Peptide Therapy at Aetheria Aesthetics & Wellness™

Ross Township · Pittsburgh’s North Hills · Peptide Therapy

Designed for adults considering peptide protocols (NAD+, sermorelin, ipamorelin, tesamorelin, GHK-Cu) as part of a lab-driven approach to metabolic health, recovery, body composition support, and cellular wellness.

With Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C. 20+ years of clinical and surgical experience and advanced certifications in medical aesthetics, neurotoxin treatments, dermal fillers, complication avoidance, and medical weight loss.

Book A Consultation Call (412) 385-3191

Aetheria Aesthetics treatment room in Ross Township, Pittsburgh's North Hills

Our Approach to Peptide Therapy

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that signal specific cellular processes. The peptides used clinically today fall into a few well-studied families: growth hormone secretagogues like sermorelin and ipamorelin, regulatory peptides like tesamorelin, copper-binding peptides like GHK-Cu, and dietary precursors like NAD+. Each one signals something different. None of them is a generic wellness supplement, and none of them belongs in a default stack.

At Aetheria, peptide therapy is in-person clinical care for adults considering peptide protocols as part of a lab-driven approach to metabolic health, recovery, body composition support, and cellular wellness. The protocol is selected based on what your labs and clinical history actually show, not a generic stack you saw online. The decisions about which peptide, what dose, what cadence, and how long are made by Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C, with 20+ years of clinical and surgical experience and advanced certifications in medical aesthetics, neurotoxin treatments, dermal fillers, complication avoidance, and medical weight loss.

A surgical background is part of what makes this practice different. A clinician trained inside the OR thinks about tissue, healing, and whole-patient physiology in ways that translate into how peptide protocols get selected, paced, and reviewed at follow-up. We believe long-term metabolic outcomes matter more than short-term wellness numbers, and peptide therapy is part of how we work toward that.

Peptide therapy at Aetheria sits inside our broader Metabolic Health program. It pairs with GLP-1 weight loss for adults who want body composition support during active loss, supports cellular wellness for adults who are not on a GLP-1 at all, and continues into long-term Metabolic Health care after active weight care has settled.

Peptides are not interchangeable, and they are not a default stack. The right peptide for you is the one your labs and your clinical history actually point to.

MELISSA KOLOWITZ, PA-C OWNER · PROVIDER

The Peptides We Offer at Aetheria

Each peptide signals something different. The right protocol for you is the one your labs and clinical history actually point to.

Peptide	Family	Designed for adults concerned about	Format	Typical cadence
NAD+	Cellular precursor	Cellular wellness, energy, and metabolic health support	IV infusion or subcutaneous injection	Weekly to monthly, protocol varies
Sermorelin	Growth hormone secretagogue	Body composition support, sleep quality, and recovery	Subcutaneous injection	Daily, typically before bed
Ipamorelin	Growth hormone secretagogue	Similar profile to sermorelin with selective signaling	Subcutaneous injection	Daily, often paired or alternated with sermorelin
Tesamorelin	Growth hormone-releasing hormone analog	Visceral fat considerations (FDA-approved for HIV-related lipodystrophy; commonly used off-label for visceral fat protocols)	Subcutaneous injection	Daily
GHK-Cu	Copper-binding tripeptide	Tissue support, skin quality considerations, healing support	Subcutaneous injection or topical formulation	Protocol varies by goal

Who Peptide Therapy Is Designed For

Peptide protocols are appropriate for specific clinical situations, not as a generic wellness add-on.

Adults on a GLP-1 Wanting Body Composition Support

Designed for adults already on semaglutide or tirzepatide who want sermorelin, ipamorelin, or tesamorelin protocols matched to their body composition tracking.

Adults Concerned About Cellular and Metabolic Wellness

Designed for adults whose labs suggest a candidacy for NAD+ protocols supporting cellular function and metabolic markers.

Adults Considering Visceral Fat Protocols

Designed for adults whose labs and imaging suggest visceral fat is part of their clinical picture. Tesamorelin protocols are reviewed where appropriate.

Adults Considering Recovery or Sleep Support

Designed for adults whose sleep quality, recovery, or body composition has shifted with age or activity level, where sermorelin or ipamorelin protocols may be appropriate.

Adults Considering Tissue Support Protocols

Designed for adults concerned about skin quality, healing after procedures, or general tissue support, where GHK-Cu protocols may be relevant.

