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Needling and Rollers for Scar Reduction by Dr. Phillipa McCaffery

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Skin Remodeling

The reduction of skin wrinkles and skin blemishes depends on a process called "skin remodeling". The skin is designed to heal wounds quickly to prevent blood loss and infection. Scars are manufactured from a rapidly formed "collagen glue" that the body deposits into an injured area for protection and strength. In ideal skin healing, the wounded skin is rapidly closed, then the healed area is slowly reconstructed to remove the residual collagen scars and blend the skin area into nearby skin. Scar collagen is removed and replaced with a mixture of skin cells and collagen fibers. This skin remodeling may continue in a skin area for 10 years. In children the remodeling rate is high and scars are usually rapidly removed from injured skin areas. But as we reach adulthood, this rate diminishes and small scars may remain for years. One way to accelerate remodeling is to induce a small amount of controlled skin damage with a needle, laser, or other means, and then let the body repair processes rebuild the skin area. A second method is to use skin healing accelerators to increase the body's natural healing processes to obtain an even better final result.

Skin Remodeling and Copper Peptides

Certain types of copper peptides help the process of skin remodeling. These copper peptides help activate your skin's metalloproteinases that remove damaged proteins (sun as sun-damaged collagen and elastin) and scars. At the same time they help activate your skin's anti-proteases TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 that protect against excessive breakdown of protein. (Simeon et al, Life Sciences, 15,2257-2265, 2000). They also reduce the skin's protection of the scar-producing factor TGF-beta (McCormack, Nowak and Koch, Arch Plast Surg 3:28-32, 2001).

The copper peptides also help the process of rebuilding new collagen and elastin into the skin. Skin regenerating copper-peptides help the skin to (1) regenerate new collagen and elastin which improve skin firmness and elasticity, (2) increase the production of water holding glycosaminoglycans (the only true way to moisturize your skin), (3) improve the skin’s blood vessel microcirculation, (4) produce biochemical energy from nutrients in the body's blood supply, (5) increase the natural defense mechanism against oxidative damage, and (6) repair damage to the protective skin barrier. For scientific references on these effects see: Copper Peptide Regeneration.

As the skin is rebuilt and damaged protein removed, the elastic properties of the skin pull it into a smoother surface.

New Exfoliation Products - Salicylic Acid and Copper Salicylate

Our copper peptides work well in conjunction with a beta hydroxy acids such as salicylic acid. A leading dermatologist, Dr. Albert Kligman, believes that BHAs, in particular salicylic acid, at concentrations of about 2%, are better than alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) for anti-aging and skin exfoliation. Professor Kligman is well known in dermatology for his research on the anti-aging actions of retinoic acid (Retin-A). Results from Dr. Kligman's laboratory found that the outermost stratum corneum layer is renewed after applications of salicylic acid.

A small amount of the salicylic acid is converted into copper salicylate, a powerful and safe anti-inflammatory.  This blends skin exfoliation with skin soothing actions. Salicylate also has ultraviolet absorbing properties. Prof. John Sorenson has researched and written extensively on beneficial actions of copper salicylate on skin, general health, and the anti-cancer properties of salicylates and copper salicylates.  See www.skinbiology.com/copperhealth.html.

The BHA hydroxy acid loosens the damaged skin proteins and the copper peptides help remove old, damaged proteins.

Caution: Exfol Cream and Exfol Serum contains salicylic acid. If you have allergies to salicylates (such as you cannot eat fruit), we recommend you obtain a alpha hydroxy acid ( 10% at a pH 4 or below ) from a spa or cosmetic counter.

Click Here for Shopping Cart to for All Skin Biology Products

PRODUCT	PRICE	ORDER
Protect & Restore Classic Skin Cream - Best on oily or acne-prone skin areas	$24.95
Protect & Restore  High Retinol & Lavender - Best on dry or mature skin	$24.95
Protect & Restore Day Cover - Repairs and Protects when outdoors with UV reflector: See Day Cover	$24.95
LacSal Cream - 1.7 oz - 10% Hydroxy Acid	$17.95
LacSal Serum - 1.7 oz - 10% Hydroxy Acid	$17.95
Exfol Cream - 2oz and 4oz - 2% Hydroxy Acid	$14.95
Super GHK-Copper Serum, 15ml airless pump - First Generation GHK-Copper Complex,  $39.95 - READ ABOUT SUPER GHK-COPPER	$39.95
Super GHK-Copper Serum, 50ml airless pump - First Generation GHK-Copper Complex,  $99.95	$99.95
Super GHK-Copper Cream, 15ml airless pump - First Generation GHK-Copper Complex,  $39.95	$39.95
Super GHK-Copper Cream, 50ml airless pump - First Generation GHK-Copper Complex,  $99.95	$99.95
Order Combination! 2-Step Skin Renewal System Exfoliating Cream of Your Choice + Protect & Restore Cream of Your Choice! Available in SMALL or LARGE	$31.95
Order Combination! CP Serum, Super CP Serum, Protect & Restore Cream, or TriReduction + Exfoliator Use creams for normal-to-dry skin type / Use serums for oily or acne prone skin areas.	$29.95
Skin Test Pack  Exfol Cream, Emu Oil for Skin, and  the P&R of Your Choice (1/4 oz each)	$11.00
Skin Test Pack  P&R2, P&R3 and Your Choice of BioHeal,  Emu Oil for Skin, or P&R7 ( 1/4 oz each). To order, click on the Item of Your Choice.	$11.00
Facial Regeneration Test Kit  A variety Skin Biology products for Facial Regeneration. Contains 1 oz. CP Serum, 5ml LacSal Serum, 1/4 oz. of each P&R2, P&R3, P&R7,  Exfol Cream and Emu Oil for Skin.	$33.95
Emu Oil S Lipid Replenisher for Skin Peroxide free supplemented with Co-Q10, mixed natural tocotrienols, and mixed natural tocotrienols. To replenish depleted skin lipids in very dry or damaged skin.  See also Biological Healing Moisturizers	$29.95
Retinol in Squalane - 1 oz  Good for improving skin oil in dry skin areas - Retinol can cause breakouts in acne prone skin areas - With this product, you can apply it to needed areas and avoid breakout areas. However, many people with breakout problems are using this product without breakouts.  See also Biological Healing Moisturizers	$19.95

Compare P&R to these best selling skin creams - Our products have the world's best science behind them - the products below have the world's best advertising behind them.

Estee Lauder Resilience Face/Throat Creme 1.7 oz. $65
Lancome Renergie Creme 2.5 oz. $77
Lancome Re-Surface Creme 1 oz. $52
Estee Lauder Fruition Extra Multi Complex 1.7 oz. $70
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex 1.7 oz. $70
Lancome Primordiale Cell Defense 1 oz. $62
Lancome Primordiale Intense Solution 1.7 oz. $72
Estee Lauder Diminish Retinol Treatment 1.7 oz. $70
Estee Lauder Resilience Refirming Creme 1.75 oz. $60 

Copper-Peptide Creams for Skin Renewal

Copper-peptides are used clinically for wound healing, increased skin healing after laser resurfacing and chemical peels, and for improving the success of hair transplantation. They help stimulate the skin's regenerative processes which repair the skin's protective outer barrier, increase new capillary formation (angiogenesis), increase the production of collagen and elastin which improve skin elasticity and firmness, and increase the water-holding proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which hold moisture in the skin and are the only "true" moisturizers of skin. They also activate the skin's system (called metalloproteinases) that removes damaged proteins such as in scars and sun damage marks.

Copper-peptides also improve the skin's anti-oxidant defenses by activating superoxide dismutase (SOD), a protein which detoxifies free radicals and that is the body's primary anti-oxidant defense. Normally SOD lacks enough copper to be active and copper-peptides, by supplying nutritional copper to SOD, increase the activity of SOD.

