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Keep Your Skin Tight, Firm, and Young!
No matter what are our ideals of beauty, we all crave wrinkle-free, firm, smooth and supple skin. Sadly, we all start to lose these qualities of youthful skin as we grow older.
Rushing to a cosmetic counter or to a dermatologist’s office to find a quick solution to skin aging problems is a futile effort. Many so-called “miracles in a jar” deceive us - they create an illusion of a restored youth for a few hours, only to reveal even more wrinkles and loss of firmness the next morning.
Skin remodeling copper peptides have been proven gentle, safe and effective in numerous clinical studies published in international dermatology journals. There is no other cosmetic skin renewal ingredient has demonstrated this level of independent, published evidence to prove its effectiveness.
Copper peptides work by supporting the skin's natural remodeling processes. Remodeling plays the most crucial role in skincare. Remodeling is the cycle of renewal that removes older skin, scars, blemishes, and damaged proteins while replacing them with a new, younger complexion.
When we are children, our skin naturally remodels and renews itself unveiling a youthful glow. However, as we age this process slows down and produces a dry, wrinkled, inelastic skin populated by unsightly lesions.
Remodeling offers the only proven mechanism of repair that removes damaged materials from the skin and creates new, tight, firm, blemish-free skin.
TOPICS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR SKIN TIGHT, FIRM, AND YOUNG:
• Skin Firmness - What Is At Work?
• Major Skin MOlecules Involved in Skin Tightening
• Destructive FAlse Skin Tightening Methods
• Nutritional Supplements for Skin Tightening
• Collagen & Elastin in Cosmetics
• Fighting Facial Wrinkles: Nasolabial Lines
How to Tighten and Firm Your Skin
Since SRCPs (Skin Remodeling Copper Peptides) have been scientifically proven to stimulate the synthesis of water-holding molecules of the dermis, with copper peptide-based products, you can avoid chemically modified skin plumpers and plump your skin with its own proteoglycans instead. For the best result, it should be combined with alpha hydroxy acids or microdermabrasion.
MORNING: After cleansing the skin, apply a light amount of a copper peptide serum with added peptides of collagen and elastin. An adequate application should just barely cover the area without leaving it excessively wet or damp. Massage into the skin for 5-10 seconds. This can be diluted first with water if used around the eye area or if you have sensitive skin. Afterward, apply a biological oil (such as emu oil or squalane) on top.
EVENING: After cleansing the skin, apply a light amount of a 10% leave-on hydroxy acid chemical exfoliator to help break down damaged skin proteins.
FINISH by applying a light amount of a biological healing oil or a DMAE tightening serum.
For more information, see: Proof of the Skin Remodeling Power of Copper Peptides (Ultrasound Scans and Studies)
Questions or Advice?
Email Dr. Loren Pickart at drlorenpickart@gmail.com
Call us at 1-800-405-1912 Monday Through Friday (8 am to 6 pm) PST
Skin Firmness
Collagen and elastin are the skin proteins responsible for elasticity, tone and texture.
Glycosaminoglycans (GAG's or mucopolysaccharides) and proteoglycans hold water in the skin (these are very similar to mucus proteins) and are the true skin moisturizers. In contrast, cosmetic moisturizers cover the skin with a water impermeable barrier such as petrolatum or a heavy oil.
This artificially slows the loss of moisture from the skin and gives the skin a temporary appearance of plumpness and fullness.
Major Skin Molecules
Collagen forms the structural network of our skin and is the most abundant protein in the body. It is primarily composed of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline.
It is one of the strongest proteins in nature and gives skin its strength and durability. As we age, collagen begins to deteriorate and causes the skin to become thinner and eventually sag.
Elastin is similar to collagen but is a more stretchable protein that maintains the skin's elasticity. It provides the matrix that holds individual skin cells in place.
Elastin also contains two unique amino acids, desmosine and isodesmonsine. The two proteins together permit the skin to stretch, then regain its original shape.
With age, the skin's elastin breaks down and causes wrinkles.(GAGs) contain special sugars such as glucosamine hydrochloride, N-acetyl glucosamine, and glucosamine sulfate that have high water-holding properties.
These are built into larger water-holding chains of sugars such as hyaluronic acid, keratin sulfate, heparin, heparin sulfate, dermatin sulfate, and chondroitin sulfate.
Proteoglycans are larger molecules with many attached GAGs. Proteoglycans are linear GAGs made up of repeating disaccharide units composed of sugars (glucuronic or iduronic acid) and hexosamines (glucosamine or galactosamine) that are bound to a protein core.
The abundance of hydroxyl, carboxyl and sulfate groups makes the GAGs intensely hydrophilic (water-loving) molecules able to form porous, hydrated gels. Hydrated GAGs cushion and provide mechanical support to tissues.
Destructive False Skin Tightening Methods
While your doctor might advise you that lasers, microwaves, heating lights, and other popular methods of skin care induce collagen formation and, in turn, younger skin, this isn’t that simple.
At best, they inflict controlled skin damage in the hopes that it mounts a vigorous regenerative response. At worst, they cause temporal collagen tightening that is harmful in the long run. Even if at times these methods yield good results, they can lead to scarring and further damage. Are you willing to take the risk?
Some other methods such as nerve toxins and skin fillers can produce expressionless or a hardened “mask-like” face. Here is my slogan to remember: No wrinkles, no movement!
Nutritional Supplements for Your Skin
You can improve the appearance of your skin with special sugars for glycosaminoglycans. A typical daily formula would contain:
SKIN HEALTHY SUGGESTIONS
| N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine |
250 to 500 mg |
| D-Glucosamine Hydrochloride |
250 to 750 mg |
| D-Glucosamine Sulfate |
100 to 300 mg |
Collagen & Elastin in Cosmetics
Collagen and elastin are often incorporated into cosmetics. This material is derived from either bovine (cattle) or avian (bird) sources.
Neither collagen or elastin present in the cosmetics are able to penetrate the skin. Sometimes fragments, or digests, of these molecules are used, but these fragments also cannot penetrate the skin.
These products also may expose you to the the dangers of prions, the cause of "mad-cow" disease, a condition which is characterized by progressive brain degeneration.
Treating Facial Wrinkles
There is a wine analogy we can make for the way we should treat wrinkles. A fine glass of Merlot or Chardonney contains hydroxy acids which form part of our recipe for reducing wrinkles. In the days of Cleopatra, European ladies pampered their bodies with wine baths to have smooth silky skin.
Today, it is possible to reduce the first type of wrinkle by alternating the application of hydroxy acids with copper peptides. Hydroxy acids remove the skin in need of renewal, that is, the older skin on the upper layers, epidermis and upper dermis.
Nasolabial folds, those unflattering furrows that frame our sweet smiles, often concern us more than any other wrinkles. These deep lines lie between the nose and corners of the mouth. They may run side to side, but most often appear vertical. They are associated with hanging skin. These furrows or folds tend to make a person seem sad or much older than their actual age.
For best results in treating facial wrinkles such as nasolabial lines, try using a consistent method exfoliation (with hydroxy acid and/or manual abrasion) plus copper peptides to help initiate strong skin repair.
