Peptide therapy is the newest service line at Franco Aesthetics, and it’s the one patients ask me to explain most often. Fair enough — “peptides” gets thrown around on podcasts and Instagram like it’s one thing. It isn’t. So here’s what peptides actually are, how I use them in practice, and who they’re for.
What peptides actually are
Peptides are short chains of amino acids — signaling molecules your body already makes. They tell cells what to do: release growth hormone, repair tissue, calm inflammation. Peptide therapy uses specific, lab-made versions of these signals to nudge a system that’s slowed down.
That’s the key difference from a drug that overrides your biology. A well-chosen peptide works with machinery you already have. It’s also why results build over weeks and months rather than overnight.
Why I added peptides to the practice
I kept seeing the same patient: labs mostly normal, hormones optimized or close, eating well, training consistently — and still stuck. Recovery slower than it used to be. Sleep fine but not restorative. Body composition that won’t budge past a plateau.
Hormone replacement answers part of that picture. Peptides answer another part. Adding them lets me treat the gap between “your labs are fine” and “you feel like yourself.”
What we offer
Every protocol is prescribed through regulated 503A compounding pharmacies, the same standard as our weight loss program. No gray-market vials, no research-chemical websites. A few of the workhorses:
Sermorelin and Tesamorelin support your body’s own growth hormone release — recovery, sleep quality, lean body composition. Tesamorelin in particular has the strongest evidence for stubborn visceral fat.
NAD+ supports cellular energy production. Patients typically use it for fatigue, focus, and healthy-aging goals.
BPC-157 and TB-500 are the tissue-repair peptides — soft-tissue injuries, gut healing, the nagging stuff that lingers.
Selank is the calm-and-focus option for patients who want help with stress without a daily prescription.
PT-141 addresses sexual wellness for both women and men — a different mechanism than anything hormone-based.
The Glow Stack is our skin-and-hair combination, and the natural pairing with what we already do aesthetically.
And yes — semaglutide and tirzepatide are technically peptides too. If weight is the primary goal, that conversation usually starts with our medical weight loss program instead.
How it works here
I run every peptide consult myself. We start with your goals, symptoms, and bloodwork — peptides chosen off a podcast tend to disappoint, because the right peptide depends on what your labs and history actually show. Then we build a protocol, check in monthly for the first three months, and adjust based on response, labs, and what you feel. Some patients run a protocol for a season and step off. Others keep a maintenance dose. Both are fine.
If you’re already on BHRT with me, peptides layer on cleanly — one provider managing both protocols means nothing gets prescribed in isolation.
Who peptides are for — and who they’re not for
Good candidates: patients past 35 noticing slower recovery, stalled body composition, low energy with “normal” labs, or specific goals like tissue repair or skin quality. Patients who want measurable progress and will commit to a few months of consistency.
Not a fit: anyone looking for an overnight transformation, and competitive athletes subject to testing — several peptides are banned in sport, and I’ll tell you that directly.
Peptide therapy is also not a substitute for the fundamentals. If sleep, protein, and training aren’t in place, we fix those first. I’d rather lose a sale than prescribe something that can’t work.
What it costs
Protocols vary enough by peptide and duration that I’d be guessing if I quoted a number here — your consult gives you exact figures before anything starts. VIP members get 15% off all services.
Start with a conversation
If any of this sounds like the gap you’ve been trying to close, book a consult. We’ll go through your goals and labs, and I’ll tell you honestly whether a peptide protocol makes sense — or whether something else gets you there faster.
Heather Franco, APRN, FNP-C is the owner and lead provider at Franco Aesthetics in Norman, Oklahoma.
