Copper, as a mineral, is one of nine essential nutrients required for the human body to function properly. Almost all tissue in the body needs a healthy dose of copper to maintain proper and normal physiological processes. This is not a new revelation; human beings have known about the importance of copper intake for centuries.
It’s important to note that no human being can make copper on their own; one gets copper via a nutrient rich diet, a daily copper supplement, or by drinking mineral-supplemented water. Because copper is a mineral that is usually ingested, the internal body tends to get first preference, leaving the skin somewhat at the bottom of the food chain. This is what makes copper skin care so appealing; we can finally apply copper directly onto the skin and see accelerated results. Copper on skin started to become a revolutionary branch of skincare around 1989. However, there is evidence to support the notion that the Ancient Egyptians were using copper as part of their skincare rituals as early as 4000BC.
Copper has two key properties that are being exploited in consumer and medical device products in the last decade. On the one hand, copper has potent biocidal properties. On the other hand, copper is involved in numerous physiological and metabolic processes critical for the appropriate functioning of almost all tissues in the human body. In the skin, copper is involved in the synthesis and stabilization of extracellular matrix skin proteins and angiogenesis.
Copper Peptide, sometimes called nature’s Botox or copper tripeptide 1 is small protein consisting of three amino acids:
- Lysine
- Glycine
- Histidine
These amino acids are arranged in a specific manner to have a high affinity for copper. These amino acids are found attached to the copper in our bodies. Perhaps one of the most important benefits of peptides is that they already occur naturally within the body, making them one of the safest chemical skincare products to introduce to the skin.
What are the benefits of using copper peptides?
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Accelerate the Process of Wound Repair:
Copper peptides retain the ability to remove damaged collagen and elastin from the skin. Scar tissue is stripped of these compromised enzymes and gradual healing can take place.Where there is tissue injury, the body naturally produces peptides to assist the healing process. What the copper peptide does, is it works with your body’s peptides to act as a protective barrier and an anti-inflammatory agent for the injured tissue. Using copper as part of the healing process helps the body signal tissue remodelling, which in turn removes that scarred tissue and helps the production of new and healthy tissue. Using copper peptide as during the healing process may also aid in healing the wound faster and better – with less scarring. As mentioned previously, GHK Cu has anti-inflammatory properties, which help the wound healing process be quicker and more effective.
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Copper Peptides have Antioxidant Power:
Since skin is exposed to UV-radiation and other environmental factors that can trigger production of free radicals, it is essential that it has good antioxidant defence. Multiple studies established GHK-Cu’s ability to protect cells from oxidative damage and improve antioxidant defence. They do so by supporting what are known as superoxide dismutase, the antioxidant enzyme that directly protects the skin from free radicals.
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Copper Peptides Help with Skin Tightening:
As we age, we begin to lose skin firmness creating fine lines and copper is there to help with that. The anti-aging effect is helpful to the elasticity so that fine lines and wrinkles do not form and helps with the appearance of fine lines that may have already formed.
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Copper Helps with Pigmentation:
The benefit of copper in skincare helping with pigmentation was not well known until several years ago. Where it really plays a part, is when there are copper deficiencies.
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Copper Peptides Reverse Signs of Ageing:
GHK-Cu goes into the deeper layers of the skin and stimulate the formation of vital proteins - collagen and elastin. Both give our skin elasticity, which in turn allows the enzymes to firm, smooth and soften so rapidly that the anti-aging results become apparent. The anti-aging benefits of copper peptides are also due to their ability to promote the production of glycosaminoglycans like hyaluronic acid. These substances are found in the connective tissue and fluids in the human body and become depleted with age. The glycosaminoglycans are vital for helping the skin tissue remain plump and supple, and by supplementing their levels, the tissue can fill out and fine lines and wrinkles become less noticeable.
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Act as free radical Scavengers:
Copper in skin also has the very important role of supporting superoxide dismutase, which is an antioxidant enzyme that protects our skin from free radicals from the environment. UV rays from the sun are the leading creators of free radicals in the skin. Copper peptides boost the antioxidant mechanism of the skin, defending it against the oxidative stress. Clinical research has established that copper peptides are antioxidants, nutrients that counteract the oxidizing effects of environmental particles called free radicals.
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They keep skin moist and healthy:
Copper peptides are well known in the skincare world with decades of data as a skin restoring ingredient causing skin improvement including skin firmness, smoothness, reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, by promoting collagen, elastin, glycosaminoglycan, and improved antioxidant activity. They're increasingly popular—for instance, in just one month, "copper peptides serums" was searched more than 1000 times on Google. And considering the acclaimed benefits of this kind of peptide (like the collagen-increasing and wrinkle-reducing), we're not all that surprised by the apparent fascination. In turn, these cling onto the water present on your skin, ensuring a high level of moisturization.
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Retain moisture:
Copper tripeptide helps to retain moisture in our skin by stimulating the production of hyaluronic acid. It is also a component of connective tissue, it locks the moisture in our skin and leaves the skin well hydrated, soft, smooth, and fresh. Similarly, Copper-tripeptide also enhances the production of Gags or glycosaminoglycan, a sugar complex that attracts water.
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Work on remodelling the skin and can help get rid of scars:
They remove damaged proteins (which gather up to form scars on the surface) such as the damaged collagen and elastin. Also, they prevent the excess breakdown of skin proteins. They help rebuild a protective skin barrier and tighten your skin texture, giving you a youthful and plump look.
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Support DNA Repair:
Since skin is exposed to a multitude of detrimental environmental factors, including UV-radiation, its cells are at risk of DNA damage. Mammalian cells have DNA repair mechanisms, which guard skin against cancer development. Unstable oxygen atoms in the body, which desperately seek for electrons and in the process, cause damage to collagen and the DNA of cells.
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Normalizing Bacterial Concentration:
Copper has been very effective in normalizing the bacterial concentration on the skin. When copper is used topically it has shown to stimulate the body to heal itself. While copper helps normalize the bacterial concentration of the skin and stimulates the body to heal itself, it also nourishes the skin and supercharges its defences. But copper peptides don’t only aid with acne breakouts, they continue to help the skin post-breakout by evening skin tone to avoid unwanted acne scars and dark spots.
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Pigmentation and Copper:
Pigmentation is the colour of your skin due to the presence of a pigment called melanin, which is produced by special cells. When these cells are damaged or become unhealthy, the production of melanin is affected.