Peptides Decoded: Anti-Aging Powerhouses in Skincare

Skincare is designed to promote healthier skin, though many have recognized it as a tool for improving the skin's appearance. Skincare treatments focus on keeping the skin healthy so we do not face illness or injury because of damage. While there are resources we can use to restore the cosmetic health of our skin, most products are designed to be a little more practical. The demand for cosmetic skincare tools has led to a surge of products that try to find a middle ground between health and appearance, though there are compounds that naturally accomplish this. 

The number of skincare products available to the average person increases annually, but sometimes, the best tools are the ones that have been here for a while. Unfortunately, the average user does not understand some of these resources well, and more information might be necessary.

One commonly cited but seldom explained resource is peptides, which play a fairly significant role in chemistry and biology. The problem is that most people disregard compounds like this because the term is scientific. As a result, some avoid learning about the details because it seems too complicated to understand. 

In reality, peptides are relatively straightforward and easily used in skincare but might be overlooked since some assume they need specialized care to take advantage of them. Peptides might solve skin aging, but you might need to look further for the right ones.

What Are Peptides?

The term "peptide" is thrown around in scientific jargon as a compound seemingly mystical in how substances work. While peptides are extremely advanced, they are easily described since they are just chains of amino acids. Peptide strings are fairly short and contain 2 to 50 amino acids that form after a condensation reaction. 

In lay terms, amino acids link together after a chemical reaction combining 2 molecules. There are variants of traditional peptides called polypeptides, which have longer amino acid chains and have a more profound effect on the body. While peptides are valuable to our bodies, one detail often gets overlooked. Peptides are naturally produced in the body and are used for various bodily functions.

While most people produce the necessary peptides without difficulty, some need extra help to ensure their peptide levels are healthy. This can be an interesting challenge, considering the number of amino acids used to produce peptides.

Some peptides have 158 amino acids in the chain, whereas others have only a few (though certain peptides with low amino acid counts have special names). Some peptides double as prescription medications that are taken for certain health issues. One thing worth noting is that polypeptides that combine become proteins, which have over 100 amino acids depending on how many polypeptides are attached. 

Some peptides are more commonly produced than others, but we do not have to rely on natural production methods to enhance our health and appearance. Many peptides, especially those about skincare, have been synthesized and resold as supplements. However, one type of peptide has earned a nearly legendary reputation in skincare treatments.

Which Peptide for Skincare?

Dozens of peptides are advertised for various benefits, but skincare peptides are usually restricted to a specific substance. In the skincare industry, the most important peptide is collagen, renowned for its role in the human body since it created our skin. That said, there is some confusion about whether collagen proteins are distinct from peptides, but the reality is that there is no significant difference. 

The peptides merely reference the parts of the whole, in this case, the amino acid chains that combine to form the protein. Collagen peptides must contain at least 50 amino acids in the chain for the protein to form, and several important amino acids must be present. While the number of amino acids is important, the type of amino acid is crucial since the wrong acids result in the wrong compound.

Our bodies need collagen to create skin; we receive initial doses while developing in the womb. After birth, we continue producing collagen in limited quantities so our skin can repair itself. In fact, collagen is responsible for keeping our skin healthy and maintaining youthful complexions since it generates new skin following injuries. 

Unfortunately, collagen synthesis and retention are among the first things to fade as we age since our bodies have fewer resources to synthesize more collagen. As a result, we begin showing signs of age, and our skin does not heal as effectively as it used to. Fortunately, this is one of the issues we can generally treat by introducing supplementary collagen to our bodies. This can be accomplished via whole collagen proteins or peptides to stimulate our body's ability to heal skin.

The good news is that collagen peptides can be extremely effective at restoring the skin, but you might not be sure if they can help your situation. Fortunately, collagen is such a popular choice for skincare that its benefits have been thoroughly studied. The real question is whether collagen peptides are as effective as the full protein.

Peptides Reinforce the Skin Barrier

The skin barrier is the technical name for the first few layers of skin that protect our internal body from the elements. Unfortunately, being the first line of defense makes the skin barrier susceptible to blemishes, damage, and other issues that might affect our health and appearance. The skin barrier must remain strong to remain safe from more serious threats, but it is easily damaged in modern society. 

Injuries that damage the skin or bacterial colonization can compromise the skin barrier and penetrate the deeper layers of our bodies. This can trigger serious health issues and demands immediate intervention to avoid falling seriously ill. Fortunately, it is possible to reinforce the skin barrier by introducing certain compounds that promote skin growth and strength.

Collagen peptides are particularly effective at reinforcing the skin barrier and allowing us to protect ourselves from the repercussions of damaged skin. This is especially important since we can damage the skin barrier by exposure to cigarette smoke or overindulging in exfoliation treatments. Adding more collagen peptides to your skincare regimen gives your body the raw materials to produce more skin and reinforce the barrier. While this is crucial to both the health and appearance of our skin, it is not the only reason to consider using peptides in your regimen.

