Anti-aging peptides have been called such for several decades in the cosmetic world. These peptides reduce fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing the facial muscles and promoting collagen production under the skin.
Collagen is responsible for even texture and elasticity in the skin. Less collagen means a less plump overall look to the skin and greater chance for fine lines to settle as deep wrinkles.
Matrixyl 3000 reduces surface wrinkles, improves skin firmness with a clinical study which showed a 68% reduction of deep surface wrinkles in 60 days.
What are peptides?
Peptides are organic chemical compounds made from the building blocks of proteins and amino acids. They are much like proteins, except they are shorter and linked by peptide bonds, hence their name. These anti-aging peptides send messages to the collagen producers under the skin to start working again. As skin ages, less collagen is produced, making fine lines and wrinkles more pronounced. Peptides also aid in the building of healthy nails, hair, and muscles. They form hormones and enzymes that help to maintain a healthy overall body.
- Milk peptides: usually derived from soybeans and have been shown to significantly reduce fine lines and wrinkles over time.
- Palmitoyl pentapeptide: two paired amino acids that have been attached to a fatty acid to promote faster absorption into the skin.
- Acetyl hexapeptide: known as a safer version of Botox, relaxes facial muscles
- Octapeptide: a longer version of acetyl hexapeptide, makes the small muscles under skin relax and reduce tension.
How do peptides produce collagen?
The skin’s collagen is lost when it ages, is damaged by the sun, or is harmed by other environmental factors. When this collagen is lost, it is not replaced. The collagen is broken down into forms specific peptides. It is the job of these peptides to signal collagen reproduction. By applying peptides directly to the face and neck, they trick the body into thinking that collagen has been lost. This then makes the skin go about producing collagen to full up the wrinkles shown on the surface of the face.
In addition to a significant reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, peptides have quite a few other benefits. This protein building block actually promotes healthy skin growth as well. Peptides play an important role in the rebuilding of damaged skin cells, this means wound repair much quicker when treated with a peptide product. Eczema and dermatitis have also been shown to improve with peptide skin care products.