The Science-Backed Benefits of GHK-Cu for Younger, Healthier Skin
Some of the most common signs of aging include fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes (crow’s feet) and mouth (laugh lines) in the mid-to-late 20s or early 30s. They are caused by decreased collagen and elastin production, the proteins that give skin structure and elasticity.
The loss of collagen and fat also leads to a loss of volume in the face, making the cheeks appear sunken, the jawline less defined, and lips thinner.
As we age, our skin loses its ability to retain moisture, making it appear drier and less plump. One of the reasons is the decrease in keratin production, a protein in the outermost layer of the epidermis. This decrease can also lead to thinner and more fragile skin and a loss of skin tone, making the face appear saggy.
A tri-peptide, GHK-Cu, naturally present in your body, helps keep your skin firm, smooth and hydrated. Unfortunately, the levels of GHK-Cu decline with age. To put things into perspective, someone 20 would have approximately 200ng/mL of GHK. At 60 years of age, this amount goes down to 80 ng/ ML. This represents a 60% decrease in GHK levels from age 20-60. As a result, our skin loses its firmness and elasticity.
Restart Your Body’s Natural Rejuvenation Process for Smoother, Healthier Skin
by Debbi Barber
Thankfully, Vitali’s innovative skincare formulas incorporating GHK-Cu (Copper Peptides) can help bridge the gap. By mimicking the action of natural GHK-Cu, these formulas stimulate collagen, elastin, and keratin synthesis, smoothing wrinkles and plumping the skin, effectively turning back the clock on your skin’s health. Regularly using these innovative formulas can keep skin looking better despite aging and environmental damage.
Vitali Skincare is formulated with natural and organic ingredients; Formulated without Parabens, Phthalates and free of fragrance and artificial color.
The most basic explanation is that GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide) causes rejuvenation by telling the body what to do. To quote Vitali’s Medical Advisor, Dr. Suzanne Feree, “As far as skin goes, GHK-Cu tells your skin fibroblast, the STEM Cells of the skin, to repair and regenerate as if they were younger cells. We’re talking about every single tissue where this molecule is used; it is able to repair and regenerate a more youthful expression of the cell.”
Multiple studies show that this peptide not only improves the look of skin on a superficial level but also improves how the body behaves towards the skin and increases the skin’s overall health.
The Research
Several placebo-controlled clinical studies found GHK-Cu to improve skin quality in women around 50. A survey of collagen production determined by studying skin biopsy samples using immunobiological techniques found that after applying creams to the thighs for one month, GHK-peptides significantly affected collagen production. Increases were seen in 70% of women treated with GHK-Cu, in contrast to 50% treated with Vitamin C cream and 40% treated with retinoic acid.
A GHK-Cu facial cream reduced visible signs of aging after 12 weeks of application to the facial skin of 71 women with mild to advanced signs of photoaging. The cream improved skin laxity, clarity, and appearance, reduced fine lines and the depth of wrinkles, and increased skin density and thickness.
A GHK-Cu eye cream, tested on 41 women for twelve weeks with mild to advanced photodamage, was compared to a placebo control and an eye cream containing Vitamin K. The GHK-Cu cream performed better than both controls in reducing lines & wrinkles, improving overall appearappearance, & increasing skin density and thickness.
In another 12-week facial study of 67 women between 50 and 59 years with mild to advanced photodamage, a GHK-Cu cream was applied twice daily and improved skin laxity, clarity, firmness, and appearance, reduced fine lines, coarse wrinkles, and mottled pigmentation, and increased skin density, and thickness.
The cream also strongly stimulated dermal keratinocyte proliferation as determined by the histological analysis of biopsies.
Restart your body’s natural rejuvenation process with Vitali’s beautiful blue Copper Peptide Skincare products.
In our last blog, we explored how the combination of GHK-Cu Copper Peptides and brown algae battles the damaging impact of Glycation on the skin. Today, let’s dive deeper into the benefits brown algae brings, safeguarding and revitalizing your skin.
At Vitali, we incorporated this powerhouse from the sea as a part of our skincare line because we believe in the potency of natural and safe bioactive compounds found within marine organisms. Brown Algae is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, phytonutrients, and essential fatty acids readily absorbed to nourish and support healthy skin.
In human clinical trials, the Fucus vesiculosus extract, an ingredient in Vitali Skin Awakening Moisturizer and Restorative Body Cream, reduced wrinkle depth and improved overall skin appearance. It was also shown to reduce age spots and increase radiance.
