The Skin Care available these days is truly amazing. Lately, some of my clients have been asking me about certain products they hear work "just like botox". My response to this is nothing but Botox works like Botox, and as Samantha Jones from Sex and the City said, "It works every time!". So what mysterious skin magic is at work here? Peptides. What are these and are they worth it? Check it out...
Peptides are segments of amino acids that constitute your collagen make up. When collagen breaks down, these peptides act as a signal to tell your skin it has been damaged and to make more protein(collagen). Skin is made up mostly of collagen; it is the foundation that gives your skin its support and thickness.
Here are three ways that peptides claim to improve wrinkles and make you look younger:
1. Peptides Signal Your Skin to Make More Collagen
When we age collagen is destroyed but not replaced. As a result young, smooth skin becomes thin and wrinkled over time.
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. The most popular signal peptide for cosmetic use is palmitoyl pentapeptide (Matrixyl). It can be found in many peptide skin products such as Rhonda Allison's Satin Peptide and Youth Essence Peptide Serum. Consistent use will result in firmer, thicker skin with less wrinkling, less photo-damage and overall improvement. (Really!)
2. Peptides Deliver Copper into Your Skin
Because peptides are small, they can penetrate the skin’s protective barriers to get to the deeper layers. When copper is attached to a peptide, the peptide can deliver copper to the living layers of the skin. There is research showing that copper is an effective agent in skin healing which is why it has been used for years to treat chronic wounds.
Copper peptides promote collagen production and act as antioxidants. They are needed for natural healing and regeneration of your skin and to help remove damaged collagen. Copper peptides can be found Epicuren's BioPeptide Serum.
3. Neuropeptides Have a "Botox" LIke Affect
Some peptides might block transmission of signals from nerves to your facial muscles. In particular, a neuropeptide called argireline has been shown in the laboratory to block the release of neurotransmitters from nerves. 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.
