Revita contains a copper peptide complex because dermatological research over the last dozen years indicates that copper supplementation counters many of the degenerative diseases of aging skin and hair.

      With age and exposure to ultraviolet rays and environmental toxins, skin becomes thin and suffers from blemishes. Collagen and elastin lose their resilience. Capillaries atrophy and turn the skin gray. Subcutaneous fat cells become fewer. Protective oils become depleted.

But now it appears that a human copper peptide complex, GHK-Cu (glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine:copper(II)), is a primary activator of skin remodeling, the process of restoring normal morphology after an injury. Copper peptides have become the focus of dermatologists. When used for wound healing, physicians noted that GHK-Cu markedly increased the size of hair follicles and sebaceous glands (above) adjacent to wounds.

      Like several major advances in science, researchers stumbled upon these benefits by accident. At the University of San Francisco Wound Center, they applied a synthetic copper peptide to several patients to help severe wounds heal 30 percent faster.

      But as a side effect, they noticed significant new hair growth around the wound. So they applied the copper peptide for six months to the scalp of a patient with 90-percent alopecia (baldness), and she regained nearly 100 percent of her hair.

      A link between skin repair and hair growth was first postulated during World War II, when surgeons observed that recovery from burns could be predicted by observing the return of hair follicles.

      Today copper peptides are applied to hair transplant grafts to stimulate growth. After chemical peels, laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, and other clinical procedures, dermatologists apply them to improve skin and follicle recovery. Future research will focus on the scarless healing of surgical incisions and the removal of hypertrophic scars, pitted scars, skin tags, moles, and actinic keratosis.

      Safety studies have detected no toxicity from skin regenerative copperceuticals. Plus, copper supplementation has reportedly enhanced DHEA levels, raised brain enkephalins, improved immune function, and increased antioxidant defenses by activating superoxide dismutase.

      Copper is also studied to reduce cancer growth, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, deleterious peroxidation of fats and red blood cells, and brain developmental defects in offspring.