What Are Peptides

Peptides play a crucial role in fundamental physiological and biochemical functions of life. When the number of amino acids is less than about 50 these molecules are named peptides while larger sequences are referred to as proteins. So peptides are basically, "the building blocks of life".

Skin is made up mostly of collagen; it is the foundation that gives your skin its support and thickness. Young people have lots of collagen and taut, smooth skin. In contrast, older people have much less collagen and thin, wrinkled skin.

Collagen is protein and is made up long chains of amino acids strung together, like chains of linked building blocks. When it is broken down, short segments of 3-5 amino acids form, called peptides. Peptides are not just junk collagen; these "mini proteins" are active molecules - and you pay a whole lot for them in your wrinkle cream.

When we age collagen is destroyed but not replaced. As a result young, smooth skin becomes thin and wrinkled over time.

One strategy to improve winkles and to make you look younger is to replace lost collagen. When collagen breaks down, it forms specific peptides. These peptides act as a signal to tell your skin it was damaged and to make new collagen.

Applying peptides directly to your skin is a way to trick your skin into thinking that it has lost collagen recently and needs to make more.