Vitali’s Restorative Skin Cell Serum is formulated with the powerful brown Giant Sea Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera). This algae contains a variety of polysaccharides that can help to hydrate the skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S000398610500456X
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S1011134416302111
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/2/2/66
The Power Duo for Healthy, Glowing Skin
by Debbi Barber
Your eyes are often the first thing people notice; unfortunately, they can show your age. The skin around the eyes is quite delicate and more susceptible to wrinkles. A combination of skin movement from the many expressions we make with our eyes and the loss of collagen and elastin are the leading causes of wrinkles.
Your skin produces less oil as you age, resulting in drier skin. This dryness can make wrinkles and fine lines around your eyes even more pronounced. During the aging process, the rate at which skin cells renew slows down, making this delicate area even more fragile.
As we age, our hair follicles produce less hair, resulting in thinner eyebrows, eyelashes, and hairs on our heads. Hormonal changes and medications can also cause hair loss on the eyebrows and eyelashes.
Vitali has created an Advanced Eye and Lash Formula with four bio-active Peptides that can help to improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles, brighten dark circles, and enhance eyelash and eyebrow thickness when used consistently.
These four powerful bio-active peptides are formulated with natural ingredients such as Sweet Almond Oil, a non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic oil that gives the delicate skin around the eyes a soft and smooth appearance, and Shea Butter. This natural ingredient is rich in fatty acids, which helps to keep the skin around the eye hydrated and plump. (Vitali’s Eye and Lash Cream is made without parabens or phthalates and free of fragrance and artificial color.)
Revitalize the Skin Around your Eyes
by Debbi Barber
When it comes to combating the signs of aging around your eyes, peptides offer a powerful solution. These tiny protein molecules can revitalize and rejuvenate the delicate skin around your eyes.
So don’t let wrinkles, crow’s feet and puffy eyes make you look older than you feel. Harness the power of peptides and give your eyes the attention they deserve. Incorporate Vitali’s Advanced Eye and Lash Formula into your daily skincare routine and unlock the potential for revitalized, youthful-looking eyes and embrace a more confident, radiant you.
What Glycation Does to your Skin
Three Ways to Fight it
by Debbi Barber
This reaction can occur in any tissue in the body and it happens over time. However, the rate of glycation can be accelerated by factors such as high sugar consumption, smoking, increased blood-glucose levels caused by stress, and oxidative stress caused by UV exposure, air pollution, or poor lifestyle habits.
Oxidative radicals are the most important participants in glycation reactions. Antioxidants protect the protein structure from damage and inhibit the highly reactive precursor compounds of AGEs (carbonyl compounds) that result from sugar chain cracking or lipid peroxidation.
When glycation reactions continue for an extended period, it can undergo further chemical reactions, and the protein molecules cross-link and form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). AGEs lead to several health problems, including diabetes complications, heart, and Alzheimer’s disease. In recent years, many scientific studies have revealed that advanced glycation end products are among the crucial contributory factors of skin aging.
When sugar molecules bind to collagen and elastin proteins in the skin, such essential proteins cannot correctly support the skin’s structure, leading to wrinkles and other signs of accelerated aging. The external signs of glycation start to appear between the ages of 30 to 35.
Glycation presents the skin as cross-hatched lines and wrinkles. If you think of “normal wrinkles, they are linear and parallel to each other in areas of facial movement. Lines created by glycation cross over each other and are often seen over the cheeks and chin.
Comprehensive studies have shown that AGEs not only reduce skin elasticity, accumulate pigments, and produce appearance changes such as wrinkles but also destroy the skin barrier, cause the apoptosis of skin-related cells, and induce inflammation.
In addition, AGEs are irreversible and difficult to metabolize. As AGEs accumulate year-by-year, the skin undergoes profound changes from the inside to the outside. AGEs affect all levels of the skin, causing inflammation, ageing, yellowing and other issues.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce the effects of glycation and keep your skin looking its best.
1. Eat an anti-AGEs diet. According to Mary Sabat, Registered Dietician and Nutritionist that means to cut down on sugars and refined carbohydrates, as they can elevate blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of glycation. Opt for complex carbohydrates like whole grains and veggies instead. Embrace a rainbow of antioxidant-rich foods, including berries, leafy greens, and colorful vegetables, as they combat oxidative stress.
