Written by: Jake Khalde
"Having anti-inflammatory properties, preventing aging, aiding in hydration, slowing down the clocks of time, and recovering wounds." - all claims surrounding peptides in cosmetic products. All of that sounds magical, right? Are peptides truly the wonder ingredient, or have they merely exaggerated claims with a lack of robust research? This article aims to address what peptides are and if they do live up to the claims of skincare products.
What Are Peptides?
Used in cosmetics, food, drug, and other industries, peptides are short chains of amino acids that can be bent, twisted, and scrunched up to be used in a variety of processes.
Not to be confused with proteins, peptides and proteins are both made of amino acids, but peptides have fewer than proteins. Peptides typically have about two to fifty amino acids, while proteins typically have more; however, there is no strict cutoff for how many amino acids merit the label of a protein or peptide.
There are multiple types of peptides: carrier, enzyme inhibitor, signal, and neurotransmitter peptides. These do different things - no peptide is created equal!
Carrier enzymes carry trace minerals to boost collagen, an essential protein in the body that gives the skin elasticity and plumpness. Minerals like copper are essential in the growth of collagen and wound healing. Copper activates the lysyl oxidase enzyme, a protein that speeds up the conversion of lysine molecules into highly reactive molecules that form a cross-link relationship with collagen and elastin, stabilizing these proteins.
Enzyme inhibitor peptides stop enzymes from breaking down the proteins in the skin, a natural result of aging; over time, proteins break down in the skin, resulting in lost firmness and skin elasticity.
Signal peptides are the main tricksters of peptides, and are the most common in skincare products. Signal peptides make the skin think that there is a wound in the skin. When there is a wound in the skin, collagen is made. So, in short, signal peptides trick the skin into making collagen!
Neurons produce neurotransmitter peptides, and they control brain activity by increasing the release of GABA and glutamate. GABA and glutamate are amino acids necessary in functions like memory, cognition, and learning.
There are various types of peptides, but what benefits do they have in skincare products?
Peptides in Cosmetic Products
Peptides are abundant in the body but have also been shown to be effective when applied topically. Peptides are small tricksters which they can pass through the skin barrier, unlike topically applied collagen, keratin, or elastin (larger proteins). Peptides applied topically trick the skin into performing certain tasks by triggering a chain of reactions. Different peptides can cause different things to happen in the skin, ranging from greater collagen production to increased hydration.
There has been an observation that peptides applied to cells in a dish can stimulate protein production. However, data supporting topical peptides applied directly onto the skin as being an anti-aging product are not strong.
Peptides can hold onto water really well - they are humectants, making this the best and most well-researched benefit of topical peptides. Cosmetic topically applied peptides having a role in collagen production are not well understood, however. This field of study is increasing, particularly due to the use of advertising, but the literature supporting peptides as a ‘wonder ingredient’ is weak. According to dermatologist Dr. Andrea Suarez, “You can achieve [the well-studied benefits of peptides] with a simple moisturizer… it is not impossible [that topical peptides aid in the making and restoring of collagen in the skin], but it is unlikely.” Suarez would like to see robust studies on skin biopsies showing the increase in collagen and the restoration of broken-down collagen due to age before she supports the anti-aging claims of peptides.
Overall, topical peptides have potential, but they are currently only truly supported to aid in hydration just as a moisturizer does. That said, more research needs to be done on a greater scale to prove the full effects of topical peptides on the skin to support its “wonder ingredient” claims.
Sources:
Image: E Medical Clinic and Surgery
Cleveland Clinic. “Do Collagen Peptides Actually Work? – Cleveland Clinic.” Cleveland Clinic's Health Essentials, 23 December 2021, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-do-collagen-peptides-do/. Accessed 10 July 2022.
“Let’s Get Intimate: Peptides | Dr. Shereene Idriss.” Let's Get Intimate, created by Shereene Idriss, 4 June 2022. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwTykLNNm3Y. Accessed 10 July 2022.
Medical News Today. “Peptides: What are they, uses, and side effects.” Medical News Today, 16 October 2019, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326701. Accessed 10 July 2022.
“Peptide creams & serums: Matrixyl, Copper Peptide| Dr Dray.” Created by Andrea Suarez, 28 March 2018. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mwMEnc3Gag.
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