Adults Wanting In-Person Clinical Care

Designed for adults who want lab-driven peptide protocols with in-person follow-up, not a mail-order stack.

How Peptide Therapy Fits Into Metabolic Health Care

Peptide therapy at Aetheria is part of the broader Metabolic Health program. It is not a standalone wellness service we add to every patient by default. The right way to think about peptides is as one component of a clinical plan built around your labs, your goals, and what is appropriate for your physiology.

Alongside GLP-1 weight loss. Many patients on semaglutide or tirzepatide consider sermorelin or ipamorelin for body composition support during active loss. Tesamorelin protocols are reviewed for adults whose labs suggest visceral fat is part of the picture. NAD+ supports cellular wellness throughout. The peptide protocol is paced with your GLP-1 cadence; we do not simply layer them.

Before or without a GLP-1. Some patients begin peptide therapy without ever starting a GLP-1. NAD+ is often a first conversation for adults whose labs suggest a candidacy for cellular support. Sermorelin or ipamorelin may fit for adults concerned about recovery or sleep quality unrelated to weight care.

After significant weight loss. Long-term Metabolic Health often includes continued peptide protocols matched to your follow-up labs. Body composition support, recovery, and cellular wellness continue to matter long after active weight care has settled.

Alongside aesthetic continuity care. GHK-Cu is sometimes considered for adults pursuing Sculptra, Morpheus8 Burst, or Quantum RF where tissue support fits the clinical picture.

The sequence is collaborative. The decisions are made in consultation, based on your labs and what you are looking for, not from a default stack.

Why Aetheria for Peptide Therapy

The clinical difference at Aetheria starts with Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C, and her 20+ years of clinical and surgical experience and advanced certifications in medical aesthetics, neurotoxin treatments, dermal fillers, complication avoidance, and medical weight loss. Surgical training teaches you to think about tissue, healing, and the patient in front of you as a whole physiology, not a single complaint. That perspective informs every peptide selection, every dose decision, every follow-up.

At Aetheria, every peptide therapy visit is with Melissa. Always Melissa. The clinical history we build at the first consultation informs every protocol decision through the course of your care.

One provider, every visit. Same clinician, same protocols, same clinical eye every time.
Lab-driven decisions, not default stacks. Baseline and follow-up labs inform peptide selection. We do not add NAD+ to every patient, prescribe sermorelin without indication, or layer peptides because they are popular.
Honest about candidacy. If your labs and clinical history do not suggest a peptide protocol is right for you, you will hear that. If a different intervention is a better fit, you will hear that too.
Conservative starting doses with paced adjustments. Peptide protocols are titrated to clinical response, not maximum tolerated dose.
Integrated with the full Aetheria Metabolic Health program. Peptide therapy connects to GLP-1 care, nutritional and supplement guidance, and aesthetic continuity care when significant weight loss brings new questions.

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Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C, founder and provider at Aetheria Aesthetics & Wellness

Your Peptide Therapy Visit

From consultation through follow-up. Peptide protocols are reviewed in-person, not prescribed from a form.

Consultation

Comprehensive intake on metabolic and wellness history, current medications, sleep, body composition, energy patterns, and goals. Discussion of peptide candidacy. About 60 minutes. No pressure to begin a protocol the same day.

Lab Work and Baseline

Specific metabolic, hormonal, and (when appropriate) inflammatory or nutritional lab panels. Results inform peptide selection, dosing, and the sequence of care.

Protocol Initiation and Self-Administration

Conservative starting dose for the selected peptide. Self-injection technique reviewed with Melissa for subcutaneous protocols. NAD+ infusions performed in-office.

Follow-Up and Adjustment

Follow-up visits matched to the protocol. Repeat labs as appropriate. Dose and cadence adjusted based on clinical response, not a rigid schedule.

Peptide Therapy and What to Expect from It

Peptide therapy results are largely functional and clinical, not visible in a single before-and-after image the way an injectable result is. The signals we track are body composition shifts, lab markers, sleep quality, recovery, and energy patterns over weeks and months. During consultation, Melissa can share clinical reference patterns for the specific peptide protocols most relevant to your situation and discuss what is realistic based on your baseline labs.

For patients pursuing peptide therapy alongside Sculptra, Morpheus8 Burst, or Quantum RF, the visible aesthetic care has its own before-and-after work that builds over time with signed photo releases.