Peptides Reduce Wrinkles

Wrinkles are the most common sign of aging and are the issue most people hope to avoid when looking for anti-aging skincare products. While wrinkles are not harmful, they can reduce our confidence in our appearance since they are considered the main indicator of age. While most people begin developing wrinkles at 25, some develop them earlier. 

This is because our skin is sensitive to how we move our faces and can form wrinkles if we make strange expressions or squint too much. Ultimately, our skin is not designed to remain firm as the years go by and will eventually show signs of weakening due to diminished resources in the body. Part of this is because our bodies rely on collagen to repair the skin and restore its original condition. When collagen levels diminish, our bodies cannot restore the skin's original tautness and elasticity.

Collagen peptides can correct this issue to a certain extent (though there are limits to how much damage can be reversed). The peptides from collagen proteins can reinforce our natural collagen content and reduce the wrinkles in the skin. Part of this is due to collagen's antioxidant effect, which reduces damage caused by free radicals. 

Collagen effectively reduces wrinkles because it forces the skin to regenerate and grow new skin to replace damaged tissue. Additionally, collagen restores skin moisture, rehydrating and making it more supple. This effect is one of the primary reasons collagen supplements are employed in skincare since the enhanced hydration reduces wrinkles and provides another key benefit for the complexion.

Peptides Restore Elasticity

Hydrating our skin keeps it healthy and young but also improves its ability to stretch without damage. Additionally, our skin contains a protein called elastin (a fibrous protein) that contributes to our skin's elasticity. 

Without proper elasticity, our skin can overstretch and develop wrinkles or other blemishes because it is being pushed beyond its limits. Skin can only stretch so much, even when it is healthy, before we experience physical symptoms from the effort. 

This leads to stretch marks, wrinkles, and other blemishes that can harm our confidence. When our skin loses elastin fibers, its capacity to stretch is reduced, and it becomes much easier to damage our complexions with less effort. The less elastin we have, our ability to stretch our skin with impunity diminishes.

Fortunately, this is yet another issue that peptides typically resolve. Elastin has peptides just like collagen, and supplementing can increase the concentrations in our skin, restoring our ability to stretch our skin without damaging it. While we should avoid making strange faces or doing anything else that might overextend our skin, elastin peptides can offer a moderate solution to this problem. 

Elastin peptide supplements are a little more challenging to acquire since collagen is more commonly synthesized for the skincare industry. Nevertheless, it is possible to acquire elastin peptides and use them to enhance your skin's flexibility. You can combine elastin and collagen peptides since the 2 cooperate to maintain the skin and go hand-in-hand in combatting signs of aging. 

That said, there is one question we have yet to answer that might drastically affect your ability to use either of these peptides.

How Do You Use Peptides?

While peptides are a highly effective resource for skincare, you might be curious about how they are used. Given the name, one might assume the supplements containing peptides are meant to be consumed orally, which is not wrong. Insofar as skincare is concerned, these peptides can also be introduced via topical skincare products. 

There are several ways to use a peptide, and the one you use will change depending on what kind of peptide you choose. For example, collagen peptides are most effective in smoothies or other beverages.

Conversely, some peptides are most effective when absorbed through the skin, making it somewhat complicated to choose. Fortunately, most skincare products containing peptides are designed to maximize their effectiveness. So, a skincare product designed to be ingested likely has peptides that work best when digested.

Regardless of the application method, peptides remain one of the most effective resources in skincare products. Finding one with the peptides you need can help mitigate the damage done to your skin, but you must manage expectations. Several skincare products combine peptides with other ingredients that you might be unable to use due to allergies or sensitive skin. 

You should always read all the ingredients on a skincare product before using it to ensure you are not risking your health. Finding a skincare product with peptides might be difficult, but some vendors offer products that capitalize on natural ingredients.

Finding the Right Blend

Aging is no fun, but it can be frustrating when it leads to skin blemishes that clarify your age. Reversing the signs of aging is impossible since much of the damage caused by age is permanent. However, we can reduce the severity of these blemishes by introducing peptides to our skincare regimen. 

The right compounds can make wrinkles and other age-related blemishes less noticeable. If you begin a regimen early enough, you might prevent the worst of the blemishes and maintain a youthful complexion regardless of age. The challenge is finding a skincare product for the job.

We at Teami believe that natural compounds are best suited to protecting our skin and healing the damage done to it. Skincare is one of our primary focuses, and we have curated a wide assortment of products made from natural ingredients to protect it.

We even have a category specifically for anti-aging products; some have peptides as ingredients. Our best product, insofar as peptides are concerned, is our Beauty Butterfly Collagen. We encourage you to visit our website and try our product for yourself.