Slink

WHAT ARE PEPTIDES?
This term likely brings you back to your high school biology class. In the most basic sense, peptides are the building blocks that make up protein. When amino acids link together, the chain they form is called an amino peptide. When peptides link together, they become the basis for all protein. The most vital protein within your skin is that magic buzzword, again: collagen.

peptides-for-skin

Collagen lies beneath the epidermis (outer layer of your skin) in what’s known as the “dermis”, a layer made of nerves, blood vessels, fats, elastin (that’s what makes your skin stretchy), and — of course — collagen. Lots of collagen, in fact. Collagen peptides for skin make up about 80% of your dermis. It helps your skin look firm and smooth, cultivating that youthful, radiant glow we all strive for. When you’re young, you produce collagen at a very high rate.

However, as you age, that rate begins to slow. After age 20, your body produces an average of 1% less collagen peptides for skin each year, stopping production entirely around age 40. Not great news. What’s more: your existing collagen begins to break down, known as “fragmenting”. This occurs due to a number of reasons, some of which we can control — and unfortunately, some that we simply can’t.

The most prominent reason for collagen breakdown: aging. Every birthday that passes sees a higher level of fragmenting, and wishing your hardest when you blow out the candles unfortunately can’t stop this process.

However, there are behavioral and environmental reasons your collagen might break down — and these are things you can control. Exposure to UV radiation — whether that be a result of tanning beds or simply leaving the house without donning sunscreen — can break down collagen. Smoking can also lead to its deterioration (as if you needed another reason to quit that habit).

Bottom line: As your skin continues to stretch, new collagen isn’t available to maintain the firm, smooth look it once had. That’s where wrinkles come from.

The moral of the story: peptides = proteins like collagen = anti-aging defense. Without peptides, there’s no collagen, and without collagen, there’s no defense against aging.