When creams containing copper-peptides are applied to the skin, only very small amounts of the copper-peptides penetrate into the skin. Copper-peptides have passed numerous safety tests. Scientific studies of copper-peptides have found that the amount of copper taken into the body from such copper-peptide creams is insignificant and does not raise total blood copper levels.  However, the microscopic amount of copper-peptide that does enter the skin's upper layer is sufficient to help stimulate skin regeneration.

Skin Biology's new and patented copper peptide technology is Dr. Pickart's most effective copper peptide system to date. These breakdown-resistant, improved copper peptides give a longer-acting and stronger skin regeneration and also can be used with hydroxy acids and Retin-A. The single peptides (tripeptides or pentapeptides) used in many products are fragile, short-acting, and cannot be used with hydroxy acids. Extensive safety testing has proven Skin Biology's copper peptides to be nonallergenic and none irritating. Skin Biology's copper peptides have neither the allergenic sensitization problems of the bacterial produced copper peptides nor the biological inactivity ("colorless-copper") of copper complexes used by some irresponsible cosmetic companies.

Compare to Other Copper-Peptide Skin Renewal Creams and Fairy Dust Skin Products

A number of other companies now sell copper peptides and other peptides for skin care products - for a comparison of these products, please visit www.skinbiology.com/comparingcopperpeptides.html

Comparing Effective "At-Home" Skin Renewal Methods

There are a number of effective skin renewal methods that you can use in your home. More vigorous skin regeneration methods such as laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, and deep chemical peels require treatment in a medical clinic.

Kinerase™ and Kinetin™ are based on a plant chemical called Furfuryladenine. In one published clinical study, such creams have been shown to improve skin texture, reduce blotchiness, and reduce fine wrinkles while being non-irritating. However, their effects are not as fast of effective as copper peptide creams. This comparison is from product literature supplied by the Procyte Corporation entitled "NEOVA - Copper Peptide Therapies".
 
 

The Key to Youthful Skin

Vigorous skin renewal and skin remodeling are the keys to maintaining a youthful skin. Children have wonderful skin with a high natural self regeneration and a beautiful color and texture. When a child's skin is damaged, the wounds heal rapidly and scars and skin lesions are rapidly removed.

Reducing damage to your skin is not an adequate approach. You can hide from sunlight until you evolve into a mole but it will not keep your skin young and vibrant. Yes, avoiding UV light will reduce some types of skin damage as you age, but you will still end up with a pasty, grayish, lifeless skin. Avoiding skin damage from ultraviolet light, allergens, detergents, damaging soaps, irritants, acne scars, airborne pollutants, and chemical sunscreens is but one part of a wider story.

As we age, a number of skin changes occur which require different types of skin care and treatments. These are four basic changes as we age.

Change 1. The rate of the skin cell replacement is reduced, producing a thinner, more fragile skin. Skin is replaced every three weeks at age 20 but this increases to every nine weeks by age 50.

Change 2. Damaged protein accumulates in the skin. This damage can be the result of scars, sun damage, oxidative damage, and the cross-linking of skin proteins by sugars.

Change 3. After age 25, skin oil production starts to drop. This reduces acne but produces a dryer skin. This drop in oil production becomes more serious after age 45.

Change 4. The biosynthesis and breakdown of collagen, elastin, and  water-holding GAGs exists in a dynamic balance in young healthy skin. However after age 25, the skin's production of collagen, elastin, and the water-holding GAGs is reduced while the rate of breakdown of these factors is increased, thus starting the beginning of wrinkle formation and loss of elasticity. This problem becomes progressively more serious with passing years.
 

Skin Renewal with Copper-Peptides

Solution to Change 1 - Skin Rebuilding

The application of copper-peptide complexes to the skin's surface creates an environment that helps the skin tighten its barrier and increase its collagen and elastin density. The photo on the left is an ultrasound scan of the skin of a women aged 59 before treatment with the a cream containing copper-peptide complexes. On the right is the same skin after one month of treatment with the complexes. The white-yellow colored areas are the ultrasonic reflection from skin areas that are more dense because of closer cellular binding and increased amounts of collagen and elastin. This is an effect that is opposite to the usual thinning and loosening of skin during aging.

This skin regeneration can be enhanced, if desired, by also using (1) exfoliating agents such as alpha hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, and retinoic acid or by (2) methods that mildly damage skin such as by laser re-surfacing or chemical peels. This is followed by a natural rebuilding of the skin that removes imperfections, rebuilds collagen and elastin fibers that tighten skin, and increases the amount of glycosamoinoglycans, the moisture-holding proteins that give skin its firmness.
 

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How Skin Regenerating Copper Peptides Renew Skin  Left Diagram: At age 20, your skin is thick, collagen and elastin strands are free and elastic (green), there is a rich blood supply through the skin (red and blue), and thick layer of subcutaneous fat cells (round balls).  Center Diagram: By age 50, your skin thins, collagen and elastin strands are broken and cross-linked, the skin's blood supply is diminished, and the layer of fat cells narrows. This produces wrinkles, sagging, and a less protective skin.  Right Diagram: Skin regenerating copper peptides help reverse many effects of aging. They help re-thicken your skin, collagen and elastin are rebuilt, the skin's blood supply is improved, and subcutaneous fat is increased. This produces a skin biology more like young skin.

Solution to Change 2 - Metalloproteinase Activation to Remove Damaged Protein

Skin remodeling is the process that removes damaged proteins from the skin so that they can be replaced with new healthy proteins. Proteins accumulate damage due to many causes - sun damage, cross-linking by sugars, free radical injuries, etc.

Skin Biology's patented copper-peptides are used in Protect & Restore to stimulate skin remodeling. Recent research has established that copper-peptide complexes are potent activators of metalloproteinases (Alain et al 1999) and are the only known activators of metalloproteinases. The metalloproteinases are a family of at least 14 proteins that remove damaged proteins such as collagen and elastin. The old damaged protein is removed and replaced with new collagen and elastin fibers. This removes scar tissue and restores skin elasticity and reduces wrinkles.  The activation of such proteins may explain the potent scar reduction properties of such creams such as BioHeal and P&R.

Solution to Changes 3 and 4 - Vitamin A / Retinol

Vitamin A / Retinol helps to remove wrinkles by reducing collagen and elastin degradation. A protein complex called AP-1 produces the enzymes that break apart and degrade collagen and elastin, the major structural materials in skin. While a balance of biosynthesis and breakdown is essential for healthy skin, as we age, the balance is shifted toward excessive breakdown and harmful biochemical changes.
 

The application to the skin of retinol or retinoic acid helps restore a more normal (younger) balance between the skin's  structural protein biosynthesis and breakdown, and also keeps a normal balance between healthy and dying skin cells. The applied vitamin A binds to receptors in the skin which then transfer genetic instructions from DNA to the cell's protein producing machinery which restores the characteristic proteins needed for healthy skin cells.

Creams with Retinol, in general, work very well for people over age 45, and for many people over age 25. But the retinol can cause increased acne in person from 18 to 25. Paradoxical, retinol creams can often stop severe chronic cystic acne in some people between 25 and 40. When using retinol creams it is best to start slow and work up to increased amounts of cream.

  Mari Johnson of Beautybuzz  highly recommends Protect & Restore.

Protect & Restore - Get a Strong Copper-Peptide Cream for a Reasonable Price

There are many highly advertised skin creams that claim to renew skin. They all have two similarities - a high price (usually $75 to $150) and little, typically no, credible evidence that they improve skin health or beauty.

The only copper peptide skin renewal products with credible proof of effectiveness are are those from Skin Biology and those based on Dr. Pickart's earlier work that are sold by ProCyte and Neutrogena.

