They're turning up in everything from moisturisers, serums, boosters, eye creams, and sunscreens to scalp serums and hair treatments.
For starters, peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as biological messengers, supporting collagen production, tissue repair, skin resilience, and hair health.
Where we're getting peptides wrongAs peptides have gone mainstream, so have our expectations of them.
Topical and injectable peptides can reinforce these processes, but they don't operate in isolation.
Consumers rely on them instead of seeking a proper diagnosis, or clinics promote injectable peptides without sufficient regulation or evidence.
By the time an ingredient graduates from dermatologist offices to TikTok routines, it has usually reached cult status. We've seen it happen with powerhouse actives like vitamin C and niacinamide. Ceramides had their moment, too. And now, it's peptides that are everywhere. They're turning up in everything from moisturisers, serums, boosters, eye creams, and sunscreens to scalp serums and hair treatments.
For starters, peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as biological messengers, supporting collagen production, tissue repair, skin resilience, and hair health. It's no surprise they've become one of the most talked-about ingredients in aesthetic medicine.
“Their growing popularity reflects a broader shift in beauty and wellness – from simply treating visible signs of ageing to supporting long-term skin health and function. Peptides have become central to this approach by working with the body's natural biological processes to encourage regeneration from within,” explains Dr Anastasiya Esipova, Medical Director & Partner at Longevium Clinic, Dubai.
The appeal is obvious. While we are piling on peptide-after-peptide products or treatments, many experts are asking a far more fundamental question: Is adding more really the answer?
Where we're getting peptides wrong
As peptides have gone mainstream, so have our expectations of them. Many people now look to them as a single solution for every skin or hair concern, but experts say that's where we're getting it wrong.
Dr Marina Queiroz, dermatologist at FAYY Health Clinic, explains that one of the biggest misconceptions is treating peptides as miracle ingredients capable of reversing ageing or dramatically restoring collagen. “While peptides can be valuable additions to a skincare routine, they are not comparable to procedures such as lasers, deep chemical peels, injectable treatments, or surgery,” she says. Instead, consumers should expect gradual, long-term improvements in skin quality, hydration, barrier function, and, in some cases, fine lines and firmness.
The body produces peptides naturally as part of its repair and communication systems. Topical and injectable peptides can reinforce these processes, but they don't operate in isolation. Many people are jumping straight to treatments without addressing the underlying environment inside the body first. Experts argue that simply adding more peptides may not be the solution if the body’s internal environment is already compromised.
Factors such as chronic stress, poor sleep, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and underlying medical conditions can all affect how well the body repairs skin and hair in the first place. In other words, peptides may support healthy biological processes, but they cannot fully compensate for an environment that's already working against them.
Additionally, it's this gap between science and marketing that concerns experts the most. “This becomes problematic when brands market them as miracle cures or used in place of proper diagnosis and evidence-based treatment. Consumers rely on them instead of seeking a proper diagnosis, or clinics promote injectable peptides without sufficient regulation or evidence. The issue is the hype surrounding them, unsupported by medical honesty,” says Dr Gehad Masri, General Surgeon and founder of Yugen Care Clinic, Dubai.
