{"id":18372,"date":"2021-02-17T06:55:43","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=18372"},"modified":"2023-08-25T11:06:03","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T18:06:03","slug":"neuropeptides-vs-neurotoxins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/neuropeptides-vs-neurotoxins","title":{"rendered":"What Are Neuropeptides\u2014and How Do They Compare to Neurotoxins?"},"content":{"rendered":"

For nearly two decades, neurotoxins, like Botox<\/a> and Dysport<\/a>, have been an obvious choice for the treatment of wrinkles and fine lines. But for as long as they’ve been around, beauty brands and consumers alike have also been searching for at-home alternatives that rival the muscle-relaxing shots—often referred to as “Botox in a bottle.” In recent years, there’s been a long list of ingredients promising to do the trick—and at the very top of that list are neuropeptides. As an umbrella term, they are found in many skin-care products—but what they are and how they work isn’t always clear. We asked experts to shed some light on the technology.<\/p>

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What are neuropeptides?<\/h2>

“Neuropeptides are a heterogeneous group of peptides—or short chains of amino acids—that act as chemical messengers,” says Dr. Hadley King<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “In the skin, they can be synthesized by [epidermal cells called] keratinocytes or endothelial cells [which line blood vessels], or they can be released into the skin from the nerve endings.” There has been no shortage of research conducted on these peptides. Some studies<\/a> have shown them to be capable of stimulating collagen production in the skin; others have found they can exert a Botox-like effect by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters that enable facial muscles to form wrinkles.<\/p>

There are many different kinds of neuropeptides, but of those that have been most heavily studied, there are a few that appear to outshine the rest, including Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4) and Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-3 or acetyl hexapeptide-8). “Matrixyl has been shown to stimulate collagen production, but additional independent research is needed, to prove the efficacy,” Dr. King says. “Argireline is supposed to be able to diminish the creasing that causes fine lines by having an effect similar to Botox.” <\/p>

The dermatologist also points to palmitoyl oligopeptide, a peptide that both promotes the production of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin and helps protect from the damaging effects of the sun’s UV rays. Additionally, there’s palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, which is thought to reduce inflammation and stimulate skin regeneration, and copper peptides, believed to enhance wound healing as well as increase skin elasticity and firmness.<\/p>

How do neuropeptides work?<\/h2>

When applied topically, neuropeptides have the potential to fight signs of aging on skin. While they’re said to mimic the effects of Botox, they do not actually freeze the face or immobilize muscles. Instead, “neuropeptides are able to attach to receptors that can modulate production of inflammatory cytokines, wound healing, cellular proliferation, and other processes within our skin,” explains Dr. Ava Shamban<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, California. And more important, they can influence the release of neurotransmitters—specifically, those that lead to facial muscle contractions and cause wrinkles. “Technically and clinically, when applied to the actual muscle, we have seen its ability to relax the contractions, but the problem is the delivery and getting it there topically,” Dr. Shamban notes. “While it is a relatively small molecule, our skin is a formidable barrier, so actually getting to the muscle or expecting any effect like [that of] an injectable neuromodulator is just not feasible.”<\/p>

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