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GHK-Cu

Copper peptide for skin and hair

Copper tripeptide-1

Match every finding to its exact substance, formulation, route and study population. A related molecule or approved medicine does not validate a catalog vial.

Animal / laboratory evidence · Human / product-specific records · Mechanistic / indirect records
Explore the evidenceWhy people take it
Compare this compoundRead original sources Community reports
GHKCu
Schematic illustration · View structure evidenceGHK

Carries a copper ion (Cu²⁺)

Color key
NonpolarAromaticPositive chargeNegative chargePolar Copper ion D-form or non-natural

At a glance

Why people take it. And what backs it up.

  1. Firm skin, soften wrinkles

    Early human studies

    Many apply it in serums and creams to firm skin and soften fine lines; in trials, it reduced wrinkle depth versus controls.

    Sources (3)

  2. Improve skin from within

    People report it, not studied

    Many inject it daily, alone or blended with BPC-157 and TB-500, hoping for firmer skin, thicker hair and faster healing.

    Sources (3)

  3. Thicken thinning hair

    People report it, not studied

    Applied to the scalp, often alongside minoxidil or AHK-Cu, hoping to slow shedding and thicken thinning hair.

    Sources (3)

  4. Heal wounds and scars

    Early trials, mixed results

    People apply or inject it after surgery and injuries, hoping to speed healing and fade scars.

    Sources (4)

Evidence briefing

Sources checked

What the sources support.

GHK-Cu is the glycyl-histidyl-lysine copper complex, widely used in topical cosmetic formulations. Small topical studies do not validate injectable use. FDA lists compounded injectable GHK-Cu among substances with potential immunogenicity and impurity concerns and limited human safety data. Cosmetic availability is not drug approval; vendor vials are not an FDA-approved product.

Keep in mind

Clinical experience with topical skin products cannot be transferred to injections, which have different exposure and sterility risks; the FDA source specifically concerns compounded injectable routes.

Identity and research status reviewRead the original sources

The research. What’s been studied.

  • Early human studies

    Topical skin research

    Small studies of GHK-Cu-containing topical formulations report changes in skin appearance; the evidence is limited and does not establish an effect for every product.

  • Animal & lab studies

    Collagen-related signaling

    GHK-Cu affects extracellular-matrix signaling in laboratory research; this is not proof of a clinical anti-aging effect.

  • Animal & lab studies

    Wound-healing research

    Wound effects have mainly been reported in experimental models, not established as a human injectable treatment.

  • Unverified

    Hair claims

    Hair-growth evidence often cited for copper peptides includes AHK-Cu studies and should not be attributed to GHK-Cu.

What do these labels mean?
  • Human evidence: approved-drug data or larger human studies, within the populations and uses studied.
  • Early human studies: small, preliminary or limited human studies.
  • Animal & lab studies: animal or laboratory findings that do not establish effects in people.
  • Unverified: a proposed use or claim without verified supporting clinical evidence.
How each claim was reviewed (5)

Reported effects and evidence.

A citation may support, qualify or correct a claim. Read the study scope; a laboratory result is not an established benefit in people. Each review covers a claim as it was first collected; the tiles above show the collection’s current wording.

  1. In-vitro collagen synthesis

    Review of “More collagen and elastin”

    GHK-Cu stimulated collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures; source elastin and other protein claims separately.

    Limitations and applicability. Verified cell study supports collagen, not all claimed structural proteins or a human cosmetic outcome.

    Original collected claim and review history

    Original title: More collagen and elastin

    Signals skin cells to make collagen, elastin and other structural proteins.

    Original label: early. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.

    Record ghk-cu:benefit:1 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method

  2. Limited human cosmetic evidence; mixed findings

    Review of “Firmer, smoother skin”

    Small topical studies are limited and mixed. A laser-resurfacing study found no objective wrinkle advantage from adding GHK-Cu.

    Limitations and applicability. Verified randomized resurfacing study had 13 completers and no between-group wrinkle/appearance advantage; positive claims need exact independent sources.

    Original collected claim and review history

    Original title: Firmer, smoother skin

    Topical products improved firmness, fine lines and skin density in small controlled studies.

    Original label: early. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.

    Record ghk-cu:benefit:2 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method

  3. Preclinical wound model; separate early human topical study

    Review of “Wound healing”

    GHK-Cu affected connective-tissue accumulation in rat wound models; separate topical human-ulcer research should be described independently.

    Limitations and applicability. Rat wound-chamber findings and a topical diabetic-ulcer trial concern different models/formulations. Neither supports injectable cosmetic use.

    Original collected claim and review history

    Original title: Wound healing

    Sped wound healing in animal studies.

    Original label: animal. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.

