Dermatologist Shereene Idriss explains that copper peptides don't cause the redness and breakouts blamed on them, called "copper uglies" online. The real culprit is usually formulation issues or mixing them with retinoids and acids on a damaged skin barrier. Ask yourself what products you're layering and whether your barrier was already compromised before you started.
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Here we go again with a new diagnosis: the copper uglies. It seems like everyone everywhere is suffering from copper peptides, where they're getting redness, peeling, purging, irritations, and even breakouts. As a derm, I'm here to tell you that there is no such thing. If someone's telling you that your skin is simply remodeling after starting a copper peptide, they're probably full of shit. I want you guys to ask yourselves three simple questions. Number one: What am I using? Are we stacking irritating products like a retinoid, an exfoliating acid, even benzoyl peroxide? Numéro deux, what was my skin barrier like before I started? Because if your barrier was already inflamed, adding another product is probably going to push your skin over the edge. And numéro trois, is it purging or irritation? Because reality check, copper peptides should not cause a purge. If it's burning and irritated, stop. Don't push through. Even though something is marketed as a copper peptide, the formulation matters, and other ingredients inside the formula, when put on your skin or layered with other things, can be too much for your skin. So if your skin is pissed, take a break. Stop everything. Gentle cleanser, moisturize, and maybe even stop sunscreen if the UV index is less than 3, because boring is a treatment. And as a derm, for me to tell you not to use sunscreen, that's blasphemy. I just did a whole deep dive on YouTube covering the copper uglies and what is the underlying issues and how you can help yourself. I want you guys to remember, just because the internet gives it a cool name doesn't necessarily mean that it's real.