Skin Biology's products are based on strong and effective copper peptides that are based on work by Dr. Pickart between 1995 and 1998. The products sold by ProCyte and Neutrogena arose from Pickart's discoveries between 1983 and 1988.

Neova Night Therapy (Procyte) sold for $62.95 for 2 ounces is an excellent cream that promotes healthier, younger looking skin while minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. This cream has copper-tripeptide and was found to give a superior increase in collagen development than either retinoic acid (Retin-A, Tretinoin) or vitamin C creams in clinical studies that were published by researchers in the Dermatology Department at UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Abulghani et al 1998). Twenty volunteers applied the various creams to their thighs daily for one month. New collagen production was determined by studying skin biopsy samples using immunohistological techniques.

Neutrogena's Active Copper line has been tested in a number of recent studies and found to reverse many effects of aging. These products run in the $20 range.

See: www.skinbiology.com/comparingcopperpeptides.html.

Paula Begoun, in Cosmetics Counter Update - March 1999, has recommended using Protect & Restore instead Osmotics' Blue Copper. Begoun is a a syndicated columnist who writes about cosmetics for the Knight Ridder News Tribune Service and the New York Daily News. She has sold over a million books about cosmetics including Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal and Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me.

It is very necessary to have markers of beauty
 left in a world seemingly bent on
 making the most evil ugliness.
                                  Vita Sackville-West
 
 
 
 
 
 

How P&R Ingredients Improve Skin
 

P&R is not like a traditional skin cream and its use is somewhat different. Your response to P&R will depend on your sex, age, and the number of other things you have been using on your face. For example, when we are in our 20's, our skin produces too much oil but after age 50, the skin produces too little. However, due to P&R’s nutritional and protective actions on your skin, your skin may become more like a younger person's skin. While this is good, at times this could mean that your skin’s biology may act more like a teenager's skin and breakouts may occur with overuse.

Also, some cosmetics - especially "oil and water" moisturizers - damage the skin barrier and make it more porous and open. Then too much of the applied P&R may enter your skin and you may experience irritation. However, if you start P&R slowly, your skin barrier will be repaired and you can use larger amounts of P&R without problems.

P&R Inhibits Growth of Dangerous Skin Bacteria

Tests on BioHeal® and Protect & Restore® by BioResearch Labs (Redmond, WA) detected no bacteria in the creams after incubation in bacterial growth media at 37 degrees centigrade for one week. When the cream was applied to cultures of pathogenic microorganisms found in infected wounds, it was found to strongly inhibit the growth of dangerous, pathogenic bacteria that can infect the skin such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus faecalis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

 

The best P&R cream for you depends on your skin type, age, and personal life style. Because of such personal skin variations, P&R is formulated in various versions. P&R Classic Cream (#2) is the most basic copper-peptide version. P&R with High Retinol and Oil of Lavender (#3) is our strongest cream. Younger women should start with P&R #2. However, many women, especially over age 30, have found the strongest P&R#3 to be the best at improving  facial appearance and skin tone.  Some find P&R#3 will clear chronic acne in a few weeks. However, in some younger women (about 7%), P&R#3 may cause skin outbreaks which could be due to the retinol or an overall stimulation of the skin’s metabolism. We are keeping records on these responses to better recommend a specific cream for a specific person.

P&R is compatible when used with alpha hydroxy acids and Retin-A. However, some women have reported that P&R is not compatible with certain skin cleansers, especially if they are not completely removed from the skin. P&R should not be used at the same time as vitamin C creams since the copper-peptide inactivates the vitamin C.

The P&R Versions

We generally recommend starting with P&R#2.  If this cream agrees with your skin, then try P&R#3, which is our strongest cream and also good at reducing scars and stretch marks  (although for stretch marks, we recommend the TriReduction creams at www.scar-reduction.com.)

P&R#3 contains Retinol which reduces the collagen and elastin breakdown that accelerates after age 30. They increases the wrinkle reduction but also may increase acne outbreaks.

Our records indicate that about 5% of women (mainly under age 30) have difficulty with P&R#3 and this could be as high as 10% because not everyone complains. However, P&R#3 is also our most popular skin cream. Some women who had difficulty with P&R#3 are reporting very good skin results with the non-retinol version P&R#2.

The physical differences between versions are actually quite minor but the various formulations often have greatly different actions on the skin of different persons. For example, P&R#3 with Retinol (vitamin A) and Oil of Lavender has strong skin repair and remodeling properties and works extremely well for some people, but other persons have difficulty with this version.  Also, many people have previous sensitivities to various oils, fragrances, and other cream components.The need for different versions of P&R is similar to the use of different versions of Retin-A or Hydroxy Acids used for people with different skin types.

In four clinical studies, three different P&R versions were run through every test but only data on the standard version was published. By testing various P&R formulations in this manner, we determined which cream components were critical for skin repair and which were not. For example, we found that various anti-pain agents such as camphor and menthol had no effect on skin repair. Likewise different fragrances had no effect on skin repair. Copper chloride and copper sulfate also make no difference - the copper ion in the cream is associated with the peptide as a complex. Minor changes in the oil constituents also did not significantly alter skin repair.
 

    Kelly Hunt (Washington, D.C.) sent the following chart of the P&R versions:

 

P&R version	Fragrance	Menthol	Slip	Retinol	Lavender	Copper	Other
#2 Classic Cream	low	low	yes	none	none	2
#3 High Retinol and Oil of Lavender	none	none	yes	high	yes	2
#7 DayCover	none	none	yes	no	yes	1	Higher UV absorbing  biologicals plus pure titanium dioxide
TriReduction	low	none	no	high	no	6
Body Lotion	normal	none	yes	high	yes	1

If you are undecided or confused as to which version is best for you, Testing Packs are available for purchase, consisting of Protect & Restoree Creams (.25oz of each) of your choice for $10.00.

Product Ingredients are available at www.skinbio.com/ingredients.html

P&R Classic Skin Renewal Cream

Men and women who have had difficulty with creams containing high retinol and/or oil of lavender are reporting good results with this cream.

P&R with Retinol and Oil of Lavender

This version has a high level of retinol and oil of lavender and is our most potent skin renewal and anti-wrinkle cream. It is our most re-ordered P&R. Many people say it is the best skin cream they ever used and that the cream rapidly improves skin color and health while stopping acne flare-ups. Several people with unresponsive cystic acne have reported a clearing of long-term acne in a little as one week. It is good for scar ands stretch-mark reduction. On the other hand, in some people the cream can lead to an acne outbreak. In general, do not use this cream if you are under age 25, or have problems with other high retinol products (such as Neutrogena's "Retinol™") or with oil of lavender. Some women who had problems with this cream are reporting very good skin improvement results with the non-retinol P&R#2.

The oil of lavender has soothing effects on the skin. Oil of lavender was used on wounds in ancient Greece and Rome over 2,000 years ago. Today it is widely used in clinical wound-treatment products. In one placebo-controlled blinded study of 635 women, it was found that the application of oil of lavender to the outer birth canal resulted in much less pain and discomfort after childbirth. Do not use if you are sensitive to oil of lavender.

P&R Day Cover

P&R Day Cover is designed as a daytime replacement for sun protection creams with dangerous chemical sunscreens. This cream contains a high level of natural ultraviolet absorbers such as squalane, peptides and nucleotides that have been protecting mammalian skin for over 100 million years. We feel these are far safer than the dangerous chemical sunscreens in cosmetics that cause allergies, skin irritations, and may increase your risk of major cancers. The cream still significantly helps skin repair.

Safety Testing on Protect & Restore

For details see Clinical Studies.

How to Use - Renewing Your Skin and Reducing Wrinkles

When the Protect & Restore 2-Step Renewal System is used daily in the morning or evening, you should see a significant improvement in your skin's health and appearance in three days to two weeks. Longer use produces a steady improvement in the appearance of your skin by diminishing the appearance of wrinkles and signs of aging.

