What it is
GHK-Cu is a tiny peptide, just three amino acids (glycine, histidine and lysine), holding a copper ion. It occurs naturally in human plasma. Loren Pickart first identified GHK in 1973, and it has been a skincare ingredient for decades, usually labelled "copper peptide" or "copper tripeptide-1".
The body's own level falls with age. Pickart's 2018 review puts plasma GHK at about 200 ng/mL at age 20 and about 80 ng/mL by age 60. That decline is part of the marketing story for topical products, although nobody has shown that putting GHK-Cu on the skin replaces what is lost from the blood.
This page covers topical use. For injection, see GHK-Cu (injectable).
How it works
GHK has a strong affinity for copper, and copper is a cofactor for enzymes involved in building and cross-linking collagen and elastin. In fibroblast cultures and animal wounds, GHK-Cu:
- increases production of collagen and other structural proteins of the skin matrix;
- adjusts the balance of the enzymes that break matrix down (metalloproteinases) and their inhibitors;
- supports wound repair in animal models.
The 2018 review also describes gene-expression data showing GHK shifts the activity of a large number of human genes toward repair patterns. Those are computational and cell-line findings, not skin outcomes in people.
What the research found
Human cosmetic studies. These are summarised in the 2018 review by Pickart, who discovered the peptide, and Margolina. Treat them as early evidence: the studies are small, and the summary comes from the peptide's discoverer rather than a separate research group.
- Facial cream, 12 weeks (Leyden and colleagues): 71 women with mild to advanced photoaging. The review reports increased skin density and thickness, reduced laxity, improved clarity, and fewer and shallower fine lines and wrinkles.
- Eye cream, 12 weeks (Leyden and colleagues): 41 women with photodamage. The GHK-Cu cream performed better than placebo and a vitamin K cream on lines, wrinkles and overall appearance.
- Thigh skin, 12 weeks (Abdulghani and colleagues): GHK-Cu cream improved collagen production in 70% of women, compared with 50% with vitamin C cream and 40% with retinoic acid.
- 8-week nano-carrier study (Badenhorst and colleagues): GHK-Cu in a nano-lipid carrier reduced wrinkle volume by 31.6% relative to the peptide product Matrixyl 3000.
These are small, short, cosmetic-endpoint studies. None ran longer than 12 weeks, and none is a large placebo-controlled trial run outside the original research circle.
Animal wound studies. GHK-Cu improved wound contraction and granulation in rabbits, and collagen dressings containing GHK sped healing in healthy and diabetic rats, with one preparation increasing wound collagen ninefold. Rats with poor-blood-supply wounds healed faster, with lower levels of the matrix-degrading enzymes MMP-2 and MMP-9.
Hair. Increased hair growth and follicle size are listed among GHK-Cu's effects in the review, but no human hair trials are described there.
Side effects reported in studies
The 2018 review describes GHK-Cu as having been used in cosmetic products for decades without reported adverse effects. The cosmetic studies above did not report serious problems. Mild redness, stinging or dryness is possible with any active topical, more so alongside retinoids or acids.
Topical GHK-Cu vs related options
| Ingredient | Main target | Human evidence |
|---|---|---|
| GHK-Cu (topical) | Collagen, repair, skin quality | Small 8 to 12 week cosmetic studies |
| Argireline | Expression lines (SNARE complex) | Small trials incl. one placebo-controlled RCT |
| SNAP-8 | Expression lines (SNARE complex) | No peer-reviewed human trial found |
| Tretinoin | Cell turnover, collagen | Large prescription-drug trials |
GHK-Cu and argireline aim at different problems, which is why cosmetic formulators combine them. Tretinoin remains the ingredient with by far the strongest evidence for photoaging.
Status in the Philippines
Copper peptide serums and creams are sold locally as cosmetics, which FDA Philippines regulates as cosmetic products. There is no approved medical use. Research-market GHK-Cu powder is a separate product: some people mix it into their own topical preparations, which means no control over concentration, pH or stability.
Local stock GHK-Cu 50mg at Primara Labs, delivered in Metro Manila and nationwide. Research use only.
Storage
Heat and light degrade copper peptide products. At Manila room temperatures (often above 30°C without aircon), keep serums in a cool, dark place or the fridge. Lyophilised research powder should be refrigerated.