    Record ghk-cu:benefit:3 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method

  4. Preclinical cells and animals

    Review of “Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant”

    GHK-Cu reduced inflammatory/oxidative markers in cell, mouse and zebrafish injury models.

    Limitations and applicability. Directly supported in inflammatory injury models; not evidence for systemic anti-aging or injectable safety.

    Original collected claim and review history

    Original title: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant

    Reduces inflammation and oxidative damage in lab studies.

    Original label: animal. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.

    Record ghk-cu:benefit:4 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method

  5. Reported hair claim; direct GHK-Cu efficacy unresolved

    Review of “Thicker hair”

    Hair-growth claims for GHK-Cu lack a verified direct clinical source here. AHK-Cu findings are laboratory observations of a different peptide.

    Limitations and applicability. The cited cousin AHK-Cu has ex-vivo findings, not established clinical hair growth; avoid “stronger” implying human proof.

    Original collected claim and review history

    Original title: Thicker hair

    Marketed for hair; the stronger hair evidence is for its cousin AHK-Cu.

    Original label: claimed. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.

    Record ghk-cu:benefit:5 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method

The research in detail

Evidence category

Small or older human studies

Small studies of topical cosmetic formulations report skin changes, but study size and formulation limit what can be concluded about GHK-Cu alone. Much of the broader wound-healing evidence is preclinical. Evidence from topical products does not establish safety or efficacy of injection; FDA has raised immunogenicity and impurity concerns for compounded injectable GHK-Cu.

Evidence is assessed claim by claim above. Regulatory approval, study design, findings and relevance are separate questions; there is no single evidence score.

Risks and unknowns. What to know first.

Collected cautions follow. These are not an exhaustive or independently validated safety assessment; claim references do not automatically support every caution.

  • Topically well tolerated; some people get irritation.
  • Injections are often painful.
  • Excess copper is toxic, though amounts in typical products are small.

What people report

Show all 8 cautionsShow fewer cautions

Read this first: what “research use only” means

Published dosing records. No established dose.

Historical label and trial records for the named product, route, population and indication. These records are not a personal schedule or a validated regimen for a catalog vial. Source attribution does not establish applicability.

No approved product or published trial sets a dose for injecting it. Two controlled trials tested copper-peptide products on skin ulcers: a 0.4% cream on leg ulcers (1992) shrank them no more than a dummy cream did, and a gel on diabetic foot ulcers (1994) sped healing, but its published summary gives no strength.

Any dose you see online for it is a guess, not a tested dose.

Community protocols. Reported online. Not clinically validated.

Community reports Collection date: 30 Sep 2026

On peptide forums GHK-Cu is most often injected at 1–2.5 mg under the skin once a day, and clinics use a 30-day course (1 mg, then 2 mg) followed by 30 days off; for skin and scalp, people mostly use home-made serums of about 1–3%.

More about this

Doses, schedules and serum strengths vary widely, and injection-site pain is the most discussed problem.

Not testedFrequently encountered in reviewed sources

Daily injection (forums)

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
1–2.5 mg (2 mg is typical); some start lower
How often
Once a day, often at night
Route
Injection under the skin (belly, flank, thigh or upper buttock)
Timing
Often before bed
How long
Weeks to months; some run it continuously
Cycle
Varies: no breaks, 5 days on and 2 off, or 6 weeks on and 3 weeks off
Ramp
Some start around 1–1.7 mg and move up to 2–2.5 mg
Mixing
50 mg vial + 2–3 mL bacteriostatic water is common; many dilute further (for example 50 mg in 10 mL, or 100 mg in 10 mL) to reduce stinging. One clinic warns never to use saline.
  • Tips users share for the sting: let the vial warm to room temperature, dilute more, use a longer (half-inch) needle, inject into the upper buttock, or mix it in the same syringe with BPC-157 or KPV.
  • Uses reported: skin texture and wrinkles, hair thinning, nails, eczema and acne.
Sources (4)

Not testedCommon

Clinic 30-day course

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
1 mg a day for days 1–15, then 2 mg a day for days 16–30 (clinic range 0.5–3 mg)
How often
Once a day
Route
Injection under the skin
Timing
Before sleep, at least 2 hours after the last meal (one clinic)
How long
30 days
Cycle
Then 30 days off
Ramp
1 mg for 15 days, then 2 mg
Mixing
50 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 25 mg per mL (4 units = 1 mg, 8 units = 2 mg)
  • Two clinics publish the same protocol; one says some providers start at 200–500 mcg to test tolerance.
Sources (2)
Show all 7 protocolsShow fewer protocols

Not testedCommon

Nightly course with breaks (‘Anela protocol’)

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
About 2 mg
How often
Every night, 7 days a week
Route
Injection under the skin
Timing
Night
How long
6 weeks
Cycle
Then 3 weeks off
  • Named after ‘Anela’, a Reddit and Discord peptide personality whose skin protocols are widely copied.
Sources (2)

