Copper Peptide Questions

All You Ever Wanted to Know about Copper Peptide Treatments for the Skin and for the Scalp

Hello,

I'm enjoying reading your articles on skincare. I wanted to get some advice on two brands that use GHK Copper Peptides, Neova and Skin Biology.

I feel a bit skeptical about Skin Biology's product line. The website design gives me the impression that their product line is a gimmick, like Pearl Cream or the Helsinki formula.

I've asked various skincare professionals about Skin Biology but none of them seem to have heard of the company. They do however praise Neova.

Do you know if Skin Biology's Protect & Restore is as effective as Neova, or if Folligen is as effective as Tricomin?

Thanks in advance,

Michael

I'm glad you're enjoying our articles. You must have read the copper peptide article comparing various active copper products and you obviously have a very inquiring mind.

There's a very good reason why skincare professionals are more familiar with Neova, manufactured by ProCyte, than with Skin Biology, Dr. Loren Pickart's line. Following is a quote from ProCyte's web site.

"ProCyte markets its products directly to plastic surgeons and dermatologists through its direct sales force and through distributors for the International markets"

It says a lot for the efficacy of GHK copper peptide that ProCyte is comfortable marketing its products directly to medical professionals who are clearly able to comprehend the scientific evidence behind active copper.

Elsewhere in its web site, ProCyte explains, "In the 1970's, scientists isolated a sequence of amino acids (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine; GHK) in human serum that bound copper, and used that initial piece of information to build a peptide copper-based technology with implications in anti-aging and tissue repair processes." The primary scientist in those breakthrough studies was none other than Dr. Loren Pickart, current CEO and Chairman of Skin Biology Inc.

As Dr. Pickart tells it, Skin Remodeling Copper Peptides (SRCPs) "are based on a copper-peptide (GHK-Cu) that I discovered in human blood while searching for methods to reverse human aging. ... There are two generations of SRCPs.

The first generation is based on GHK-Cu and similar molecules and is sold by companies such as Neutrogena and ProCyte (a company I started [in 1985]). The second generation is sold by Skin Biology and is based on my more recent work to develop improved SRCPs. All copper peptides are not SRCPs and only products from Skin Biology, Neutrogena, and ProCyte have credible evidence that they work."

This is just a guess mind you, but the parting of the ways between Dr. Pickart and ProCyte may have been the classic story of the genius founder whose company grows so big that he is gradually pushed aside by new management with a different vision.

Before merging with PhotoMedex in 2005, ProCyte had grown to a market capitalization of over $27 million through internal growth, mergers, acquisitions and takeovers. ProCyte's registered trademarks included Healing the Wounds of Time, Neova, Tricomin, GraftCyte, Complex Cu3, TiSilc, Iamin and Osmocyte.

Skin Biology (purchased by Realm Energy in 2009) had remained small and kept its focus on GHK copper peptide and the consumer market. Its market cap in 2005 was about $1.5 million.

Comparing Active Copper Products

To answer all your questions, I have written several articles:

Read our comparisons of

• Neova Day Therapy SPF-20 and Skin Biology Protect and Restore active copper face creams. and
• Folligen Therapy Spray and Tricomin Solution Follicle Therapy Spray active copper hair loss treatments.

Are they Gimmicks: the Helsinki Formula and Pearl Cream?

In my opinion, yes and no.

To find out more, read

• Polysorbate 60 & The Helsinki Formula for Hair Loss and
• Why Would I want to Rub Pearl Powder on my Face?!

Wow, thank you for your detailed reply.

I will definitely order a few items from Skinbio. I have been researching online to find the best anti-aging skincare products available.

It's hard for me to determine what works in preventing wrinkles by self-experimentation because even at 32 years of age, I have absolutely no wrinkles (Asian skin).

It's quite surprising since I was a smoker for over 15 years. I just recently quit. Now I'm looking mostly to prevent or delay wrinkles from occurring for as long as possible and maybe even reverse some of the damage I may have done.

I am also interested in finding the best cocktail for hair loss. I currently have a full head of hair with very minor thinning where I parted my hair during high school.

My father has male pattern baldness so I may have a chance of getting it too. I took Propecia a few years ago and took it for a little over a year. I don't know if it helped since my hair remained the same as before I started the medication. I was very curious about trying Folligen but instead purchased Tricomin products which I am currently on my 2nd week trying.

I think I may switch to Folligen after a few more weeks if I don't see any improvements in my thinned area. In treating Hair Loss, I feel that time is of the essence. Finding the "right" product as soon as possible is the best way in delaying or preventing further hair loss.

The reason why I bashed the Helsinki formula in my initial email to you was because my father had tried it 15 years ago and it didn't work for him.

Thanks again for taking the time to write such a helpful response to my questions and for having an informative site.

Michael