GHK-Cu: The Copper Peptide for Skin, Hair, and Recovery — Complete Guide
What GHK-Cu actually does, how it's dosed for topical vs injectable use, published clinical data, and how to reconstitute it safely.
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) first isolated from human plasma in 1973. Levels drop sharply with age — from ~200 ng/mL at 20 to ~80 ng/mL at 60 — which is one reason it gets marketed as an anti-aging compound.
What the research actually shows
- Skin: increases collagen and elastin production; multiple RCTs show visible reduction in fine lines after 12 weeks of topical use.
- Hair: stimulates dermal papilla cells; small trials show modest hair thickness improvement.
- Wound healing: accelerates tissue repair in animal models and diabetic ulcer studies.
- Anti-inflammatory: downregulates NF-kB pathway markers in vitro.
Topical vs injectable
The vast majority of GHK-Cu human data is topical (creams, serums at 0.05–2%). Injectable protocols exist in research communities but have minimal published human trial data — the systemic dose is essentially an extrapolation from animal work.
| Route | Typical research dose | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Topical serum | 1–2% concentration | Once or twice daily |
| Subcutaneous | 1–2 mg | 3–5x per week |
| Intranasal | 200–500 mcg | Daily |
Reconstitution
GHK-Cu is sold as a blue-tinted lyophilized powder. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water — 2 mL BAC for a 50 mg vial gives 25 mg/mL. Stable refrigerated for ~30 days.
Stacking
Commonly stacked with BPC-157 for recovery protocols or with TB-500 for tissue repair. Skin protocols often combine topical GHK-Cu with tretinoin (applied at different times of day to avoid deactivation).