Not testedCommon

In GLOW or KLOW blends

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
About 1.7–2 mg of GHK-Cu per daily shot, with smaller amounts of BPC-157 and TB-500 (and KPV in KLOW)
How often
Once a day
Route
Injection under the skin
Mixing
GLOW is GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500 in a 50:10:10 mg ratio; one user mixes a 50/10/10 vial with 2.5 mL and injects 10 units
  • Users say the added peptides reduce GHK-Cu’s sting.
Sources (2)

Not testedCommon

Face and body serum

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
About 1–3% GHK-Cu in a serum or cream; some use as little as 0.2% (compounded cream) or as much as 6%
How often
Once a day
Route
Topical
Mixing
Usually cosmetic-grade powder (sold in 1 g ampules) stirred into a hyaluronic acid serum or moisturiser: 1 g per ounce (about 30 mL) gives roughly 3%. Some add a few injection-vial milligrams to a serum or use the solvent DMSO as a carrier.
  • Forum users disagree on strength: some call 3% standard, others call 3.3% ‘excessively high’ and suggest 0.66–1%, especially after microneedling.
  • Commercial 1% copper peptide serums are also used for the face. The 2019 compounded cream quoted combined 0.2% GHK-Cu with two other cosmetic peptides (Argireline and Leuphasyl).
Sources (4)

Not testedCommon

Scalp for hair loss

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
1–6% GHK-Cu, often with 1% AHK-Cu, sometimes mixed into minoxidil; a compounded foam held 5 mg per mL
How often
Once a day
Route
Topical (scalp spray, dropper or foam), often after microneedling
Mixing
Home-made from cosmetic-grade powder in a carrier without acids
  • One user says the hair gains faded after stopping.
Sources (3)

Not testedFringe

High dose

Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.

Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.

Details and sourcesHide details
Dose
3–10 mg a day by injection; a few report 20–25 mg a day, including by vein
How often
Once or twice a day
Route
Injection under the skin or into a muscle; one user reports daily intravenous use
How long
Days to about 3 months
  • Posters citing higher doses often recommend zinc supplements to offset the copper.
Sources (3)

Where the numbers come from

Controlled human studies of GHK-Cu used creams on the skin; injected GHK-Cu has no human trials. Injection doses come from compounding pharmacy practice (Tailor Made Compounding listed 2 mg a day in 2019), clinic protocols such as the 1 mg then 2 mg 30-day course, and forum personalities (the ‘Anela’ and GLOW protocols). Topical strengths come from cosmetic products and forum recipes.

Home-made sprays and serums

On the skin: home-made serums. Community recipes. Not tested.

Original source recordsHide

GHK-Cu is by far the most common peptide used on the skin and scalp. People buy cosmetic-grade powder (often 1 g ampules) and stir it into a store-bought hyaluronic acid serum or cream, or buy ready-made serums (commonly 1%). Strengths are all over the place: ingredient suppliers suggest roughly 0.05–3%, while the most-shared community recipe (1 g per 30 mL) is far stronger. The underlying evidence is cosmetic and manufacturer-led, not drug-level.

Best evidence: Manufacturer and supplier data, plus a few small, mostly industry-linked cosmetic studies. Skin Biology (the company of GHK-Cu’s discoverer, Dr Loren Pickart) says creams with 0.03–3% produced visible cosmetic effects in women in their 50s, and sells products from 0.02% to 3%. Commercial serums from The Ordinary and NIOD are sold at 1%. The one controlled wound trial found (1992, leg ulcers) showed a 0.4% copper-peptide cream did no better than placebo. There are no regulator-approved topical GHK-Cu products.

Collected strength records

Not testedSerumFrequently encountered in reviewed sources

‘Anela’ protocol: 1 g of powder per 30 mL (1 oz) of hyaluronic acid serum

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL (1 oz)

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
GHK-Cu, cosmetic-grade powder (one 1 g ampule)1 gActive
Store-bought hyaluronic acid serum (the chart names The Ordinary ‘Buffet’ or Neutrogena Hydro Boost)30 mL (1 oz)Carrier

