When it comes to aging, function trumps form every time— but the two are undeniably connected. So while some may think it's shallow to focus on appearances, it goes deeper than you think.
Ever wonder why kids have such flawless skin? It's because their tissues fend off free radical damage better and remodel more often. As we get wiser, our skin can lose elastin and collagen, our moisture barrier weakens, damaged protein builds up, subcutaneous fat thins, antioxidants dwindle, and stem cells are less willing to rebuild. This all results in noticeable fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, thinning, dimpling, and sagging.
It’s one of those things that can sneak up on you until one day you look in the mirror and think, “Who the hell is that?” It’s a sign that our biological systems are slowly but surely breaking down thanks to the wear and tear of life (environmental stressors and oxidative damage). It’s completely natural and normal— but is it really all downhill from here?
Between 10-year-old girls buying retinol serums and the jump in outlandish cosmetic procedures, our youth-obsessed culture will do almost anything to hold onto younger-looking skin for as long as possible. Many go as far as intentionally injecting neurotoxins multiple times a year (aka botox). Even the milder wrinkle creams still contain irritants, detergents, and polymeric substances that inflame, swell, or mechanically tighten the skin. Reaching for these products is unproductive at best and destructive at worst as they certainly don’t rejuvenate cells and can actually accelerate aging in the long run. While living longer shouldn’t automatically translate to deterioration, the anti-aging industry is clearly missing the point.
What if we hone in on function instead of targeting form with harmful quick fixes? By supporting our skin’s built-in remodeling process that keeps it plump, hydrated, and clear in our early years, that youthful glow will gradually return on its own. Copper peptides are proven to biologically recharge this natural anti-aging function to gently reverse fine lines, lighten scars, and renew cells to strengthen every layer of the skin. Not only enhancing the appearance of your skin but more importantly its function and overall health.
Read on to learn how GHK-Cu copper peptides naturally turn back time in your skin— the right way.
What are copper peptides? GHK-Cu?
Peptides in general are short chains of amino acids that form the building blocks of protein. They’re involved in cell movement, wound repair, skin barrier function, hormone production, energy use— the list goes on.
GHK is a special tripeptide in our blood, saliva, and urine that bonds with copper (Cu) ions to form GHK-Cu. This fusion triggers the natural repair process after proteins are broken down in the body to stimulate blood vessels, produce new collagen and elastin, and regulate inflammation.
Copper peptides are the body's full-time construction workers. They tirelessly build and repair linings and tissues in the skin, gut, liver, lungs, and digestive tract to maintain their integrity and functionality. And guess what? We make less and less of it with age. This means that the older we get, the harder it is for our skin to clear out old proteins and repair itself.
Thankfully, a biochemist named Dr. Loren Pickart isolated the human copper-binding peptide GHK in 1973 so it's now possible to restock whenever you start running low. His research uncovered that this beautiful blue molecule essentially “resets the body’s genes to a younger age.” In our youth, genes are better at activating stem cells to regenerate and prevent scarring, but over time this process becomes dysregulated. Dr. Pickart compares this resetting effect to how a piano must be periodically fine-tuned to maintain melodic balance. (1) Imagine owning a piano for decades without ever tuning it? Not exactly music to the ears. Tuning gene expression with GHK-Cu helps revive stem cells in the skin to repair past damage and orchestrate youthful resilience.
However, Dr. Pickart warns that not all copper peptides are the same. Some are either ineffective or too harsh on the skin. He recommends opting for GHK-Cu because it’s the perfect balance of potent and gentle. As the first generation of copper peptides, it’s biologically identical to the stuff in your blood and can stimulate remodeling without inflammation or irritation.
Why does our skin need to be remodeled?
Healthy, radiant skin never stays the same. It’s a living breathing organ full of change.
The unique multi-layered structure allows fresh skin cells to replace older cells on top, clearing out damaged protein and building new tissue again and again. Kids can endure sunburn and injury without wrinkles or scars to show for it because their skin replaces itself every two weeks or so— with the decline of GHK-Cu this only happens every nine weeks by the time we reach 70. Less regeneration leads to protein buildup that weakens barrier function, impairs wound healing, and thins the skin. Psoriasis and acne are also often caused by the slow removal of skin cells which may mean there aren’t enough copper peptides in the skin.
Many products tout benefits that are meaningless without skin remodeling. “Stimulating collagen” is no good unless we remove the dead protein first, otherwise the skin will continue to accumulate damage and develop wrinkles, uneven tone, enlarged pores, spots, and other imperfections.