1. Protect & Restore alone works very well for many persons. Apply the cream very sparingly at first. A thin covering works best.

If your skin is very sensitive or already irritated, start with a very light coating of Protect & Restore every other day for a week. This will allow your skin to re-build its natural skin barrier. Sometimes people with very sensitive skin may have their skin already in a state of sub-clinical inflammation after the use of many different skin-damaging toners, astringents, cleansers and moisturizers.  Then after the initial week, go to a light coating of Protect & Restore daily.  This approach has worked well for many persons with very sensitive skin who have a tendency to have skin reactions.

Protect & Restore may be applied either in the evening or the morning. P&R provides a good foundation for make-up after it dries slightly.

2. If more skin renewal is desired, after one week start using a thin coating of Exfol Serum in the morning and gently massage into the skin. Allow one minute to dry. Use Protect & Restore in the evening.

Some people report very good results by using P&R one day, then Exfol Serum the next day. Since everyone's skin is different, you may have to try a few application schedules to find which is best for yourself.

If skin oil and acne is still a problem, the additional use of Retin-A two or three times a week can cut down oil production.

Caution: In some persons, there may exist previously developed skin allergies to common cosmetic ingredients. If you notice severe itching or skin reactions after use of either of the products, discontinue use. After extensive independent safety testing, Protect & Restore has been classified as a non-irritant, non-allergen, and non-comedogenic product.

Reducing Facial Skin Pore Size

Many users have reported that the 2-Step System also reduces the size of facial skin pores.  Oily skin which is secreting large amounts of sebum has large pores while dry skin which lacks sufficient skin oil has small pores. Obviously, people want small pores but not the attendant dry skin. Oil removing solutions rarely help since the skin produces more oil and larger pores to compensate for the removed oil. Both retinoic acid and glycolic acid reduce skin oil production and pore size, but glycolic acid is easier to use.

Increasing skin renewal also reduces pore size since the firmer and thicker skin helps squeeze the pore downward and inward. Normally during aging, our skin becomes more thin and pores become more prominent. Skin renewal creams such as Protect & Restore increase collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and the amount of subcutaneous fat (the very thin layer under the skin) thereby firming the skin and increasing its thickness.

Mornings - CP Serum and Emu Oil - Evenings - P&R Cream

In recent months, many of of our customers have told us that they are seeing great results on their skin by applying a thin coating of CP Serum in the morning covered by a small amount of Emu Oil as a moisturizer. Then before bedtime, they apply P&R cream.

For more information on emu oil, see www.skinbio.com/moisturizers.html

Reduction Of Sun Damage Lesions and Minor Scars

TriReduction is used for the reduction of scars and skin lesions. For information Click here for www.scar-reduction.com

Protect & Restore as a Night Repair Cream

Many women (and men) use Protect & Restore as a night repair cream and apply the cream at bedtime. The cream then works through the night helping to build your skin. Unlike other cosmetic "Night Repair Creams", Protect & Restore has actually been proven help the skin repair many types of damage such as abrasions, allergies, detergent irritation, and fat-extracting solvent burns. You should see improvements in your skin within two weeks.

Our Recommendations for Facial Skin Care

The essentials of facial skin care are:

1. A skin repair cream such as Protect & Restore, or Neova (ProCyte)  that both stimulates skin repair and activates the metalloproteases that remove damaged skin proteins. Virtually all other "skin repair" or "night repair" creams on the market are cosmetic company "hype" and have no or very minimal effects on skin repair. Any product without independent and published clinical studies (studies that you can readily obtain) should not be purchased.

2. If you want stronger skin renewal, then use an Exfol Serum, a 2% salicylic acid serum.

3. A retinoic acid cream such as generic retinoic acid, Tretinoin, Retin-A, or Renova if you have excess skin oil production and acne. Reduce retinoic acid use to fewer times per week if you become too irritated. Retinoic acid is a very good product, but many dermatologists sell the product and tend to over prescribe retinoic acid and under estimate irritation. Never use cortisone or corticosteroids to reduce retinoic acid irritation. Many users of Protect & Restore have told us that it helped reduce the irritation produced by retinoic acid.

Retinoic acid is the acidic version of vitamin A or retinol. It reverses aging effects on skin, reduces wrinkles and mottled darkened spots and smoothes the skin. Retinoic Acid reduces skin oil by shrinking sebaceous glands and unclogging follicles. It also increases epidermal thickness and stimulates the deposition of new collagen. Like AHAs, retinoic acid acts by inducing a controlled irritation in the skin followed by the body repairing the damaged tissue.

Many new versions of Retin-A are now appearing on the market and are sold as great improvements over Retin-A (retinoic acid). This is because the patents on Retin-A are expiring which will cause the price to sharply drop. If retinoic acid becomes an over-the-counter (OTC) product available on the shelf in drugstores, the price will drop to $1 to $2 per tube. The new retinoic acid products appearing on the market are only marginally better (if at all) than the original Retin-A and are being introduced to keep a high price on the product.

4. A very gentle facial cleanser. Be careful here because many "gentle" cleansers have very alkaline pHs of 9.5 to 10.0. The pH should be near neutrality and there should be no foaming or lathering agents in the cleanser. These foaming chemicals only damage skin and do not help with skin cleansing. Check out our Gentle Clean Cleansing Bar in this website.

Also, excessively strong cleansers may wash away your sexual pheromones which are a major component of your attractiveness to others.

5. For sun protection, use products with reflective sunblockers such as pure titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Do not use micronized or siliconized titanium dioxide or zinc oxide because they penetrate deeply into the skin whereas, the pure forms remain on the skin surface.

For decades, irresponsible cosmetic companies and a small group of very vocal, publicity-seeking, dermatologists have strongly advocated that chemical sunscreens  should be heavily applied before any exposure to sunlight. They insisted that such sunscreen use would prevent skin cancer and protect your health. This was despite of a lack of any adequate safety testing of these chemicals. (It should be emphasized that most dermatologists are much more cautious and careful).

Do not use cosmetics with chemical sunscreens since they are irritating, cause skin allergies, generate free radicals that damage skin, and may cause cancer and birth defects. In 1997, Europe, Canada, and Australia changed sunscreens to use three specific active sunscreen ingredients -avobenzone (Parsol 1789), titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide - as the base. In the USA, the cosmetic companies have held off this policy as they try to sell off their stockpiles of cosmetics containing sunscreens banned in other countries. Many scientists have presented evidence that chemical sunscreens may increase your risk of cancers of the breast, ovaries, prostrate and colon.

Many common sunscreen chemicals have estrogen-like effects.  Margaret Schlumpf from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, found that they trigger developmental abnormalities in rats. Her research team tested six common UV screening chemicals used in sunscreens, lipsticks and other cosmetics. All five tested UVB screens -benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), octyl-methoxycinnamate and octyl-dimethyl-PABA - acted like estrogen in lab tests and caused cancer cells to grow more rapidly. One of the most common sunscreens, 4-MBC, when mixed with olive oil and applied to rat skin, caused a doubling of the rate of uterine growth well before puberty. "That was scary, because we used concentrations that are in the range allowed in sunscreens," said Schlumpf.  See  The Chemical Sunscreen Health Disaster

5. Your color cosmetics for facial color. Use the bare minimum that you need. They are filled with coloring agents and metals that do nothing good for skin.

6. Give your skin a break once a week and use nothing.

7. What Not to Use:   Cosmetic companies want you to pile layers of their products on your skin. Keep in mind that children have great skin and use nothing.

Moisturizers should be used only as needed since they tend to loosen the outer skin layer. If you use Protect & Restore, you will greatly reduce your need for moisturizers.

Toners and astringents may be used for removing makeup but remember that they damage skin and increase skin oil production. Instead, try to use very mild cleansers for makeup removal and facial cleansing.

