"The cosmetic industry uses many different proteins, like collagen or elastin, and proteins with enzymatic activity, like pumpkin proteases or superoxide dismutase. Some peptides (chains of a few amino acids arranged in a certain sequence) have beneficial effects on skin healing and synthesis of skin components. This is likely to represent a natural regulatory mechanism in which the peptide acts as a signal: if the skin is damaged for any reason, structural proteins are destroyed and peptides resulting from the breakdown of the larger proteins are released. The skin will interpret the presence of these peptides as a signal that it has to build new skin, and for that it has to synthesize new proteins. "
does that above paragraph explain Ex cheiltiis? This one paragraph sums up all i've been goin on about in this long ass post...'structual proteins destroyed(basement membrane/dermal epidermal junction)' and like uklad said it grows new skin to protect it.
also in regard to an earlier post about L-Lysine/Vitamin B helping... that is a combination of amino acids and niacin, so this would open blood vessels while repairing connective tissue.