Method

  1. Add 1 g of GHK-Cu powder to 30 mL of the serum for the face (the chart: ‘Mix 1 grams per 1oz (30mL) of serum for face’).
  2. Mix until the powder has dissolved. The chart gives no other mixing steps.
  3. Variants in the same chart: 2 g per 30 mL for body skin; 3 g per 30 mL of hyaluronic acid for hair growth, applied with a micro-needling device.
How it’s used
Apply to the skin twice a day. If you also use acids, retinoids or vitamin C, use those in the morning (with sunscreen) and the copper serum at night.
pH
Not stated; the chart says to avoid all acidic products.
Preservative
None added; the recipe relies on whatever is in the store-bought serum (not discussed).
  • The chart comes from Reddit users Anela96814 / Fine-Tale2468 (‘Anela’) and is headed ‘for lab research only not for human consumption’. It is repeatedly linked in r/Peptides.
  • The chart’s ingredient line says ‘1 mL Hyaluronic acid’, but its mixing lines all use 30 mL (1 oz); the ‘1 mL’ looks like a typo.
  • The same chart describes a ‘paste’ of up to 7% GHK-Cu in hyaluronic acid for sun-damaged skin, used ‘only once in a while’, which it says leaves skin red, irritated, itchy and sometimes scabbed for a few days.
  • Users disagree on what percent 1 g in 30 mL is: one calls it ‘a 3% mixture’, another in a different thread said 1 g per ounce ‘makes a 1% solution’. The author’s later Q&A describes the skin serum as 3% and a scalp version as 7%.

Not stated: storage and how long it keeps.

Sources (17)

Not testedSerumCommon

1% serum: 300 mg of powder in 30 mL of a ready-made water-based serum

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
GHK-Cu, cosmetic-grade powder300 mg (0.3 g)1%Active
Ready-made water-based serum, usually a plain hyaluronic acid serum (The Ordinary’s HA + B5 is the one Regimen says people name most)30 mLCarrier

Method

  1. Weigh the powder (Regimen: a scale reading to 0.01 g).
  2. Pour a little serum out of the bottle to make room.
  3. Add the powder, cap the bottle and swirl until the blue colour is even and there is no grit. Do not shake hard.
  4. Top the bottle back up.
How it’s used
A few drops on clean skin at night, after cleansing and before moisturiser. Regimen says most people use it 3–4 nights a week; start with two if skin is reactive.
pH
5–7 (Regimen says most hyaluronic acid serums already sit there)
Preservative
Relies on the ready-made serum’s own preservative (Regimen: ‘most do’ contain one). Real Peptides instead tells readers to use a preservative-free base.
Storage
Fridge, cold, dark and sealed (Regimen); Real Peptides says refrigerate at 2–8 °C in an amber or cobalt glass bottle and never freeze.
Keeps for
2–4 weeks in the fridge (Regimen); Real Peptides claims 3–6 months refrigerated. Neither is based on testing.
  • Regimen’s strength table per 30 mL: 0.5% = 150 mg, 1% = 300 mg, 2% = 600 mg, 3% = 900 mg (3% ‘for the body or scalp’).
  • Natural Organic Skincare’s version is 0.5 g in 50 mL of hyaluronic acid serum, blended and poured into an airless container.
  • Regimen says to watch the colour: blue is normal; green or fading means the copper is breaking down and it is time for a new batch.
  • Regimen says to patch-test first and to use a smaller amount at a lower strength around the eyes.
  • Commercial 1% examples: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% (pH 6–7) and NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 (1% GHK-Cu plus 1% GHK); The Ordinary says to apply a few drops morning and evening.
  • One user with sensitive skin uses about 0.5% powder in hyaluronic acid every other day and broke out more when using it more often.
Sources (20)

Not testedSerumSometimes seen

From-scratch 1% serum with panthenol and hyaluronic acid (ingredient supplier’s recipe)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
Distilled water28.5 mLBase
GHK-Cu copper peptide powder0.3 g1%Active
Panthenol0.6 g2%Humectant
Sodium hyaluronate / hyaluronic acid powder0.3 g1%Humectant / thickener
Preservative (the guide suggests a broad-spectrum one such as Optiphen Plus or Phenonip)0.3 gPreservative

Method

  1. Sanitise all equipment with rubbing alcohol or boil glass items.
  2. Pour the distilled water into a bowl. (The steps also say to add glycerin and later vitamin E, which are not in the ingredient list.)
  3. Sprinkle in the hyaluronic acid slowly while stirring until fully dissolved (2–3 minutes).
  4. Weigh and add the GHK-Cu; stir at least 2 minutes.
  5. Add the panthenol and stir well.
  6. Add the preservative at the maker’s recommended rate (‘usually 1%’) and stir 1–2 minutes.
  7. Check the pH with strips or a meter and aim for 4.5–5.5; adjust with a little citric acid or sodium hydroxide solution.
  8. Let it rest 24 hours at room temperature, then pour into sterilised glass bottles and label with the date and strength.
How it’s used
Start with 2–3 drops on clean, damp skin once a day, increasing to twice a day over 1–2 weeks.
pH
4.5–5.5 (the guide’s target; below the 5–7 range most copper-peptide suppliers give)
Preservative
A broad-spectrum preservative such as Optiphen Plus or Phenonip, ‘usually 1%’.
Storage
Cool (60–75 °F) and dark; a dark cabinet or the fridge. Opaque, airtight glass with a dropper or an airless pump.
Keeps for
3–6 months with a preservative; 4–8 weeks without one (the guide’s estimate).
  • The ingredient list and the steps do not match exactly (glycerin and vitamin E appear only in the steps).
  • The guide’s equipment list gives a scale ‘accurate to 0.1g’; formulators recommend 0.01 g for small amounts (see general facts).
  • The guide says patch-test on the inner arm or behind the ear and wait 24 hours.
Sources (12)