Do not use products containing animal collagen or elastin. They have no positive effect on skin and only increase your chances of infection by prions that produce "Mad Cow Disease" and other degenerative diseases.

Most botanicals and herbs also possess many irritants, poisons, and carcinogens. This is how they reduce their chances of being eaten by insects and other animals. The beauty of a plant or flower has nothing to do with your skin's health.

Dry skin is caused by two problems: (1) damage to the skin's protective barrier which produces excessive water loss through the skin, and (2) a reduction in the concentrations of the skin's water-holding sugars and proteins (proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans or GAGs). Copper-peptides act by repairing the skin barrier and raising the level of proteoglycans and GAGs. Waxes and oils seal the skin's surface and prevent excessive water loss. Cosmetic moisturizers loosen the skin's protective barrier and hydrate (wet) the skin proteins but at the expense of skin damage.
 

Many moisturizers and emollients sold by skin care companies delay the healing of irritated and damaged skin and make the situation worse by inhibiting natural skin repair. According to Dr. Halker-Sorenson (Skandborg, Denmark), new computerized instruments have demonstrated that many popular moisturizers increase skin damage in methods similar to skin irritants.

Nor are skin barrier creams an answer such as those containing petrolatum and lanolin. Dr. Charles Ellis (Ann Arbor, Michigan) commented, "In my experience and from what I can garner (from the literature), I don't think they work very well. What we need is to protect the skin surface and to heal the skin from within, by putting the skin in a situation in which normal skin repair can occur." (Skin and Allergy News, April 1997) Virtually all popular moisturizers and emollients sold by skin care companies contain high concentrations of detergents and detergent-like chemicals - despite 40 years of scientific evidence that these detergents damage the skin and degrade the skin's natural protective function. Also damaging to skin are many of the dyes and optical diffusers used to give the appearance of healthy skin. Another mistake is to add to skin creams certain lipids that occur naturally in the skin - hoping that this replenishes skin lipids and improves skin health. However, what recent research has found, is that adding natural skin fats and lipids to skin creams causes a reduction in the skin's natural biosynthesis of skin fats and lipids so that, in a few weeks, the skin is in worse condition than before.

Even natural plant products can damage skin. Many skin care companies advertise the value of various combinations of exotic plant extracts in their products. This is no assurance of safety or effectiveness. Many plants avoid being eaten by insects, birds, and mammals because they are filled with poisons and carcinogens which can irritate and damage skin. When evaluating skin products, one should always ask the salesperson where to find published, independent clinical studies that support the product claims (but don't expect to see any).

Avoid Skin Oxygenating Products

Certain cosmetic products are sold to increase skin oxygenation. This is done either by (1) covering the face with a mask and running a flow of pure oxygen over the face for about an hour, or (2) covering the skin with certain chemicals that carry extra oxygen into the skin. If skin is damaged, this method may cause an improvement in skin in a few days.

The problem with this method is that it will cause long-term skin problems. By artificially increasing the oxygen level in your skin, your body will decrease the blood vessels (capillaries) that feed oxygen and nutrients to the cells of your skin. Capillaries grow towards areas of the body that are low in oxygen. By adding more oxygen to the outer layers of your skin, your cells will have less oxygen and nutrients from your body. Your skin will age faster because of inadequate nutrients from the blood and your skin will be more pale and grayish because of fewer red blood cells in your skin.

Companies that sell these products say that oxygen applied to the skin has been used to heal wounds faster in hospital studies. This is true, but these types of wounds and skin ulcers are temporary and require emergency therapies to heal over the wound and reduce the chance of infection. Long-term application of high oxygen to your skin's surface will not heighten the health of normal skin.

Gerontologists consider the cellular degeneration caused by chronic exposure to elevated concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) as a model for accelerated aging at the cellular level.  In cultured mammalian cells, elevated oxygen causes progressive growth inhibition, loss of reproductive capacity, and chromosomal breakage. One effect of high oxygen on skin is to inhibit mitochondrial respiration that produces the energy for skin renewal. A major cause of human aging at the cellular level is a similar reduction in mitochondrial respiration (Pruijn et al 1992). In theory, people who use high oxygen treatments on their skin are likely to see accelerated aging of their skin within a few years.

Clinical Studies on Protect & Restore

Skin Biology's skin creams are clinically-proven to stimulate skin regeneration after diverse types of irritation and damage. Four independent, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, published clinical studies at the University of California at San Francisco have given statistically significant positive results as our products markedly accelerated the rate of skin recovery and reduced irritation after severe skin damage. For more information see Clinical Studies

Why Protect & Restore Is Better than Cortisone on Irritated Skin

Protect & Restore's copper-peptides reduce the need for the use of corticosteroids for skin dermatitis. Corticosteroids (such as cortisone) produce damaged and thinned skin (often 50% thinner) by inhibiting the natural skin repair processes. Use of corticosteroids produces a vicious cycle requiring more corticosteroid use due to more irritations from the weakened skin. The use can promote diabetic conditions, thymus involution, immune suppression, the spread of cancers, bone damage, and cataracts. It is estimated that 5,000 hip replacements yearly in Canada are due to overuse of corticosteroids.

During inflammation, the skin is damaged by immune cells that release toxic oxygen radicals into the damaged area. The purpose of these oxygen radicals is to kill invading bacteria after wounding but often the oxygen radicals are released in the absence of any bacteria. Cortisone and corticosteroids act by killing the immune cells to stop oxygen radical release but this also kills the immune cells that release the skin repair growth factors and hence stops skin repair which ultimately leads to a thinned and damaged skin.

Copper-peptides, on the other hand, directly detoxify the oxygen radicals. They also supply copper to superoxide dismutase (SOD), the skin's primary anti-oxidant protein. This helps activate more of the skin's SOD (normally only about 30% of SOD is active) and further increases the removal of oxygen radicals. Also, the copper-complexes have been shown to strongly stimulate the skin's repair systems and improve healing and skin renewal. The below mentioned nickel allergy study demonstrated both the anti-inflammatory and skin repair properties of copper-peptides. (Zhai, Chang, Singh, and Maibach, "In vivo nickel contact dermatitis: human model for topical therapeutics", Contact Dermatitis Vol. 40, pp. 205-208, 1999.)
 

Comparison: Effect of Copper Peptide vs Corticosteroids 
for Skin Repair and Anti-inflammation

	Stops Inflammation By	Effect on Skin Repair and Renewal
Protect & Restore Copper-Peptides	1. Detoxifying oxygen radicals 2. Activating the skin's superoxide dismutase	Strongly stimulates skin repair and renewal
Cortisone  & Other Corticosteroids	1. Killing immune cell macrophages and neutrophils  which secrete oxygen radicals	Stops skin repair and renewal by killing macrophages which secrete skin repair growth factors

 
 

P&R Client Comments

Some telephone, email and Internet postings on P&R (some comments have been edited for length).

KS........@comcast.com

AS........@aol.com

I would like to begin my email with a testimonial.

WOW!  Your copper peptide products are great!

I heard about your products on makeupalley.com.  Everyone was raving about your products.

I am a female: *50 years old, *have already gone through menopause, *don't take hormone replacement due to a history of maternal breast cancer, *have extremely oily skin, *have large pores, *still have acne break outs, *have wrinkles and sagging around and under eyes, around mouth, and under chin (neck area), and *have skin like fine tissue paper under eyes.  MY FACE WAS A WRECK!!!!!!
What a mess!  I needed help.  I only wish I had taken pictures, but to tell you the truth, I didn't think your products would work.

