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Beautiful, Youthful Skin with Peptides
Maintaining healthy skin is not just cosmetic. The skin is your body’s protective covering and prevents germs from entering the body, supports the life of all other body parts and plays a role in maintaining the immune system.
Skin that is intact, healthy and moisturized is the body’s first line of defense against microorganisms and provides a protective barrier from numerous environmental threats and facilitates retention of moisture. Unfortunately, as we age our skin becomes dryer and rougher and we lose this protective barrier.
Therefore, looking after the health of our skin is just as important as the rest of our body. Research has shown that a peptide called GHK-Cu may be a very important contributor to healthy skin. As we age our levels of GHK decrease which coincides with the noticeable decrease in our regenerative capacity.
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is a small, natural copper carrying peptide that has vast physiological effects on the body. It is one of the most well-examined peptides that significantly declines with age and is widely used in the cosmetic industry as an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, after-sun, skin renewal, and skin moisturizer.
The benefits of GHK-Cu actually go beyond the skin. Studies have shown that GHK also improves infection, wound healing, cognition and many other functions. It acts as a potent protector of tissue and is an anti-inflammatory agent that controls oxidate damage that occurs after tissue injury and generates new, healthy tissue. It even has been studied in cancer patients. Of 1309 bioactive substances studied, only 2 were found to silence genes that are over expressed in tumor spreading. GHK-Cu was one of those.
GHK-Cu is 100% natural and improves DNA repair process. A 2010 joint MIT/Harvard study showed that multiple genes are affected by GHK-Cu to promote health.
When you are 20, your body’s levels of GHK-Cu is around 200 ug/ml. By the age of 60, the level drops to 80 ug/ml.
GHK was selected as the best choice out of 1300 bioactive molecules. It is safe, extensively studied in humans for decades without any adverse effects.
The Beneficial Effects of GHK-Cu
Promotes Smooth, Wrinkle-Free Skin
Healthy collagen is the key to young looking skin as it lies within the deep layers of the dermis, providing a framework for the rest of the skin. Optimal levels of collagen = firm and strong skin.
Elastin is also very important for skin quality and expansion and contraction of the skin.
Our reserves of collagen and elastin decline as we age which leads to the formation of wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.
The function of copper in GHK increases the production of both collagen and elastin which promotes smooth and wrinkle-free skin.
A 2015 placebo-controlled study found that consistent application of copper peptides through the use of skin cream can significantly improve skin quality. After a month of GHK-peptide use, 70% of the subjects showed an increase in skin collagen production which was seen as an improvement in skin clarity and density and a noted decrease in wrinkle depth and fine lines.
Also, very important that the benefits were not just seen on the face. The study also found that topical use of GHK-Cu encouraged collagen and elastin production in the body for firmer and more elastic skin.
Helps in Repairing and Preventing Sun-Damaged Skin
While spending time in the sun is very important, the UVA and UVB rays can damage the skin. Sun exposure is one of the leading causes of premature skin aging.
UV rays can damage the skin by increasing free radicals which increase oxidative stress. Copper peptides such as GHK act as an antioxidant neutralizing free radicals to bring the body back into balance and to stop the cellular damage.
Helps Retain Moisture in the Skin
Our skin loses the ability to retain moisture as we age resulting in thin and dry skin. Thin and dry skin also decreases the skin’s protective feature which increases susceptibility to toxins and microbes.
GHK-Cu stimulates the creation of hyaluronic acid and glycosaminoglycans which attract water and lock in moisture, leaving skin well-hydrated, smooth, plump, firm and youthful.
Speeds up Skin Healing
The original studies for GHK-Cu were for skin tissue regeneration and recent studies have confirmed these finding. GHK-Cu accelerates anti-inflammatory activity and repairs DNA damage. The study showed improvements with scarring, acne and other wounds.
How does GHK-Cu Work
Applying GHK-Cu to skin that is prematurely aging will alert your body into producing more collagen and hyaluronic acid.
It stimulates blood vessel and nerve growth to reduce wrinkles and improve skin firmness, elasticity and clarity, GHK-Cu has shown efficacy in hair growth as well – increasing both hair length and thickness, meanwhile enlarging the hair follicle size.
Peptides in skincare have the ability to penetrate the upper layer of the skin and signal specific functions such as collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid support so skin can be firmer, thicker, smoother and more elastic.
The spectrum of peptides in the field of cosmetics continues to grow rapidly because of their evidence-based benefits.
GHK-Cu is found in over-the-counter anti-aging beauty products but in minuscule amounts. These products are also combined with other substances that are possibly toxic and that have never been studied in combination with GHK-Cu. This is important because the cosmetic companies are citing studies that were using GHK-Cu in isolation and not in combination so the efficacy of the peptide is not known.
The obtain the health and beauty benefits of GHK-Cu it is important that you are purchasing the actual peptide in an organic and inert base.
At The Johnson Center we only recommend GHK-Cu in an organic base that is suitable for all skin types.
Interested in purchasing prescription based peptides or would like more information? Contact the Rebecca at 276-235-3205 or jcpatients@gmail.com
Research References:
Abdulghani, AA, Sherr S, Shirin S, Solodkina G, Tapia EM, Gottlieb AB. Effects of topical creams containing vitamin C, a copper-binding peptide cream and melatonin compared with tretinoin on the ultrastructure of normal skin - A pilot clinical, histologic, and ultrastructural study. Disease Manag Clin Outcomes. 1998;1:136-141
Leyden J, Stephens T, Finkey MB, Appa, Y, Barkovic S, Skin Care Benefits of Copper Peptide Containing Facial Cream. Amer Academy Dermat Meeting, February 2002, Abstract P68, P69
Finkley MB, Appa Y, Bhandarkar S. Copper Peptide and Skin. Cosmeceuticals and Active Cosmetic, 2nd Edition, P. Eisner and H.I. Maibach (Eds.) Marcel Dekker, New York. 2005:549-563
Gorouhi,Farzam, and Howard I. Maibach. "Topical peptides and proteins for aging skin." Textbook of Aging Skin. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2010. 1089-1117.
Pickart, Loren, Jessica Michelle Vasquez-Soltero, and Anna Margolina. "GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in skin regeneration." BioMed research international 2015 (2015).
Pickart, Loren, Jessica Michelle Vasquez-Soltero, and Anna Margolina. "The human tripeptide GHK-Cu in prevention of oxidative stress and degenerative conditions of aging: implications for cognitive health." Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity 2012 (2012)
Pickart L. The human tri-peptide GHK and tissue remodeling". J. Biomater. Sci. Polymer Edn. 2008; 19(8):969-988 Peptide Sequence: Gly-His-Lys(Cu2+)
Hong Y, Downey T, Eu KW, Koh PK, Cheah PY (Department f Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, 169608,Singapore) "A 'metastasis-prone' signature for early-stage mismatch-repair proficient sporadic colorectal cancer patients and its implications for possible therapeutics" In Clin Exp Metastasis. 2010 Feb 9.
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