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GHK-Cu is the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to a copper(II) ion. The peptide occurs naturally in human plasma, where concentrations are highest in early adulthood and decline steadily with age - a pattern that prompted much of the research interest in it.

GHK has a very high affinity for copper and acts as a physiological copper carrier. In dermal research it has been studied for effects on the extracellular matrix: stimulation of collagen, elastin, decorin and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, and modulation of the balance between matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors. This dual action - building new matrix while regulating its breakdown - is the basis of its long-standing use in cosmetic formulation.

The same matrix and angiogenic mechanisms underlie a separate line of research into the hair follicle and the dermal papilla, which is why this product appears in both the Skin Health and Hair Loss categories. It is a single stock item listed under two categories, not two separate lines.

GHK-Cu is well established as a topical cosmetic ingredient. In injectable form it is not an approved drug product. Supplied in a 3 mL pre-filled pen at 10 mg/mL (30 mg total peptide).