Well, after 2 weeks of using your CP Serum (item #90) and P&R with High Retinol and Oil of Lavender, I have DRAMATIC results.  Every morning I cleanse my face with a mild soap, apply MD Forte Glycare with 15% AHA, apply your CP Serum, and finish up around my eyes and neck area with the P&R High Retinol and Oil of Lavender.  The wrinkles around my eyes are very much diminished.  The fragile, tissue paper-like skin under my eyes is improving.  Even my neck area, which looked like loose chicken skin, looks much firmer.

I was shopping for eye glasses today with my husband.  I told the optical technician that I wanted glasses that made me look younger as I felt I looked old for 50.  She couldn't believe I was 50.  Her comment was, "You don't even have any wrinkles!"  And this was without any makeup!

For years the skin on my arms and legs have been like a road map:  all dry and cracked.  I started applying the P&R with High Retinol and Oil of Lavender to my extremities.  Oh, my goodness!  Instant results!!!!!  My husband says my skin is as smooth as a baby's!  It is!  I'm letting everyone touch my skin because it is so soft.  And, of course, I'm telling them about your products.

My mother is 83 and has very fragile, friable skin on her arms.  I am now using the P&R with High Retinol and Oil of Lavender on her.  She loves it!

Now my husband wants in on the renewal!

Thank you again.

Have a great day,

EG...........@comcast.net 

Can I include Renova in this regime? How? Is there anything else I should know about?
Thanks- I am forever grateful to your company for my results!

CH @aol.com

Skin Biology - Many people layer P&R cream over Renova or Retin-A. It reduces the skin irritation.

I was just at a large conference and was told by many people how incredible my skin looks. 2 people did not recognize me ( have not seen them for 3 years) they told me I looked 20!!!! :) I am 36. Keep up the great work.

An extremely happy customer for life.

L @cox.net

I have a question I live in the central valley of California, where it does get hot. I have my AC running quite alot but it can get warm after it's off, usually 80 in here. should I refrigerate the cream?? or is it safe and stable at room temperature??? I do keep it away from the light...

Please let me know ..I want to make sure it stays potent.

R, California
Skin Biology Advice - The cream will remain potent but in heat it may develop a sulphur smell from protein breakdown. This is a very minor effect but humans are very sensitive to such smells. So you may prefer to keep it refrigerated. 

Let me just start with praise for your products, your information filled web site and you customer service. I have seen nothing like your website or your service in any other e-tailing operation.

I have been using the Protect and Restore #2 (classic) and am loving it. I have also been using a sodium-PCA spray as a moisturizer. Are these two products okay to use together?

L.S.
Arkansas

Skin Biology Advice - Yes, you can use the products with sodium PCA spray

I have been using your products for over a year now and love them (Folligen conditioner / Folligen, Protect and Restore, Calypso's Oil, TriReduction).

I'm 34, had combo skin, but since I've been using the P&R #2 my skin has completely evened out (normal, not oily or dry). I don't have sensitive skin, and actually I've been asked if I'm under 25 by several people since using the P&R system.

KC @hia.net

I have a few questions ....., but i first wanted to tell you how much I love your products. My first experience with blue copper products was with Osmotics in 1998. I liked the product but not the price, so after reading about you on  the Beauty Buzz for a while, I decided to try P&R. That was February of 2000, and I have been a loyal customer ever since.

I had fairly good skin before your products, but now my skin is as close to perfection as I would have ever hoped. I no longer wear concealer under my eyes, just a light coating of powder. I receive compliments on my skin all the time from women and men of all ages. I have gotten my mother, two sisters, and best friend hooked on P&R.  I was a skin care and makeup junkie for a while, but now my skin looks so wonderful, I use the bare minimum, and haven't considered using anything but P&R on my skin since last year. I am almost 32 years old, but am mistaken for being quite a bit younger, as my skin is as luminous as a teenagers!!

Thanks again for your wonderful products and prompt service. Your products are far superior to anything in department stores, at a much more affordable price.

Sincerely,
S @airmail.com

B.P. @.......net

I would like to add, I have been to numerous dermatologists for years!  There has never been one treatment that can compare to your product.  Thank you so much, this was truly a God send.

Sincerely,

P., Ohio

AM @cs.com

Thanks so much.

A @AOL.com

I'm 37 years old and I just got carded for buying beer.  The sales clerk seriously asked me if I was 21.  How's THAT for using P&R?

R.J. @mddatedirect.com

C.G., Louisiana

P&R 7 I use for the day time. It is the one with sunscreen in it. I use it under make-up and it is great as a base.  Makes the skin matte & smooth. Also, I had combo &  oily T-zone before starting on P&R, I have noticed the oil production has dropped by approx. 50% since using 2 & 7. That alone to me is priceless!

I would recommend it to anyone.

JJ, @Beautybuzz.com

LJ, Beautybuzz.com

I think the addition of a copper treatment, either P&R or Blue Copper, is good idea for anyone. I think the big  hullabaloo was earlier in the year when people were just finding out about copper treatments, and then deciding  on whether BC or P&R was to their liking. I have nothing against BC as a product, but it is rather expensive. I  think P&R gives you all or most of the benefit at a fraction of the price.

I have been using the strongest mentholated version of P&R during the summer, as I find the menthol quite  refreshing, and it smoothes on my oily night-time skin very nicely.

I’ll be ordering the strongest lavender-based version for the winter, when my skin is drier.  P&R has definitely brought my skin to the ‘next level’ and I would highly recommend it to anyone. My pores are  definitely smaller, and my complexion is clearer, softer, and more even than it has ever been. P&R can also be  used around the lower eye area, and it has helped to keep my eyes as wrinkle and puffiness free as I would like,  which is to say, completely free of them!!

P&R also works on an assortment of ‘boo-boos’ I get from shaving or just exposure to chemicals and other  environmental contaminants. P&R sure would help that poor unfortunate young lady who was burned getting her  eyebrows waxed!! It also helps if you get more sun than your sunscreen can handle, too.

JO
@Beautybuzz.com

As far as which P& R I use--I use #3-which has high retinol content ..I know that all those choices can be confusing..If you search thru the website-which can be very perplexing-you can find some descriptions of each one..If you are still not sure then e-mail them or call them. They are extremely helpful..and you can always order there sample pack-you get three choices-I think the price is around $12 or $14 -it includes the shipping and handling charges..the samples are generous and you can see which one works the best for you ..again I can't stress enough to give the entire website a look-it is very exhaustive--but gives so much great info--and also e-mail or call if you have any ??? what-so-ever..

Hope this helps .. Good Luck

SA, @Beautybuzz.com

N., @Beautybuzz.com

I highly recommend you go to their website and set aside at least an hour to read thru all the extremely informative info on the products and skin-hair in general. The also offer sample packets of three items -of your choice-for around $11 dollars I believe. Last but not least you can also e-mail Dr Loren Pickart -the inventor of P&R -and also Blue Copper which he sold the copyrights to Osmotics- directly thru the company for any and all questions you may have about  the products..

Again,I highly stress you go to their website..it has an exhaustive supply of info and it can be a little  trying when navigating the site..but it's well worth it..Good Luck !!!

Suze
@Beautybuzz.com

HM, @beautybuzz.com

When I asked Barbara about this a while back, she suggested using the smoothing cream in the AM and the P&R  in the PM without the smoothing cream. I don't see why it makes a difference, though, since you can use the P&R with a hydroxy acid, a stronger AHA used in combo with it at night should also be fine. I've had fine results with what I've been doing. I've always wondered if the AHA + the copper cream "cancel" each other out because one's exfoliating while the other's rebuilding! BUT, hey, my skin looks great, so SOMETHING good is going on!

LJ, @ Beautybuzz.com

Skin Biology comment - P&R works very well with AHAs. The AHAs stimulate the removal of older skin while P&R stimulates the formation of new skin.

