Proteins are a crucial part of the makeup of your skin, including your skin’s protective barrier. The middle layer of your skin, also known as the dermis, is made up of collagen proteins. Your skin’s protective barrier, or what is scientifically known as the epidermis, is made up of keratin protein. Amino acids form peptides and polypeptide chains to build these essential proteins. This means that peptides play an important role in maintaining a healthy skin barrier.
A peptide is a small chain of amino acids linked by a chemical bond called a peptide bond. Peptides and proteins are very similar. Amino acids are not only the building blocks of peptides, but also protein. The primary difference between them is their size. Proteins are considered larger versions of peptides and are able to form more complex structures.