Individual results vary. Peptide therapy outcomes depend on adherence, dosing, baseline labs, and individual physiology. Not a guarantee of outcome. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved for HIV-related lipodystrophy and is used off-label in other contexts based on clinical judgment.

Common Questions About Peptide Therapy

What peptides do you offer at Aetheria?

Five peptide families: NAD+ for cellular and metabolic wellness, sermorelin and ipamorelin as growth hormone secretagogues for body composition and recovery support, tesamorelin for visceral fat protocols (FDA-approved for HIV-related lipodystrophy and commonly used off-label for visceral fat considerations), and GHK-Cu as a copper tripeptide for tissue support. Each is selected based on your labs and clinical history, not as part of a default stack.

Do I need lab work before starting peptide therapy?

Yes. Peptide selection at Aetheria is lab-driven. Baseline metabolic and hormonal panels inform which peptide is appropriate, what starting dose is reasonable, and what follow-up cadence makes sense. We do not select peptides without labs because the selection itself depends on what the labs show. Some peptides require additional follow-up labs to monitor response.

Can I take peptide therapy and a GLP-1 together?

Often, yes. Many patients on semaglutide or tirzepatide consider sermorelin or ipamorelin for body composition support during active weight care. Tesamorelin protocols are reviewed for adults whose labs suggest visceral fat is part of the picture. NAD+ supports cellular wellness alongside GLP-1 therapy. The peptide protocol is paced with your GLP-1 cadence and selected based on your labs, not layered as a default add-on.

Why do you not add NAD+ to every patient?

Because clinical signaling matters. NAD+ is a meaningful cellular precursor with widespread roles, but adding it to every patient regardless of labs or clinical picture reduces it from a clinical decision to a marketing decision. We select NAD+ for adults whose labs and clinical history suggest a candidacy, and we are honest with adults for whom NAD+ is not the right starting conversation.

Are peptides FDA approved?

Some peptides are FDA-approved for specific clinical uses. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved for HIV-related lipodystrophy and is commonly used off-label in other contexts based on clinical judgment. Sermorelin has a long clinical history and is widely used in compounded form for growth hormone secretagogue protocols. NAD+ is a dietary precursor used in IV and injectable forms in clinical wellness contexts. GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide used in clinical and cosmetic contexts. The regulatory landscape for compounded peptides continues to evolve; we discuss what is currently available and appropriate during consultation.

How long do peptide protocols last?

It depends on the peptide, the indication, and the clinical response. Some protocols are short courses of a few months. Others continue as part of long-term Metabolic Health care indefinitely, with periodic labs and dose adjustments. The decision to continue, taper, or rotate is made in consultation based on your labs and goals, not on a rigid timeline.

What Patients Say

Part of Your Metabolic Health Care

Peptide therapy is one component of broader Metabolic Health care at Aetheria. Here is where it connects.

Metabolic Health

Peptide therapy is one component of the broader Metabolic Health program at Aetheria. See how it connects to GLP-1 care, nutritional guidance, and continuity care.

Explore Metabolic Health

Medical Weight Loss (GLP-1)

Supervised semaglutide and tirzepatide protocols that often pair with sermorelin, ipamorelin, or tesamorelin for body composition support.

Explore Medical Weight Loss

Vitamin Injections

Super MIC, B-Complex, and glutathione, nutritional injections selected by a clinician, not a drip-bar menu.

Explore Vitamin Injections

Sculptra

Poly-L-lactic acid collagen biostimulation for adults concerned about gradual volume loss, where GHK-Cu protocols sometimes pair with aesthetic care.

Explore Sculptra

Morpheus8

InMode Luxora Morpheus8 Burst, minimally invasive radiofrequency microneedling for those concerned about skin laxity, where GHK-Cu can support tissue alongside it.

Explore Morpheus8

Quantum RF

InMode Luxora Quantum RF, minimally invasive radiofrequency contouring, where GHK-Cu tissue support sometimes fits the clinical picture.

Explore Quantum RF

Visit Aetheria in Ross Township, Pittsburgh’s North Hills

Peptide therapy at Aetheria Aesthetics & Wellness™ is by consultation. We serve patients across Ross Township and Pittsburgh’s North Hills, including Wexford, Cranberry Township, Sewickley, and Mars. Book online or call to schedule your initial in-person consultation with Melissa Kolowitz, PA-C.

Book A Consultation

Call (412) 385-3191