Saturday, January 31, 2009

Anti Wrinkle Creams that Use Copper Peptides

By Julie Samtsonn

Copper peptides is a common term used in anti-wrinkle creams. Copper peptides are used in wound healing and are part of the fast regeneration of our cells. For example, if you were to cut your finger, copper peptides will speed up the healing of your skin. Most of the time, the copper peptides are part of a process when used in either the anti-aging or anti-wrinkle process.

Often, when it comes to application in anti aging creams or anti wrinkle creams, it is used in a complex mix with alpha hydroxy acids to slough off the dead, dry, skin cells that appear as fine lines and wrinkles, and then an application of copper peptides speeds the healing of the area. In a dermatologist environment, they use a stronger alpha hyroxy acid peel, and then apply the copper peptides to induce a rapid healing of newer, healthier skin in its place.

Many anti-aging creams and anti wrinkle creams rely on this same technology, except in a milder application. It's a contensious issue whether an over-the-counter simulation of this process is possible, since it is really a two-part step process that is usually best left to an expert for optimum result. It is possible to purchase a simulated treatment, however, results could take longer to measure, and the copper peptides that are available over-the-counter do not have the same strength as those that dermatologist use.

This is meant to be more than a simple skin surfacing, it is more of a skin remodeling and rebuilding technique, like that which is used to treat burn patients. A comparison like this makes it easier to understand the complex nature of this method, which hard to buy at the cosmetics counter. It is a technique used in the newer laser abrasive treatments, which can cause scabs and scarring for several weeks, before healing the new skin underneath. This is not a technique you should try at home, although there could be topical treatments you may use on a lesser scale, but not with the same results.

There are anti aging creams and anti wrinkle creams that contain copper peptides, and they may contain a wound-healing, over-the-counter type of agent, that works much like a topical antibiotic, like Neosporin. This technique for wrinkle reduction would involve removal of that outer layer of skin, along with the encouraged healing of a new, under-layer of skin, that would not have the blemishes, age spots or discoloration of the previous one. There are some microdermabrasion kits that utilize this method of skin remodeling or rebuilding of a newer, better layer of skin, over multiple applications and time.

You need to research what might work best for you based on the type of your skin and how far in the aging process you are. Since this normally means an alpha hydroxy acid treatment, which can create redness, burning or blistering followed by a copper peptide based healing moisturizer, exercise caution and look for side effects and check with a dermatologist, whenever you have concerns. - 17943

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