M, @Beautybuzz.com

S, @ Beautybuzz.com

GG @ Beautybuzz.com

I decided to give P&R a try after reading a number of positive testimonials on the BeautyBuzz.com message board in early December.  After reading through your very informative website and speaking with your representative on the phone, I ordered P&R #2, Gentle Clean, and samples of #1 and #3. I was very pleasantly surprised to receive shipment to Austria in just 5 days.

After using the 2-Step for only a few days, I could see a difference in my skin.  I experienced some peeling and flaking at the beginning (as I related to you on the telephone) as well as the surfacing of many impurities in the form of tiny white bumps, which disappeared after a few additional days.  In the second week of treatment I was able to completely stop using moisturizer as my skin was no longer dry, even after cleansing.  I also noticed that all the hard little bumps that were just under the surface of the skin had vanished.  I then switched to P&R #3 from my sample and at the end of the second week, my skin was noticeably softer and smoother.  The skin color was greatly improved as well:  translucent and natural-looking, no longer dull and blotchy.

At the end of the third week, I was amazed to realize that I had not had even one new acne breakout in all the time I had been using P&R!  Several nights I used Retin-A followed by P&R without any irritation or redness.  I woke up to glowing skin every morning, and noticed  that some hyperpigmentation from past acne had already faded and even the more noticeable marks seemed less dramatic.

In the fourth week I have been forced to return to #2 (a friend demanded that I give her my #3 sample!)  The fine dry lines on my cheeks and around my eyes seem to have become somewhat less noticeable and my skin has continued to improve overall.  I have received a number of enthusiastic compliments on my skin.  One friend even asked if I was sure I wasn't pregnant - she couldn't imagine any other reason for the sudden and drastic improvement.  Really the most wonderful experience of all was when my husband came home from a business trip a few nights ago and said "You look so wonderful!  Are you using a new makeup?" You can imagine my delight, telling him that I was only wearing P&R, mascara, and lipstick!  He almost couldn't believe it.  The results really are amazing.  A month ago, I couldn't have dreamed my skin would look like this - ever!  I really wished I had taken before-and-after pictures to show you the difference in my skin, but I am sure you believe me.

I also love the Gentle Clean.  I am able to remove makeup in just one or two lathers and it does not leave my skin feeling tight or drawn, as many cleansers have.

I have been diligently referring friends and internet contacts to your website, and as you know, I am pleased to have been able to place an order for several of my girlfriends who have been impressed by the results of my month with P&R.  This is really the first product I have ever used which I feel I can recommend to others wholeheartedly and without reservation.

A final note as to my current regimen:  6 days a week I wash in the AM and PM with Gentle Clean.  In the morning, I also use a light scrub of baking soda and aloe vera gel, which I rinse before applying a thin layer of P&R and then my cosmetics.  In the evening, I apply a hydroxy acid and P&R, or twice a week I substitute Retin-A.  One day a week (usually Saturday or Sunday) I simply wash my face in the AM and PM with Gentle Clean and then apply aloe vera gel and lip balm.  I never would have imagined that the most effective regimen for my skin would be such a simple one.  Now I look at the expensive cleansers, toners, and moisturizers in my cabinet and wonder what I will ever do with them all!  In fact, it seems increasingly obvious to me that all these products have exacerbated my skin problems, probably even causing them and preventing my skin from healing.

Thank you again for everything!  I certainly wish you continued success with your Skin Biology products and look forward to the continued benefits of this little miracle. I am sure I will continue ordering as long as you continue to produce these excellent products.

Sincerely,

H. M. M., Austria

L. A., California

I find that P&R has had a much greater effect on my skin, particularly used in conjunction with Retin-A. P&R has been much more soothing and healing after application of Retin-A than Blue Copper was. I have started using P&R on my chest, where I have quite a bit of sun damage, and in 2 days am already noticing a difference.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,

K. M., Florida

I'm calling to now order the large P&R#3.

L.D., California

My skin is looking great and my husband agrees. I'm using P&R#3 at night and the P&R Day Cover in the morning.

B.P., Virginia

K.P., Indiana

As a user of P&R for about 3 months, I have been amazed.  I now have about 8 people that I have turned onto it in that time that also love it.  I never thought I'd have so many friends from a skin cream, but I do! 

S.F., California

Again, thanks for developing such a wonderful line.

SPB @earthlink.net

Thank you for the wonderful, accessible products & your no-nonsense approach to skin care.
With P&R I'm truly 'getting better' with age!

A.J., Ohio

As per your suggestion of a few months back I've been using P&R #2 in the morning, then a hydroxy acid a few nights a week, alternating with Avita tretinoin cream.

The GOOD NEWS--After the first month I stopped using moisturizer, and after two months my pores are noticeably smaller, and I'm getting fewer breakouts. Then I thought maybe a different acne product would take care of the breakouts...

The P&R is truly wonderful!!  I really thought nothing could improve my skin, and even with these few ongoing breakouts, my face overall looks and feels so much better!! I think I just had to be a bit more patient to see results, as my face was in pretty poor shape from years of using everything
short of Accutane. Please don't stop making this product!!  I feel like I have a brand-new face--sometimes I look in the mirror and can't believe the difference--it's thrilling!

Best regards and sincere thanks,

HS from Washington, DC

J.F.S., Massachusetts

A.J., Ohio

J.K., Pennsylvania

I also would want to recommend this formulation to my friends, since this is the one I am getting results from. I understand there are now 4 formulations, and it's getting confusing.

Thanks in advance,

E.S., UK

This was a P&R #3 response.

Thanks,
H.B., Georgia

First, I am so pleased you are now offering 4 ounce containers of P&R!  I appreciate the opportunity to reduce costs and shipping.

Now the questions.  Another user (posting on Makeup Alley) shared an article about research on retinol that suggested that it could provide some protective benefits if used prior to sun exposure.  Just in case, I have switched my P&R use to mornings rather than nights.  Unfortunately, I really liked the luminous glow I got from evening use better - I'm wondering if the glow is less noticeable because I am covering the P&R with sunscreen and foundation right after applying it.  Is there any lessening of effectiveness using it in the morning with extra products?  Also, the same poster indicated that she is using it twice a day, which you don't seem to recommend on the site.  Do you have any experience with people using P&R twice a day?  What are the ramifications?  I certainly don't want to damage my skin by overloading it in my over eagerness.

Thanks as before for a great product at a reasonable price!

S.C. @teleport.com

Response: You can use P&R as much as you wish, morning or evening or both. P&R has a high UV absorbency due to the peptides, squalane and allantoin in  the cream. While these cream ingredients are not FDA-approved UV blockers, they are probably safer than many FDA recommended sunscreens. Many sunscreens used in the USA have now been banned in Europe. For more information see: www.skinbiology.com/morehealthysuntanning.html.

Good skin!!! Thank you!!! I am one of those people who can't use much of anything on my skin without having a reaction, and I have rosacea, now almost gone. so ii am doubly happy about the whole thing!!! Thank you!! Send me vats of the stuff if you ever decide to stop making it!!

L.S., Vermont

After only a few more days I stopped breaking out and the lesions began to heal.  Now my skin looks 500% improved and getting better every day.  You may want to warn customers of the possibility of this happening because I remember you saying that some people had returned the product because it caused them to break out.  Encourage them to be patient as it will definitely be worth it. I have been using a "10% Glycolic Compound" called Aqua Glycolic from Herald Pharmacal.

V.H., Virginia

R.N., Wappinger, NY

As I age (I'm currently 25 years old), I will be curious to see whether the #3 formula will affect me differently (i.e., positively). In the meanwhile, however, I am beyond ecstatic about my wonderful journey with Protect & Restore.

A. T., Hollywood CA

Thank you so much for you kind help.
C  M

Skin Biology: This was a P&R #3 response.

Thanks,
H. B.

Skin Biology: This was a P&R #2 response.

It's truly amazing how much stronger treatments my face can now take. My skin is very smooth, and any tiny blemishes that make their way to the surface of my skin don't stand a chance -- they're gone within a day or two.

