GHK-Cu is a small naturally occurring tripeptide made of glycine, histidine, and lysine that binds a copper ion. It is found in human plasma, saliva, and urine, and declines with age. It is widely used in skincare and studied for wound healing and tissue remodeling.

What is GHK-Cu used for?

GHK-Cu is most commonly used as a cosmetic ingredient in serums and creams marketed for skin firmness, fine lines, and skin repair. In research it has been studied for wound healing, collagen synthesis, and antioxidant activity. It is not an approved drug for treating disease.

Is GHK-Cu FDA-approved?

GHK-Cu is used as a cosmetic ingredient, which in the U.S. does not require pre-market FDA drug approval. It is not an FDA-approved drug for any medical condition, and injectable research-chemical forms are not approved for human use.

Is topical GHK-Cu different from injectable GHK-Cu?

Yes. Topical GHK-Cu in cosmetics is a regulated personal-care use with a long history. Injectable or reconstituted research-chemical GHK-Cu is not FDA-approved for human use and carries different and largely uncharacterized risks. This page is educational only.

What are the reported side effects of GHK-Cu?

Topical use is generally well tolerated but can cause irritation or contact reactions in some people. Data on injectable research-chemical GHK-Cu are very limited. Consult a licensed clinician or dermatologist before use, especially anything beyond topical cosmetics.

Does GHK-Cu help with hair?

Some cosmetic research and products explore copper peptides for scalp and hair appearance, but evidence is limited and it is not an approved hair-loss treatment. A dermatologist can advise on what is actually supported for an individual.

How is research-grade GHK-Cu reconstituted?

Lyophilized GHK-Cu powder is typically reconstituted with bacteriostatic water added slowly down the vial wall and swirled gently. The solution often takes on a blue tint from the copper ion. See the steps below and our reconstitution guide.

Skin & beauty · Dosage

GHK-Cu dosage

GHK-Cu comes in 50 mg vials. Pick your vial to see exactly how much bacteriostatic water to add and how many insulin units to draw. Reconstitution math and unit conversions for the 50 mg vial. Most GHK-Cu evidence is topical; the injectable figures shown are community-reported and anecdotal.

50mg

At 5 mL water: 10 mg/mL
Per unit: 100 mcg

See the 50 mg card

Calculate for your vial

Enter the mg on your GHK-Cu vial, the bacteriostatic water you added, and your target dose — it works out the exact units to draw on a U-100 insulin syringe, for whatever you personally have.

Reconstitution Calculator

Units to draw (U-100)15units

Volume to draw0.15mL

Concentration10mg/mL

Per insulin unit100mcg

Doses per vial33.3doses

Check the decimal. A misplaced decimal point here is a 10× dosing error. Re-read every number, and confirm your dose with a licensed clinician before you draw.

Educational only — not a dosing recommendation. This tool does the measurement math; it does not tell you what to take. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units = 1 mL.

Reconstitution figures are deterministic measurement math. WikiPeps is a community reference and sells injection supplies only — never peptides. Nothing here is medical advice.