fiss,
I just had dermabrasion this past Friday prior to the facial. How have you and your family been??????? You've been gone awhile!!!!!!!

Not so good here Cheryl - thanks for asking I would just rather not talk about it - it makes me more sad .
I am so glad to see that you are doing well and also many other members : )) ! On the other side, some are still suffering and with STUPID BUTT pains and I am so, soooo sorry to hear that :( I wish I have a healing powers and could heal everybody here and in general - that would be the only super-power I would ever like to have - to heal people .....

You help a lot, Fiss, with your knowledge about how the body works!!!! I'll say a prayer for you and your family. Can't hurt! The manager of my son's group home was recently been diagnosed with cancer. She is young--in her 30's. She has a tumor between her cervix and uterus. My FIL has been given a 6 month life expectancy. He was diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct, and it has spread to his liver. We are over the shock of it now. He feels good and had a stent put in to keep his bile duct open. He's 89 1/2. He was our neighbor b/4 I married my husband (who was also my neighbor), so I have known my FIL for a very long time!!

Cheryl, Sorry to hear of your FIL.
dear fissy, even though I'm not here much, I miss you when you are gone.
Sorry to hear you are having life problems.

Will be praying for you both and your families.
ps my son took my computer to TX and I "lost" my old email address