What are Peptides?

The word peptide is Greek for something small that is easily digested. The word ‘peptide’ refers to two or more amino acids joined together. Peptides can contain more than two amino acids; these longer chains of amino acids strung together are called polypeptides, more commonly referred to as proteins.  They are basically the residue or left-overs when amino acids link up.

 

As world-famous dermatologist, Dr. Banabio says:

“Skin is made up mostly of collagen; it is the foundation that gives your skin its support and thickness. Young people have lots of collagen and taut, smooth skin. In contrast, older people have much less collagen and thin, wrinkled skin. Collagen is protein and is made up long chains of amino acids strung together, like chains of linked building blocks. When it is broken down, short segments of 3-5 amino acids form, called peptides.”

 

Some ways peptides claim to improve or make skin look younger:

  • Peptides signal your skin to make more collagen!

When we age collagen breaks down and is depleted, but not replaced; as a result skin becomes thin and wrinkled. When collagen breaks down, it forms specific peptides. These peptides act as a signal to tell your skin it was damaged and to make new collagen. Applying peptides directly to your skin is a way to trick your skin into thinking that it has lost collagen recently and needs to make more.

 

  • Peptides deliver copper into your skin!

Remember peptides are small, so they can penetrate the skin’s protective barriers to get to the deeper layers. When copper is attached to a peptide, it delivers copper to the living layers of the skin. Copper is an effective skin healing ingredient, it has been used for years to treat chronic wounds, it promotes collagen production and acts as antioxidants.

 

  • Neuropeptides can act like Botox!

Some peptides might actually be able to block transmission of signals from nerves to your facial muscles. A particular neuropeptide called argireline has been shown (in laboratory tests) to block the release of neurotransmitters from nerves, ergo if argireline was absorbed all the way through the skin to the level of the muscle, then it might block contraction of the muscle, leading to smoother skin, similar to Botox. Great, right? Well, here is the problem:  it would be like pouring a glass of water onto a mattress and waiting for it to soak all the way through. Buyer beware! While they sound great, there is essentially no good published scientific data either proving or disproving their effectiveness.

 

After all that… Peptides might not do anything at all.

There are so very many things that have to go right in order for peptides to have any real benefit. They are “break-down” products of proteins, so they have to be stabilized or they will continue to break down once they are put in a topical cream, rendering them useless. Also, they have to be in a cream that can actually penetrate the skin.

 

Who does it best:

Peptide technology:

Strivectin $75.

SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum $250.

Oil of Olay’s Regenerist line, which I recommend to my clients on a budget.

 

Peptides with Copper:

Neova Day or Night Therapy $80 each. Neova serum $100.

Osmotics Blue Copper $55 and serum $75.

Neutrogena’s Visibly Firm line.

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