Common Name(s): Copper peptide,cu-ghk wound healing remodelling,anti-aging active
CAS Number: N/a
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Stimulates production of collagen i, ii, iii, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans, activates antioxidant copper-zinc sod for ros protection, promotes wound healing through keratinocyte migration stimulation, and remodels scar tissue.
Why It's Used: Ghk-cu is naturally produced after skin injury (serum ghk rises dramatically post-wound) providing the body's own post-damage repair signal โ topical ghk-cu supplements this repair signalling outside wound contexts for continuous maintenance anti-aging.
How It Works: Ghk-cu coordinates cuยฒโบ through the histidine imidazole and glycine/lysine terminal amines forming a stable 1:1 complex. this cu-peptide activates tgf-ฮฒ1, bfgf, and vegf receptor pathways โ fibroblast proliferation and collagen gene upregulation. copper coordination also provides superoxide dismutase-like antioxidant activity.
Typically Found In: Anti-aging serums,wound healing
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient โ signal peptide
Secondary Functions: Collagen stimulation,skin firming,anti-aging
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.1%โ5%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetically produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis (spps). may be palmitoylated for stability.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 โ non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; suitable for all skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Exceptional safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,retinol,vitamin c,niacinamide
Avoid Combining With: Avoid mixing with high-concentration ahas at same ph (may hydrolyze peptide bonds)
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Ghk-cu genome-wide studies show it modulates 31% of the expressed human genome toward younger expression patterns โ regulating over 4,000 human genes involved in collagen synthesis, antioxidant defence, and anti-inflammatory signalling.
Last Verified: 2026-03-12
Primary Sources: Cosing database,copper tripeptide ghk-cu anti-aging genomic review