How topical copper peptides keep skin young.
The years may slowly steal our skin’s ability to remodel, but we can make up for lost time by supplementing with topical GHK-Cu. It mimics our own remodeling system by activating the removal of old proteins and the production of new collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans (polysaccharides that support skin structure).
Consistently tossing out the old and ushering in the new results in smoother, clearer, younger-looking skin over time. But it’s important to remember, this isn’t a quick fix you’d see in an Instagram ad. It took time to do the damage, it’s going to take some to set things right. About 6 to 12 months is what’s to be expected— a blink in the grand scheme of things.
Just a few benefits of copper peptides for the skin:
- Reduce fine lines and wrinkle depth.
Fine lines are superficial wrinkles that appear in thin dry areas. GHK-Cu gradually restores the moisture barrier and water-holding protein stores to plump skin and eliminate lines. Expression wrinkles are caused by facial muscles moving in areas of low elasticity. Copper peptides can increase elastin and remodel skin to minimize wrinkles (so you can keep on smiling).
- Fend off oxidative stress.
Copper peptides increase antioxidants like superoxide dismutase– the master antioxidant that detoxifies ROS and prevents oxidation in the skin. They also repair past oxidative damage and reduce the accumulation of gene mutations that can contribute to premature aging and skin disorders.
- Calm irritation and redness.
GHK-Cu lowers NFkB, TNF-alpha, and Interleukin 6, the cytokines that trigger the inflammatory response. It also regulates iron release from ferritin to promote iron recycling and prevent further inflammation in the cell.
- Heal faster and tighten skin.
The increased fibroblasts and keratinocyte proliferation help produce more collagen and form the extracellular matrix needed for tissue repair. GHK-Cu helps fibroblasts connect collagen strands to tighten the skin barrier and increase protein density for more resilience and elasticity.
- Stop grease and shrink pores.
Reduces excess sebum production in oil glands to prevent comedone formation. As skin firms and thickens, it squeezes the pore downward and inward to appear smaller.
- Forget dryness.
Improve the integrity of the skin barrier and water-holding protein density to prevent moisture loss and retain water more efficiently
- Get your glow on.
Lightens blemishes on the skin and stimulates microcirculation for better skin nutrition and that sought-after rosy glow.
- Less blemishes, more clarity.
GHK-Cu is known to facilitate more decorin (anti-scarring protein) and decrease TGF-beta (a cytokine that increases scarring).
- Tighten up.
Skin remodeling copper peptides increase subcutaneous fat (baby fat) and elastin proteins to naturally improve skin volume, elasticity, and stability.
- Brighten and clear.
GHK-Cu breaks up damaged proteins and stimulates stem cell regeneration to reduce scars, photodamage, and hyperpigmentation.
How to use copper peptides.
Who said you can’t have healthy, resilient, beautiful-looking skin as you age? Keeping up with skin remodeling is a lot like taking care of your home. It’s best to manage problems like peeling paint, leaks, and pests before they even come up. How much more important is the shelter of your body? Weaving copper peptides into your skincare routine renews and repairs the fabric that holds it all together.
Your copper peptide ritual:
- Lightly stimulate with a dry brush, facecloth, full-fat yogurt (lactic acid), or sugar scrub, 1 to 2 times per week. (Mildly exfoliating the skin beforehand can help mimic the initial abrasive stages of skin repair to enhance the effectiveness of GHK-Cu)
- Wash your face with a mild cleanser (neutral or slightly acidic pH). Rose water or raw honey can be a great option for this.
- Apply skin-remodeling copper peptides to target areas, 3 to 4 times a week.
- Top with a biological healing oil like tallow to nourish the skin barrier and bring GHK-Cu into the deep layers to increase effectiveness. Better yet, use Copper Peptide Salve to tackle aging from all angles.
Beautiful skin is healthy skin. So let’s collectively ditch the injections to ask why our skin is losing its youth— and heal it on a cellular level. With a little patience and trust, you might just catch your reflection and surprise yourself (in a good way).
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As always, while we hope to be a no-nonsense resource for you, we encourage you to do your own research to find the healthiest options for you and your family. Don’t forget to check out our entire collection of tallow-based skin care products by clicking the link below. We hope to see you there!
REFERENCES:
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108. doi: 10.1155/2015/648108. Epub 2015 Jul 7. PMID: 26236730; PMCID: PMC4508379.
- Pickart, Loren. Ghk Copper Peptides. Cape San Juan Press, 13 July 2017.