Enhancing Skin Growth Part 4: Growth Factors
In part 3, we looked at the dartos fascia and its role in foreskin restoration. My hypothesis is that expansion of the dartos fascia is what makes foreskin restoration take so long. If tension is causing micro tearing of the fascia and subsequent repair and lengthening, speeding up the repair process could speed up restoration. There are several substances that have been studied for repair and regeneration of skin, and I think that some of them may be of use in foreskin restoration.
Colostrum
Believe it or not, there is actually a lot of good research on using colostrum for skin health. Because colostrum is designed to be fed to newborn mammals, it contains many different growth factors including fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor, which increase the proliferation of fibroblasts.(1) Colostrum taken both orally and topically has been shown to accelerate skin healing and regeneration, increase skin elasticity, reduce aging, and increase skin health overall.(2,3,4)
Colostrum is generally safe to use unless you have a dairy allergy. It is readily available in powder form, and works when taken orally, or used topically. I would recommend taking it orally. You can experiment using it topically by mixing the powder with a small amount of water or into a skin cream, but it can be a hassle. You can get colostrum here
Deer Antler Velvet
Deer antler velvet has been used in Chinese medicine for at least 2,000 years for promoting strength and for treating arthritis and joint problems. Since antlers rapidly grow for one season and then fall off, studies have been done to look at the specific properties of the tissue. Modern research has shown that deer antler extract contains many different growth factors like fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor that are also found in colostrum.(5) Likewise, studies have been done on deer antler extract and skin health. There is some evidence showing increased elasticity and other improvements in skin health, although there is also some debate as to whether the benefits are from the growth factors in deer antler, or from the its high concentration of collagen.(5)
Deer antler velvet extract can be found online. It is usually used sublingually in order to absorb the different growth factors. There are also some topical formulations of deer antler, and I think this could make sense for foreskin restoration.
Copper peptides
The specific peptide GHK-copper is naturally found in the human body has been very well researched for a variety of conditions. It has been found to have skin regenerating and remodeling properties.(6) GHK-copper works by stimulating fibroblasts to increase collagen production, and recruiting endothelial cells to make new blood vessels.(7) These mechanisms of action suggest that GHK-copper could be a useful compound for speeding up skin growth during restoration.
GHK-copper is most commonly used as a subcutaneous injection where it has systemic effects, or topically where it has more local effects. The injectable form is available through some compounding pharmacies with a prescription, but the FDA has been making access to peptides harder in recent years. I would advise against buying peptides online from places like peptide sciences as the quality and purity is questionable.
Copper peptides are also commonly found in many skin creams, but I doubt that any of them have genuine GHK-copper. If you are going to try topical GHK-copper, make sure you research the product carefully and look for a certificate of analysis. Also be aware that creams on the market are not designed for use on the penis and may not be applicable.
Conclusion
When factoring in abundance of evidence, safety, cost, and availability, I think that colostrum is the winner here for boosting skin health. With deer antler, it is not entirely clear whether its benefits actually come from growth factors or from collagen. It may be worth experimenting with, but it also may not be any effective than collagen powder from cow skin or fish. There is certainly a lot of research on GHK-copper, but availability is the main issue.
References:
1. https://www.journalofsurgicalresearch.com/article/S0022-4804(85)71160-2/pdf
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33938706/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30301271/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34071375/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31257296/