Use anti-glycation products, such as Vitali Skincare with GHK-Cu. This potent regenerative peptide can help your skin in a number of ways by:
• Stimulating the production of collagen and elastin
• Inhibiting the activity of enzymes that break down collagen and elastin
• Neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress, which can lead to glycation
Another effective anti-glycation ingredient in Vitali is brown algae. Brown Algae’s antioxidant effect protects against the skin’s firming collagen degradation. It supports cellular energy production, increasing the skin’s oxygen supply. This process positively affects cell renewal skin’s overall appearance.
In addition to the GHK-Cu Copper Peptides, Brown Algae is a key ingredient in the Vitali Serum, Moisturizer, and Body Cream. Research shows that
Research Links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9131003/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073405/
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/2/3/236
phlorotannins from brown algae inhibited the formation of advanced glycation end products by scavenging reactive carbonyls.
3. Consider supplementing with L-Carnosine. Research has shown Carnosine can prevent AGE formations through the reduction of blood glucose, prevention of early glycation, and even reversing previously formed AGEs. Carnosine is a potent free-radical scavenger and anti-glycating agent that inhibits AGE formation and its cross-linked proteins, helping to keep them functioning correctly. While you get Carnosine in your diet through animal protein, supplementing with L-Carnosine can boost you. Vitali’s Medical Advisor, Dr. Suzanne Ferree Turner recommends that her patients supplement with 1,000 milligrams of L-Carnosine daily.
By following these tips, you can help reduce the effects of glycation and keep your skin looking healthy and vibrant for years to come.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S000398610500456X
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6155720/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33350165/
2.
As we age, our skin becomes a reflection of our overall health. But the signs of aging are not simply a result of time passing. There are various factors at play, many of which we can actually influence.
One such factor is the presence of senescent cells, which contribute to both intrinsic and extrinsic aging. These damaged cells stop dividing and cannot repair themselves, but they don’t die either. Instead, they release harmful aging factors that affect the health of your skin and tissues.
Over time, the accumulation of senescent cells not only leads to aging but also increases the risk of age-related diseases. Senescence can be induced prematurely as a consequence of direct and persistent DNA damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and chemotherapy.
Senescent cells can wreak havoc on your skin, causing wrinkles, age spots, reduced collagen production, and even the growth of cancer cells. That’s where GHK-Cu can make a difference.
GHK-Cu, also known as Copper Peptides, has been scientifically proven to fight aging skin and prevent the formation of senescent cells. This powerful peptide combines small amino chains with blue copper to promote the skin’s natural ability to restore itself. This powerful peptide combines small amino chains with blue copper to promote the skin’s natural ability to restore itself.
Here’s how GHK-Cu accomplishes this:
Unleashing Powerful Antioxidant Activity: The skin is constantly exposed to damaging UV radiation, which produces harmful free radicals known as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). While the skin contains antioxidants to neutralize these free radicals, excessive sun exposure can overwhelm its defense system, leading to oxidative stress and senescence. GHK-Cu steps in by blocking reactive carbon species, detoxifying toxic lipid peroxidation products, and protecting keratinocytes from lethal UVB radiation.
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UVA rays are more penetrating and affect cells deeper indirectly damaging DNA and causing wrinkles. UVB rays damage the outermost layer of the skin directly damaging DNA and they cause the most skin cancers. GHK-Cu not only protects keratinocytes from lethal UVB radiation, GHK-Cu can activate genes for DNA repair.
Restoring Vitality to Skin Fibroblasts: Fibroblasts play a crucial role in skin regeneration, but their activity and function decline with age, resulting in the loss of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. GHK-Cu has been proven to rejuvenate fibroblasts, restoring their normal function even after exposure to radioactive treatment.
Activating Genes for DNA Repair: Recent research has shown that changes in gene activity can be reversed with the help of natural molecules. GHKCu has the incredible ability to modulate gene expression, stimulating the activity of DNA repair genes and resetting them to a healthier state. This ensures that the skin can effectively repair itself from the damages caused by metabolic activities and environmental factors.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4180391/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/psc.2455
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34884444/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073405/
Excessive sun exposure can overwhelm our skin’s defense system, leading to oxidative stress and senescence.
Removing Damaged Proteins: GHK-Cu activates and strengthens the protective Ubiquitin/Proteasome System, which is responsible for eliminating damaged proteins from cells. This crucial system ensures that cells function properly and aids in repairing DNA damage caused by exposure to harmful Ultraviolet radiation. Research has demonstrated that activation of Proteasome slows down aging.