Not testedSerumSometimes seen

2% GHK-Cu serum made from hyaluronic acid powder (Reddit recipe)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
Distilled waterabout 28.7–28.8 mLBase
GHK-Cu powder0.60 g2%Active
Hyaluronic acid powder0.30 g1%Thickener / humectant
Phenoxyethanol0.30 mL1%Preservative

Method

  1. Measure about 28.8 mL of distilled water.
  2. Add 0.60 g GHK-Cu and stir until fully dissolved (pale to medium blue).
  3. Slowly sprinkle in 0.30 g hyaluronic acid powder.
  4. Swirl gently and let it hydrate 30–60 minutes at room temperature, then stir until smooth.
  5. Add 0.30 mL phenoxyethanol.
  6. Bottle in an amber container and refrigerate.
How it’s used
The poster uses it daily on hair, face and body.
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol 1%
Storage
Amber bottle, refrigerated
Keeps for
8–12 weeks refrigerated (poster’s estimate)
  • Lotioncrafter notes that phenoxyethanol on its own is weak against yeast and mould and is normally combined with other preservatives (see general facts).
Sources (5)

Not testedTonerSometimes seen

2% GHK-Cu face spray with glycerin and DMSO (r/Peptides, 2021)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 50 mL spray bottle

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
Sterile water50 mLBase
GHK-Cu powder (non-freeze-dried, 98% purity or higher)1 g (0.5 g for a 1% spray)Active
‘Polypropylene glycol’, described as the preservative1.5 mLPreservative (as described)
Glycerine2 mL or moreHumectant
DMSO1–2 mL (the poster uses 2 mL)Penetration aid

Method

  1. Put the ingredients in a 50 mL spray bottle and mix.
  2. If it irritates, dilute the whole solution with more sterile water; start with less DMSO on sensitive skin.
How it’s used
Sprayed on the skin; for scars the poster micro-needles first and sprays afterwards.
Preservative
The recipe names ‘polypropylene glycol’ as its preservative; the r/DIYBeauty members who helped advised a broad-spectrum preservative such as (Liquid) Germall Plus.
  • It grew out of an r/DIYBeauty thread in which the poster first dissolved 2 g of GHK-Cu in 100 mL of sterile water; helpers suggested 2–3% glycerin, 3–5% propylene glycol and a broad-spectrum preservative.
  • The poster’s wife felt a slight burning at 2%; another helper warned 2% can be strong for beginners.
Sources (12)

Not testedSerumSometimes seen

Lotioncrafter ‘Power Peptide Potion’ (supplier formula using a ready-made copper peptide solution)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: about 300 g (10.6 oz)

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
Distilled water199.65 g66.55%Base
Hyaluronic acid powder, high molecular weight3.00 g1.00%Humectant / thickener
Hyaluronic acid powder, ultra-low molecular weight3.00 g1.00%Humectant
Lotioncrafter Wrinkle Defense Complex60.00 g20.00%Active blend
DMI (dimethyl isosorbide)15.00 g5.00%Carrier / penetration aid
LCPeptide Copper (copper tripeptide-1 solution)6.00 g2.00%Active
LCPeptide CollaSynth9.00 g3.00%Active
LCPeptide EGF0.75 g0.25%Active
TECA 95%0.60 g0.20%Active
Preservative of choice (e.g. Lotioncrafter PE 9010 or Euxyl K 900)3.00 g1.00%Preservative

Method

  1. Sprinkle the hyaluronic acid powders over the distilled water and mix with a mini-mixer to wet the powder.
  2. Cover and let the hyaluronic acid hydrate (1–4 hours depending on batch size), then mix again until clear.
  3. Add all remaining ingredients to the same beaker and mix with a mini-mixer or mixing fork.
  4. Pour into an amber dropper bottle or opaque squeeze bottle.
pH
5–7 (Lotioncrafter’s requirement for any formula containing LCPeptide Copper)
Preservative
1% of the maker’s choice, e.g. Lotioncrafter PE 9010 or Euxyl K 900
Storage
Not stated for the finished serum; Lotioncrafter stores the copper peptide solution refrigerated at 4 °C.
  • LCPeptide Copper is a ready-made solution whose peptide content is 1.0–1.1%, so the 2% in this formula is 2% of the solution, not 2% pure GHK-Cu.
  • Lotioncrafter says formulas with LCPeptide Copper must not contain EDTA, fruit acids or aloe vera extract.

