Everything You Need to Know About Injectable Peptides for Skin

Author

Dr. Stephen Cosentino

As we age, we get used to seeing more wrinkles on our face and neck. To our skin losing the elasticity and luster of youth. To lumps and folds appearing where they shouldn’t.

There’s nothing wrong with seeking out temporary solutions like Botox® and hyaluronic acid fillers. But Botox and fillers’ results are temporary and can be expensive over time. And they impose external solutions on the body rather than training it to fight aging on its own.

Fortunately, we have other options. The fast-advancing field of anti-aging and regenerative medicine has identified several types of peptides (chains of amino acids) that help turn back the clock on skin aging and restore that natural, youthful appearance we all desire.

Why Use Injectable Peptides for Skin Treatments?

Peptide therapy is an important part of anti-aging treatment. The evidence-based benefits of peptides for skin health include:

HGH Production. Peptide therapy stimulates human growth hormone (HGH) production, building muscle and bone mass, increasing bone density, and reducing body fat to provide a strong foundation for healthy skin.

Collagen Production. Peptides also stimulate collagen production — collagen is made up of different peptides — which adds volume to the skin and reduces wrinkles and fine lines in the face and neck.

Reduced Inflammation. Peptides counteract inflammation and quiet chronic inflammatory conditions that can lead to breakouts, splotchy skin, and generally negative skin health outcomes.

Improved Immune Response and Antimicrobial Action. Peptides have antimicrobial properties and may boost immune response, reducing breakout frequency and severity and reducing skin infection risk.

Improving Blood Flow. Certain peptides may help improve blood flow and aid in the production of tiny new blood vessels (capillaries) that are essential to skin health.

While all injectable treatments carry some risk, peptides appear to have fewer systemic risks than other anti-aging treatments, such as direct HGH injections. Your provider may recommend starting with peptides for anti-aging before trying other treatments. Of course, to further reduce risk, you should always work with a provider who has completed advanced training in peptide therapy techniques.

Best Peptides for Skin: Clinical Recommendations

There are more than 100 known peptides, and more than 60 deemed safe by the FDA. But not all have clinical significance for skin health. The best peptides to improve skin appearance and overall health include:

GHK-Gu: This anti-wrinkle peptide helps tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of age-related lines, folds, and loose patches.

Ipamorelin: The secretagogue ipamorelin immediately stimulates HGH production, boosting muscle and bone mass and indirectly firming up the skin.

GHRP-2 and GHRP-6: These compounds boost levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), an important substance that regulates your body’s supply of growth hormone. They offer a gentler, more sustainable way to increase that supply and indirectly improve skin appearance.

Sermorelin: Sermorelin helps boost muscle mass and firm up the skin, improving its appearance.

Thymosin: This compound fights inflammation throughout the body and can help reduce the impacts of chronic inflammatory conditions on skin health.

Keep in mind that peptide injections are not permanent fixes for better skin health. Like other minimally invasive treatments, they produce results in the short term, but repeated treatments are necessary for longer-lasting results.