Preserving Stem Cells and Proliferation Capacity: GHK-Cu maintains the survival and proliferation of stem cells in the basal epidermis by regulating integrins and p63 proteins. These proteins connect skin cells to the underlying structures, promoting the longevity and vitality of the skin.
With GHK-Cu, you can fight aging skin and prevent the detrimental effects of senescent cells This revolutionary peptide has been thoroughly researched and established as a powerful solution for rejuvenating your skin. By incorporating Vitali’s high-quality formulas with GHK-Cu (Copper Peptides) into your skincare routine, you can combat the detrimental effects of senescent cells and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out.
This article has been medically reviewed by Dr. Suzanne J. Ferree, M.D., FAARM, ABAARM
How to heal faster from sunburn with Copper Peptides
This past month, I have had several customers ask about using Copper Peptides (GHK-Cu) for sunburn. GHK-Cu, the great wound healer, can be a great protector as well as a healer for sun damage. Today, I would like to share more about how it works.
What happens when your skin gets sunburned?
Sunburn is a radiation burn caused when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays damage DNA in the upper layer of skin cells. The sun emits three kinds of UV radiation - UVA, B, and C. UVC is absorbed by the earth’s atmosphere, but UVA and B rays reach the ground and can penetrate unprotected skin.
What Happens When your Skin Gets Sunburned?
by Debbi Barber
Once the cells of the top layer of skin (called keratinocytes) detect DNA damage in themselves, they begin producing molecules to attract immune cells into the skin. This action causes the skin’s blood vessels to leak into the spaces between cells and other skin structures.
This extra fluid and the swelling leads to red skin, a hot sensation, and painful sensitivity of freshly sunburnt skin.
Immune cell invasion begins while you’re still sitting in the sun but increases about an hour after you come in from the sun. The process peaks 24 to 48 hours later, which is why the redness and pain of a sunburn can continue developing for a couple of days.
How do Copper Peptides help?
UVB penetrates the epidermis, the top layer of the skin, which can induce a suntan and sunburn. It can also cause DNA damage. UVA has low energy and never burns the skin. However, it is the most dangerous type of UV radiation as it can penetrate much more profoundly than any other UV radiation, damaging skin collagen and cell DNA.
Copper Peptides demonstrate remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant power that can speed up sunburn healing and help treat the redness caused by sunburn inflammation. Research shows that GHK-Cu increases the healing rate following burn by as much as 33%. In addition to recruiting immune cells and fibroblasts, GHK-Cu promotes blood vessel growth, crucial in wound healing as burned skin often has impaired blood vessel regeneration. (See Research)
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The healing power of Vitali Skin Cell
Restorative Serum with Copper Peptides
To demonstrate the results, here are before and after photos from a Vitali customer who suffered a second degree burn while cooking. She used the serum on the wounds immediately and twice a day for two weeks.
In addition to the sunburn and DNA healing that GHK-Cu offers, Vitali’s skincare products are formulated with multiple ingredients that heal sun-damaged skin. The Skin Cell Restorative Serum (available in 2% and 3% GHK-Cu strength) is formulated with other natural skin-healing ingredients that help you recover from too much sun. Some of these ingredients include:
Macrocystis Pyrifera (Giant Sea Kelp) which replenishes proteins and minerals lost in the sun, firms the appearance of skin and protects against photo-aging,
Allantoin is a botanical extract found in the comfrey root. It is moisturizing and can also cause the keratin in the skin to soften. The softening enables the skin to heal quickly and bind moisture more effectively, making it ideal for dry skin, wound healing, burns, and scars.
Silk Amino Acids from the silkworm’s cocoon have a chemical composition close to protein in human skin. It has been shown to inhibit the formation of excess melanin in the skin, helping prevent dark spots and freckles.
Once you’ve applied the serum, you can layer more hydration and moisture with Vitali’s Skin Awakening Moisturizer and Restorative Body Cream. Both combine Copper Peptides with natural and organic ingredients such as Sea Buckthorn to strengthen skin and Shea Butter, known for healing irritated and stressed skin. The moisturizer includes Jojoba Seed Oil, which provides a durable layer of moisture for the skin, while the Body Cream contains both Aloe Leaf Juice and Aloe Butter.
Undoubtedly, it is better not to be overexposed to the sun. Use Vitali serum with Copper Peptides followed by mineral sunscreen BEFORE sun exposure. However, if and when sunburn happens, you can speed up the recovery with Vitali Copper Peptide products.
