GHK-Cu

Copper peptide GHK-Cu · Copper tripeptide-1 · GHK-copper · Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper · Copper peptide · Prezatide copper

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Skin aging¹ Skin barrier function¹ Post-laser skin quality² Hair loss (multi-ingredient injection)³ Scalp dandruff⁴ Acne scars⁵	Compounded injectable use⁶

Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK) copper, written GHK-Cu, is a copper(II) complex of a naturally occurring tripeptide, studied for matrix remodeling, inflammation, redox regulation, and tissue repair⁷. The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists GHK-Cu, except for injectable routes, among bulk drug substances under evaluation for pharmacy compounding⁶. People use it topically for skin aging and barrier support, for skin quality after laser resurfacing, and for scalp and hair concerns.

Human research is limited to about three small trials, covering diabetic foot ulcers, laser-resurfaced skin, and scalp hair. A randomized trial after laser resurfacing found no objective difference in erythema or wrinkles, though patient-rated skin quality favored GHK-Cu². A 2018 open-label pilot of scalp injections reported reduced hair fall, but the formulation combined several growth factors with copper tripeptide-1³. A 2026 evidence-mapping review judged the clinical evidence sparse and GHK-Cu promising but unproven, with a phase 2 acute-wound trial still recruiting⁷. Products are mostly cosmetic serums, creams, and gels, often paired with other actives; see Form comparison^{1, 4}.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

21 sources, 9 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources