Retinoids Vs. Copper Peptides

Retinoids and copper peptides are compounds that are prescribed (or recommended) for both aging and anti-acne skincare. They're different in some important ways, however--ways that make them ideal partners in the medicine cabinet.

What Are Copper Peptides?

Copper is a trace element found in every human cell and is a vital component of a healthy diet. However, copper peptides are synthesized in a skincare laboratory for the skincare industry, so you can't get copper peptides from nutritional sources. (In the lab, the copper is linked with tiny pieces of protein to create the final product.) Discovered by Swiss Dr. Loren Pickart in the 1970s, copper peptides have been used to heal skin and bone in both human and veterinary applications ever since.

Copper Peptide Skincare Use

The copper peptides created by the lab are powerful healers when topically applied. The Mayo Clinic overview describes more rapid wound healing, more efficient collagen production and readier absorption of antioxidants through the skin. (Though copper peptides are touted as a treatment for anti-aging and acne control, they are not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration as such.)

What Are Retinoids?

Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A. Found in both topical formulations and, unlike copper peptides, in food sources, retinoids are vital micronutrients. Retinoids play a role in vision health, cell-growth regulation, bone development, immune function and the suppression of cancerous tumors. Long-term overuse can lead to retinoid toxicity, and retinoids should never be used during pregnancy.

Retinoid Skincare Use

Retinoids turn up the heat on cell turnover. When cells turn over faster, the newer, fresher skin beneath rises to the top. Retinoids are widely prescribed for treatment of acne and are often recommended to address issues with older, dull skin. The biggest drawback to retinoid use is its harshness; more sensitive skin is often unable to tolerate them, reacting to retinoid application much like a chemical burn.

Using Both

Retinoids and copper peptides seem to be made for each other: The retinoids break the skin down, and the copper peptides rebuild it. When the retinoids go to work, they aggressively exfoliate the skin; this can sometimes lead to itchiness, redness and flaking. Following retinoid application with a topical copper peptide formulation significantly reduces the irritating side effects associated with the retinoids by supporting the skin's natural repair mechanism. It's also notable that where retinoids leave the skin very vulnerable to damage from the sun, copper peptides give the skin's self-protective power a boost, balancing out the risk of photodamage from retinoid use.

References

• Mayo Clinic on Copper Peptides and Retinoids
• Prevention Magazine on Retinoids
• Copper and the skin