Not stated: how it’s used and how long it keeps.

Sources (9)

Not testedSerumSometimes seen

Supplier template using a 1% GHK-Cu solution (MySkinRecipes)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: per 100% (any batch size)

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
Distilled or deionised waterto 100%balanceBase
Humectant (e.g. glycerin or propanediol)3.0–5.0%Humectant
Thickener (e.g. xanthan gum)0.1–0.3%Thickener
GHK-Cu 10000 ppm (1%) solution5.0–10.0%Active
Preservative (e.g. phenoxyethanol)0.5–1.0%Preservative

Method

  1. Heat the water and humectant to about 70 °C.
  2. Sprinkle the xanthan gum into the vortex while stirring hard until a smooth gel forms.
  3. Cool to below 40 °C.
  4. Add the GHK-Cu solution and the preservative; stir well. Do not heat the peptide.
  5. Check the pH and adjust to 5.0–7.0 with a little citric acid (to lower) or triethanolamine (to raise).
pH
5.0–7.0
Preservative
e.g. phenoxyethanol, 0.5–1.0%
  • This supplier aims for only 0.05–0.1% pure GHK-Cu in the finished product, far below the community’s usual 1–3%.

Not stated: how it’s used.

Sources (5)

Not testedCreamSometimes seen

Skin Biology’s own DIY booster: drops of its 7% GHK-Cu concentrate added to a cream

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 15 mL (0.5 oz) of cream

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
Skin Biology 7% GHK-Cu Accelerant (water, tripeptide-1, cupric chloride, phenoxyethanol)1–3 dropsActive
Any cosmetic or copper-peptide cream or serum15 mL (0.5 oz)Base

Method

  1. Put half an ounce (15 mL) of your chosen cream in a separate container.
  2. Add 1–3 drops of the 7% GHK-Cu Accelerant and mix well.
  3. Store in a closed container.
How it’s used
Use lightly at first; be careful around the eyes. Not recommended for sensitive skin.
Storage
Room temperature; Skin Biology says do not refrigerate the concentrate.
Keeps for
Concentrate: ‘Best within 36 months after opening’ (manufacturer). Mixed cream: not stated.
  • Skin Biology says all its successful studies used at least 0.33% GHK-Cu on thicker skin such as the face, or 0.03% around the eyes.
  • Its own ready-made products are labelled from 0.02% (Hair Signals) and 0.05% (Copper Sun lotion) up to 1% (Super GHK-Copper) and 3% (VIP Luxury Cream).
  • Skin Biology says not to mix it into vitamin C products, hydroxy acids or zinc-oxide sunscreens.
Sources (13)

Not testedCreamSometimes seen

Compounding-pharmacy anti-wrinkle cream: Argireline 0.5% / GHK-Cu 0.2% / Leuphasyl 0.5%

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL TopiClick dispenser

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient%Role
Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide)0.5%Active
GHK-Cu0.2%Active
Leuphasyl (pentapeptide-18)0.5%Active
Cream base (not specified)Base

Method

Made by the pharmacy; no method is published.

How it’s used
1 mL applied daily to reduce wrinkle depth and fine lines.
Per dose
1 mL of cream per application
Sources (1)

Not testedHair and scalpSometimes seen

Scalp foam from a compounding pharmacy (GHK-Cu 5 mg/mL)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 50 mL foaming applicator

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmount%Role
GHK-Cu5 mg per mLlabelled ‘5%’Active
Foam base (not specified)Base

Method

Made by the pharmacy; no method is published.

How it’s used
1 mL (2 pumps) on the scalp once a day at night, for hair loss.
Per dose
Calculated: 5 mg per mL × 1 mL per use = 5 mg GHK-Cu per application.
  • The catalog’s label is internally inconsistent: 5 mg per mL is 0.5%, not 5%.
Sources (2)

Not testedHair and scalpSometimes seen

Scalp and hair tonic spray (supplier recipe)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: about 2 oz (60 mL)

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
Rose hydrosol1 ozBase
Witch hazel1 ozBase
Apple cider vinegar1 teaspoonOther
GHK-Cu powder1/8 teaspoonActive
Essential oil (rosemary, lavender, peppermint or chamomile), optional10–15 dropsFragrance

Method

  1. Combine the hydrosol, witch hazel and vinegar in a glass vessel.
  2. Add the GHK-Cu powder and let it dissolve for 5–10 minutes.
  3. Add essential oils if using, mix, and pour into a spray bottle.
  4. Shake before each use.
Preservative
None stated.
  • The powder is measured by teaspoon, although the same supplier elsewhere says powders should be weighed.
  • It contains apple cider vinegar, an acid, even though the same supplier and others warn against strong acids with copper peptides.

