Category: GHK-cu

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TL;DR: At 41, I developed new-onset eczema on my eyelid, under my eye, and later on my neck. I was already using eczema-approved skincare. Topical hydrocortisone and Aquaphor weren’t holding it. It would clear and come right back. NAD+ injections are what actually cleared it and kept it cleared. When I missed doses, it came back. When I resumed, it cleared again. Here’s the story, the research, and why this is more common in your 40s than anyone told you.

What New-Onset Eczema on the Face Looks Like at 41

New-onset eczema can show up in your 40s even if you’ve never had it before, and it often appears on the face, including sensitive areas like the eyelids. That’s exactly what happened to me.

I had never had eczema in my life. Not as a kid. Not as a teenager. Not as an adult.

And then last summer, it showed up on my EYELIDS. And under my eyes. Of all the places on my body, it picked my face. A few weeks later, a patch showed up on my neck.

I was furious. I was confused. I was LITERALLY doing everything right.

I was already using my Prequel skincare, which is specifically formulated for eczema and rosacea-prone skin. When the flare wouldn’t quit, I stripped my routine down to the absolute bare bones. Topical hydrocortisone. Aquaphor. The most basic, boring, dermatologist-approved protocol you can do at home.

It would start to clear up… and then come right back. Over and over. For months.

Why Does Eczema Suddenly Show Up in Your 40s?

Turns out this is a real thing. And it’s way more common than anyone talks about.

Perimenopause does a number on your skin in ways most of us are never warned about. As estrogen starts to decline, your skin produces less oil, loses ceramides (the lipids that hold your skin barrier together), and the whole barrier function is compromised. Your skin microbiome shifts. Your immune response shifts. And the inflammation that your body used to handle quietly? Now it’s showing up on your face.

Research published in dermatology literature confirms that the drop in estrogen during perimenopause can trigger new-onset eczema or worsen existing eczema, even in women with no prior history. Skin gets thinner, drier, more reactive, and more easily inflamed.

So… cool. One more thing nobody tells you about your 40s.

Do GLP-1s Reduce Skin Inflammation? Why Mine Didn’t Help My Eczema

This was literally my exact question. I’ve been on a GLP-1 for over two years. GLP-1s are known to reduce inflammation. So why was my face actively revolting?

GLP-1s reduce one type of inflammation, the metabolic kind. The kind driven by insulin resistance, visceral fat, and blood sugar dysfunction. And they do that really well, even at very low doses.

But the inflammation driving perimenopausal skin changes is a different beast entirely. It’s hormonal. It’s local. It’s happening in my skin because my estrogen is dropping, my skin barrier is compromised, and my immune response in my skin is reacting to things it never used to react to.

GLP-1 is putting out the metabolic fire in my body. But the hormonal fire showing up in my skin needed something else.

How NAD+ Injections Cleared My Perimenopausal Eczema

I started NAD+ injections (also available as a nasal spray)last fall. I wasn’t taking them for my skin, honestly. I was taking them for energy, recovery, and general cellular function. The skin improvement was not on my bingo card.

But within a few weeks, I noticed my eczema was staying cleared up. Not in the “it’s better today, let’s see what happens tomorrow” way. In the actually gone way.

I added GHK-Cu later, which also has some skin benefits, but I want to be really clear. The eczema had already cleared before I added GHK-Cu. The NAD+ was doing the heavy lifting.

What Happened When I Stopped Taking NAD+

If you stop taking NAD+, the anti-inflammatory benefits don’t stick around indefinitely. I found that out the hard way.

I did what nurses do, which is make absolutely terrible patients. I got busy. I skipped a week. Then another one. Then another…

Guess what came back. The damn eczema!!!!

I went straight to my kitchen, pulled my vial out of the fridge, and took my injection. It cleared up again. Then I missed another week (I KNOW, I KNOW). Started seeing the early signs creeping back. Back to the kitchen I went.

At this point, I am not messing around. NAD+ is in my toolbelt permanently.

Is There Actual Research Behind NAD+ and Eczema?

Yes, there is peer-reviewed research looking at NAD+ for inflammatory skin conditions, though the body of evidence is still early. I want to be honest with you here, because I am not trying to oversell anything.

Research on NAD+ and inflammatory skin conditions is still in its early stages. But what’s out there looks really promising.

NAD+ is a molecule every cell in your body uses to make energy and repair itself. When you’re young, you have a lot of it. As you age, levels drop. When NAD+ drops, your cells can’t handle stress as well, can’t repair damage as well, and can’t calm inflammation as well.

What the Peer-Reviewed Studies Show

A 2023 study in Cell Reports Medicine found that boosting NAD+ calmed down one of the main inflammation pathways (called Th17) that drives skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Basically, more NAD+ told the inflammation to settle down.

