GHK-Cu

Also called GHK, Copper peptide, Copper tripeptide-1, Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper, Prezatide copper

Studied in:SkinTissue repair

Educational only, not medical advice. Dosaly reports what has been studied; it isn't a recommendation to use GHK-Cu or any amount of it. Talk to a clinician.

Not approved as a medicine by the FDA or EMA (as of October 2026); copper tripeptide-1 is used as an ingredient in cosmetic skin products.

Research applications

Collagen production and skin-cell behaviour (lab studies)
Wound healing (lab and animal models)
Changes in gene activity (gene-expression analyses)
Skin after laser resurfacing (small randomized cosmetic study)

What studies have looked at, not proven uses.

What it is

GHK-Cu is copper joined to a tiny peptide the body makes naturally. It's a common ingredient in skin-care products. Research is mostly lab work and small skin studies.

More detail

GHK-Cu is a complex of copper with GHK, a three-amino-acid peptide (glycine, histidine, lysine) found naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine, with levels reported to fall with age. GHK binds copper tightly, and the copper complex is a common ingredient in cosmetic skin products. Laboratory studies have looked at collagen production, skin-cell behaviour and wound models, and gene-expression analyses suggest it changes the activity of many genes. Human evidence is mostly small cosmetic studies of products applied to the skin, such as a randomized study after laser skin resurfacing. Research on injected forms in people is lacking.

Evidence listed here

1 human study
1 review
1 lab (cell) study

Results from cells and animals often don't carry over to people. How to read peptide research

Molecular info

Class: Copper–peptide complex
Length: 3 amino acids
Sequence: Gly-His-Lys bound to copper(II)
Research areas: Skin, Tissue repair

GHK occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva and urine.