Not stated: how it’s used.

Sources (4)

Not testedSerumSometimes seen

Simple mixes into a ready-made serum or cream (brand and blogger recipes)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30–60 mL

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
1% copper peptide solution5 mLActive
Hyaluronic acid serum10 mLCarrier
Aloe vera gel5 mLSoothing
Rose water5 mLBase
Argan oil (optional)5 mLOil

Method

  1. Sterilise a 30 mL dropper bottle with boiling water and let it dry.
  2. Put everything in the bottle and shake well.
  3. Store in a cool, dark place.
How it’s used
Skin: 2–3 drops on clean, dry skin, morning or night, then moisturiser. Hair: a few drops massaged into the scalp after washing, daily or 3–4 times a week.
Preservative
None added in the I’m Fabulous mix; NuTide’s 0.5% recipe (50 mL: 0.25 g GHK-Cu, 10 mL hyaluronic acid solution, 10 mL aloe gel, 2.5 mL glycerin, 2.5 mL shea butter extract, 24.75 mL distilled water) is also unpreserved; Derek Pruski adds Liquid Germall Plus to 2 oz of HA serum with a 1 g pack of powder.
Storage
Cool, dark place (I’m Fabulous); fridge (NuTide).
Keeps for
2–4 weeks in the fridge for the unpreserved NuTide version.
  • The I’m Fabulous mix combines water and oil with no emulsifier, so it has to be shaken.
  • Both the I’m Fabulous and NuTide recipes use aloe vera, which Lotioncrafter says should not be combined with copper peptide.
  • Derek Pruski links to a 1 g pack of powder for a 2 oz bottle but does not state how much to add.
Sources (11)

Not testedSerumFringe

Extra-strong and DMSO mixes (fringe)

Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.

Batch: 30 mL

Ingredients and methodHide the recipe

Ingredients

IngredientAmountRole
The Ordinary ‘Buffet’ + copper peptides 1% serumone 30 mL bottle (a little removed first)Carrier
GHK-Cu powder2–3 gActive
DMSO3 dropsPenetration aid

Method

  1. Use the store-bought serum for a week to make room in the bottle.
  2. Add 2–3 g of powder and 3 drops of DMSO.
How it’s used
The poster says 7–10% is comfortable for them and uses a stronger DMSO ‘paste’ on sun-damaged patches occasionally, which became sore and scabbed before healing.
  • This poster (Fine-Tale2468) is the same person behind the ‘Anela’ chart above.
  • Other posters report mixing GHK-Cu into coconut oil or rose water, or using 40% ethoxydiglycol; these are one-off reports.
Sources (6)

How the method was put together, step by step with its sources

Editorial synthesis and reported strength comparison

This synthesized method combines source records. It has not been validated for preparation, sterility, compatibility, absorption or storage. Select a reported strength to inspect the arithmetic; no strength is selected for you.

Strength

Strengths people report

  • 1%: 300 mg GHK-Cu in 30 g water-based hyaluronic acid serum, store-bought or home-made (30 g · 1%)
  • 3.3%: 1,000 mg GHK-Cu in 30 g store-bought hyaluronic acid serum (30 g · 3.33%)
  • 0.5%: 150 mg GHK-Cu in 30 g hyaluronic acid serum, or a home-made water-based serum (30 g · 0.5%)
  • 2%: 600 mg GHK-Cu in 30 g home-made hyaluronic acid serum (or a spray) (30 g · 2%)
  • 6.7% (body): 2,000 mg GHK-Cu in 30 g store-bought hyaluronic acid serum (30 g · 6.67%)
  • 0.17%: 5 mL of a ready-made 1% copper peptide solution (about 50 mg GHK-Cu) in 30 g HA serum, aloe gel and rose water, argan oil optional (the method advises leaving out aloe and oils) (30 g · 0.167%)
  • 0.03%: 1.5 drops of Skin Biology 7% GHK-Cu concentrate (about 5 mg GHK-Cu) in 15 g cream or serum that has no GHK-Cu (15 g · 0.033%)
  • 0.02%: 6 g LCPeptide Copper solution (about 60 mg GHK-Cu) in 300 g home-made hyaluronic acid serum with other peptides (Lotioncrafter formula) (300 g · 0.02%)
What people report
See all 8Show fewer
Research notes

Injected GHK-Cu has no human trials; all injection doses come from clinics, a compounding pharmacy and forum protocols. Schedules conflict (daily without breaks, 5 on 2 off, 6 weeks on 3 off, 30 on 30 off). Topical strength advice conflicts too (0.2% to 6%, with some calling 3% standard and others excessive), and forum math on percentages is often wrong. One clinic source cites an unreliable ClinicalTrials.gov record (NCT07437586). Regulatory status is split by route and still moving: FDA’s safety-risk page lists injectable GHK-Cu as a withdrawn nomination (April 2026); a clinic reports that FDA’s Category 1 listing covers GHK-Cu except for injectable routes; and FDA’s advisory committee page (April 2026) says GHK-Cu will be discussed for the compounding list at a meeting before the end of February 2027.