A 2022 study in International Immunopharmacology on a direct NAD+ precursor showed it reduced eczema-like symptoms, itching, and water loss through the skin. It also helped the skin barrier rebuild itself by boosting the proteins that hold it together. It calmed the fire AND helped the wall.

A 2023 paper on NAD+ and skin damage showed NAD+ administration decreased skin damage by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, and cell death.

And a 2025 review in Medicina on a related form of vitamin B3 (nicotinamide, the precursor to NAD+) laid out why this whole family of molecules is already being used by dermatologists for atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and other inflammatory skin issues. It restores cellular energy, repairs DNA damage, and suppresses pro-inflammatory signals.

So no. This is not me seeing things.

It’s me having a body that was inflamed, a skin barrier that was compromised, a hormonal transition nobody warned me was starting, and a cellular molecule (NAD+) that supports the exact repair and anti-inflammation work my skin needed.

It makes sense that it worked. It makes sense that when I stopped, it came back. And it makes sense that when I bumped up my dose, it kept improving.

Who Should Consider NAD+ Supplements for Skin and Inflammation?

NAD+ isn’t for everyone, but there are two groups of women who tend to benefit most from this therapy.

If You’re in Your Late 30s or 40s and Something New Is Happening to Your Skin

If eczema, rosacea flares, random dryness, or sensitivity you never had before is suddenly showing up, this is worth paying attention to. Your skin is telling you your hormones are shifting. That’s just physiology.

If You’re Already Curious About NAD+ for Longevity and Anti-Aging

If you’re already in the longevity conversation and you’re looking at NAD+ for energy, recovery, collagen, mitochondrial health… all the things… the skin benefits are one more reason to pay attention. Even though the research is still catching up, what’s out there supports what a lot of women are already noticing.

What to Ask Your Provider About NAD+ Supplements

If you want to actually have an informed conversation with a provider instead of Googling at midnight (we’ve all been there), here are the questions I’d bring to the table.

• Could my new skin issues be connected to perimenopause or hormonal changes?
• What’s your take on NAD+ for inflammation and skin health?
• Is subcutaneous NAD+ something you prescribe or would consider?
  • What about the Nasal Spray option?
• Are there labs you’d want to check first, like hormone panels or inflammation markers?

If your current provider isn’t familiar with NAD+, peptides, or the perimenopause skin conversation, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. I use EllieMD for my telehealth provider. The physicians are real, the messaging is unlimited, and you can ask every question you need to ask before you start anything. They work with CloveRX for compounding, which is the pharmacy that actually makes the peptides. Same consistent quality every single time. Made specifically for human use. Medical grade, not research grade. Tested for purity and potency. Triple purified for safety. And within the next month, they’ll be the first compounding pharmacy with all their peptide ingredients made in the USA rather than sourced internationally and compounded here. That’s what I wanted when I made the switch with my telehealth provider.

The Bottom Line on NAD+ for Eczema and Perimenopausal Skin

NAD+ is not a miracle cure. The research is preliminary. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something.

But for me? It’s part of the stack now. Permanently.

If something new is showing up on your skin in your 40s and nothing you’re doing is making it stick, it’s worth looking into. Talk to your own provider. Do your own research. Don’t start anything without understanding what it does and what it doesn’t do. I am a nurse, but I am not YOUR nurse, and this is not medical advice. It’s my story, the research I’ve pulled, and an invitation to look into it if it resonates.

SEE IF NAD+ IS RIGHT FOR YOU

READ MORE ABOUT MY JOURNEY HERE

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_{LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHO I AM (AND WHO I’M NOT).}

_{I’m a registered nurse and health coach who shares real, BS-free information about metabolic health, PCOS, perimenopause, and weight loss, because y’all deserve better than vague wellness fluff. But here’s what I need you to know: I am not YOUR nurse. Everything I share here is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, it’s not a diagnosis, and it doesn’t create a provider-patient relationship between us. Nothing on this site replaces the care of a licensed provider who actually knows your full health history. The opinions and content here are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer or the hospital where I work.}

_{SCOPE OF PRACTICE.}

_{As a nurse health coach, I can recommend over-the-counter products and supplements that may support your wellness goals. I don’t prescribe specific prescription medications. When it comes to GLP-1s and peptides, what I can do is talk about the science, what’s available, and what may be beneficial, so you can have an informed conversation with your licensed medical provider. The decision about what’s right for your body always belongs to you and your provider. Always consult your licensed provider before starting any prescription treatment — this is not something that should be DIY’d. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products discussed on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.}

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_{I only recommend things I actually trust. Most are products I personally use, some are from partners whose clinical standards I believe in. I will always let you know when it’s something I haven’t tried personally. Some links on this site are affiliate links or part of brand partnerships, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.}

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