Thanks,

D. H.

Skin Biology: This was a P&R #3 response.

L.S. @aol.com

Skin Biology comment - People vary greatly in the response to the different versions. The stronger (retinol) versions work very well on the face of many people but not with others. Many people demand P&R #3.

V. T.  @idirect.com

T.C., Arlington  WA

SM, Vancouver, BC

Although I already had a good skin condition, your product did improve it. Furthermore, I smoke, so that would be one of the causes of unhealthier skin. After investigating what kind of products are available here in Holland,  I have to say that your product is superior to anything available.

F R, The Netherlands

I would sell my first-born for another tube of Version 2. Well, maybe not. Perhaps I would trade my Honda Civic, though! So if you do make several versions, please consider making version 2 one of them.

...@fc.net

Your product has changed my life, really and I have been telling everyone I can about your wonderful product.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Sincerely,

R.L., Florida

L. C., Manchester, MO

C.B. @indy.net

L. F., Guangdong, P.R. China

First, this stuff feels and smells really nice. A small amount spreads on very smoothly. I put makeup on over it, and went to the coffeehouse for a couple of hours. When I got home -- wow! Some of the little angry spots on my face had already practically disappeared. Amazing. And a large blemish had flattened out, and gotten much less red. I cleaned off my makeup (used a different cleanser this time), and reapplied the P&R. No red flush this time; just a little tingling, which stopped immediately.

When I woke up this morning, I seriously thought my eyes were not focusing properly. My skin looks that much better. I can hardly wait to see what the effects will be after using it regularly for a few weeks! You have a real winning product on your hands here. I find that I want to buy about 10 tubes so I won't run out!!! It's that good.

Thanks! I don't usually rave about products, but I just had to let y'all know how impressed I am.

D. H. @fc.net>

Again, you have a superior product here and could easily be charging WAY more for it (like the Blue Copper), but I am thankful that you offer such a quality product for such an economical price.

Again, many thanks!

V. V.
San Francisco

...@aol.com

Skin Biology response: Aphrodisiac? Not that we know.

J.F, New York, NY

Thank you again!

V.V., San Francisco

K.H., Crestview, FL

K. C., Willington, CT

Just wanted to let you know how much I like your product.  I didn't think my skin could look much smoother, since it was already in good condition. But, in less than a week, it did smooth out a rough trouble spot I've had for ages.  And my skin looks really nice.

L.C., Manchester, MO

Thanks again for your wonderful inventions!
Sincerely,
J. B

Is there any harm to using it during the day as well, in lieu of my regular moisturizer? I really love the texture of my skin when the P&R is on it & want to use it under my makeup (it seems like it would be a fabulous base), but don't want to stop using it at night (w/the AHA) with no makeup over it.  So, would using P&R twice a day be too much of a good thing?

        ...  I get poison ivy rash roughly once a year & am wondering if P&R might help with that?...

S. H.

Skin Biology response.

1. P&R is formulated in a moisturizer base and should function well as a moisturizer. But it may take a few weeks to build up your skin barrier and improve your skin's intrinsic moisture-holding properties. If you want to put another moisturizer above the P&R, this is OK.

2. Some women use P&R as a morning make-up base. Once your skin gets in better shape, using P&R about four times a week may be adequate.

3. Relatives in Minnesota tell us that P&R works great on poison ivy - much better than cortisone or other steroids. We tried to do a clinical study on its action after poison ivy skin irritation but we could not find enough people allergic to poison ivy in San Francisco.

One question - I find that at night I need a moisturizer over the P&R.  I lean towards the dry side and I dehydrate easily.  Is it okay to put some moisturizer over the cream?

Thanks.

sc@aol.com

Skin Biology response: Blue Copper is a very good skin cream. We are making some modifications in the medicinal smell of the Protect & Restore cream. It is OK to put a moisturizer over the Protect & Restore but the P&R should build up your skin within a few weeks and the dryness should be less of a problem.

So I tried your idea on skin pores and it worked! About five or six nights a week, I mixed a hydroxy acid and the Protect & Restore and applied them to the areas of the pores and over other areas of my face. I didn't pay too much attention to what happened but after three months of use, I had forgotten about the larger pores. When I looked finally remembered and looked for them, I could only find one of them and it was almost normal in size.

This is really great!

S. B., London, U.K.

Skin Biology response: We have a had a number of reports on facial pore size reduction.
It is a pleasant surprise to us also!

W. R., Phoenix, AZ

Sincerely,

A.J., London, UK

I've also used the other copper product - Blue Copper - and it works very well also. The copper creams are the best skin products I have ever used.

T.H., Atlanta, GA

N.D., Minneapolis, MN

L. A., Sherman Oaks, CA

I would be perfectly happy, on current results, to use your system totally now. It has an excellent price range: i.e. the consumer feels that she is paying for the product and not for the ostentatious packaging.

C. M. F., U.K.

Best wishes,

D. P.,
Qunicy, MA

F.L., Scranton, PA

My skin was in extremely bad condition. Lack of sleep combined with stress had caused a horrible outbreak of blemishes on my face. I used "Oxy-10" and was left with an awful red rash on my left check along with skin that felt dry, damaged and burnt.

Then my doctor prescribed tetracycline (500 mg) along with 2% Acne Topical Solution (erythromycin) plus Benzoyl Peroxide 5% in "Panoxy Bar". This helped a little with the blemishes but made my skin more irritated and dryer. It also made me sick to my stomach.

I then bought special soaps, expensive skin products from a television infomercial, and vitamin formulas designed specifically for the skin. Nothing would eliminate the rash and dry skin.

"Protect & Restore" was a last resort. I applied a thin coat of the cream before going to bed. Within 2 days the rash was completely gone. After 3 days I stopped using the heavy makeup that I was using. My skin looked clear and smooth and young looking. I went out without a stitch of makeup and at work friends told me how great my skin looked. As a further surprise, three men asked me for dates that day!

L. S., West Hollywood, CA

Jan, Bellevue, WA

This a re-order for the Skin Biology 2-Step System. After two months of use my skin definitely looks better and feels better

T. O., New York, NY

I have recommended this system to my friends, and will continue to do so.

Yours truly,
Doreen Babiuk, BSc, Salmon Arm, B.C.

Well, after two months, on the side of my face where I used both Protect & Restore® and the alpha hydroxy cream, the results were outstanding. The skin looked much better and I could see fewer wrinkles. Now I use both products -- the alpha hydroxy cream in the morning and Protect & Restore® in the evening.

My husband says I look much better.

K.U., Vashon Island, WA

I still use Alpha Hydroxy Acids but now I put Alpha Hydroxy on first, then cover it with Protect & Restore®. Protect & Restore® is very soothing and stops the irritation and I no longer get skin redness. I've noticed a firming of skin and a smoothing out of fine lines. Protect & Restore® also makes a nice base for makeup.

Thanks a lot,

I.F., Bellevue, WA

I've been using Retin-A® for four years (about 4 times per week) plus a 7% alpha hydroxy cream in the morning. My skin looks smoother but I often get redness and irritation and have to stop using the products for a time.

I started using a light coating of Protect & Restore® cream in the evening about 4 months ago along with the other products. The raw redness is gone and my skin now has very nice looking light pink color (without any makeup). A friend that I had not seen in a year said my face looks 10 years younger.

Many thanks,

C.H., Bellevue, WA

Alain et al 1999 - Alain, Monier, Emonard, Gillery, Birembaut, Homebeck and Maquart, Expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinases in wounds: Modulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine-cu2+, J. Invest. Dermat. 112: 957-964.

Pruijn FB, Schoonen WG, Joenje H, Inactivation of mitochondrial metabolism by hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress. Ann N Y Acad Sci 663: 453-455 (Nov 21 1992)