On the skin

1) Strength: suppliers suggest 0.05–0.1% pure peptide (MySkinRecipes), 0.1–3% (Natural Organic Skincare), 0.3–3% (Bulk Naturals) or 0.1–2% (Parchem), and commercial serums are 1%; the most-shared community recipe is 1 g per 30 mL, with 2–3 g per 30 mL and 7–10% also reported. 2) Users disagree on the percent math for 1 g in 30 mL (called 1% by one commenter and 3% by others). 3) pH target conflict: suppliers say 5–7, some DIY guides say 4.5–5.5. 4) Storage conflict: Skin Biology says do not refrigerate its concentrate; most DIY guides say refrigerate. 5) Many community recipes add no preservative, and one vendor (Real Peptides) says to use a preservative-free base. 6) Two recipes use aloe vera and one uses apple cider vinegar, which suppliers warn against. 7) The compounding-pharmacy scalp foam is labelled both ‘5mg/ml’ and ‘5%’, which do not match. 8) No home-made recipe has been tested for stability or contamination. 9) A chemist on r/DIYBeauty warns that citrate chelates copper, while two supplier guides suggest citric acid to lower pH. 10) The 2021 spray recipe calls ‘polypropylene glycol’ its preservative, but the r/DIYBeauty member who helped describes propylene glycol as a penetration enhancer, humectant and solvent and separately recommended a broad-spectrum preservative such as Germall Plus.

Taken with

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What it is. In plain English.

A copper-binding tripeptide used in topical cosmetics, with small human skin studies and no established injectable use.

Glycine-histidine-lysine bound to a copper ion. Your body makes it; it’s found in plasma, saliva and urine, and levels drop considerably between age 20 and 60. Discovered by Loren Pickart in 1973.

It delivers copper to tissues and signals skin cells to produce collagen, elastin and other structural molecules, while reducing inflammation. Gene-expression studies suggest it shifts many genes toward a repair pattern.

Reviewed 2026-10-01.

Structure. A close relative’s structure.

, not measured

Computed 3D model of the free tripeptide Gly-His-Lys (GHK), without copper, as balls and sticks: carbon atoms copper-colored, nitrogen blue, oxygen red.

A computed model of free GHK, the three amino acids Gly-His-Lys on their own: a shape calculated from their atoms and bonds. Carbon atoms are copper-colored, nitrogen blue and oxygen red; hydrogen atoms aren’t drawn. Its formula and bonds were checked against the molecule’s known structure.

Good to know

  • It has no copper: PubChem has no 3D model of the copper complex.
  • It is one possible shape: a flexible molecule like this one moves and can take others.

PubChem CID 73587. Rendered with Mol* (Sehnal et al., 2021).

Specs. The facts at a glance.

Length
3 amino acids + copper
Sequence
GHK
Sold as
  • GHK-Cu lyophilized (vials)
  • GHK-Cu cosmetic/topical · 5 × 1 g ampules
In blends
Regulatory status
Used as a cosmetic ingredient in topical products. Injectable GHK-Cu is not an FDA-approved drug; FDA has identified limited human safety data and potential immunogenicity and peptide-impurity concerns for compounded injection products.
Also known as
Copper tripeptide-1

Sources. What this page rests on.

Every source behind this page, with what it says and when it was checked, is in the Source library.

GHK-Cu in the Source library

Original overview and research notes · annotated 2026-10-01

Historical collection text. Read alongside the claim corrections above; identity or evidence qualifications may supersede this wording.

Skin repair and collagen

A copper peptide with good evidence in skincare and much weaker evidence as an injection.

Glycine-histidine-lysine bound to a copper ion. Your body makes it; it’s found in plasma, saliva and urine, and levels drop considerably between age 20 and 60. Discovered by Loren Pickart in 1973.

It delivers copper to tissues and signals skin cells to produce collagen, elastin and other structural molecules, while reducing inflammation. Gene-expression studies suggest it shifts many genes toward a repair pattern.

Topical products improved skin firmness, fine lines and density in several small controlled cosmetic studies. It sped wound healing in animals. Evidence for injecting it, for skin, hair or general anti-aging, is mostly extrapolation.

Original status record: A common cosmetic ingredient. Injectable GHK-Cu isn’t an approved drug, and the FDA has raised safety concerns about compounding it for injection.

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