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Over the counter Published: human trials Extensive real-world use

GHK-Cu: dosing, reconstitution and evidence

A naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide that declines sharply with age. The best-evidenced peptide for skin: real human data for collagen synthesis, wound healing and photoaging, mostly topical.

Also known as Copper Peptide, Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine copper

Educational research reference Healing & Recovery
Quick reference. Everything you need to run GHK-Cu — dosing, frequency, reconstitution math for the vial sizes people actually buy, and what it stacks with. For anything specific to your situation, ask the Guru.

GHK-Cu quick start

Route
Topical (best evidence) or SubQ
Typical dose
Topical 1–3 mg/mL; injectable 1–2 mg
Frequency
Topical daily; injectable 3–5×/week
Half-life
Short — cleared from circulation within roughly an hour. Topical effects are local, not systemic.
Cycle
Topical is continuous; injectable typically 4–8 weeks.
Vial sizes sold
50mg or 100mg
These are the numbers people actually run, drawn from the published record and from what the community has settled on over time. Educational reference, not medical advice — a starting point to work from, and one you can adjust as you learn how you respond.

How to run it

How often
Topical daily; injectable 3–5×/week
Cycle length
Topical is continuous; injectable typically 4–8 weeks.
Half-life
Short — cleared from circulation within roughly an hour. Topical effects are local, not systemic.
Route
Topical (best evidence) or SubQ
Consistency matters more than perfect timing. Pick a slot in your day you will actually keep, and let DoseIQ handle the rest.

For women

Half the injectable-GHK conversation online is women chasing skin and hair benefits. Topical remains the best-evidenced route for the face; injectable users typically run the same 1–2 mg doses as men. No pregnancy safety data — treat it like the research peptides and pause while trying to conceive.

What people actually run

Heavy use topically, growing injectable use. One of the few here with real published human data behind it.

This is accumulated community practice — years of real-world use across a large number of people, converging on numbers that work. It is not a controlled trial, and for most compounds here no such trial exists or is ever likely to. That makes this the most reliable dosing signal available, and it is a good deal better than guessing.

What to expect

Most people tolerate GHK-Cu well. Here is what is worth knowing going in, so nothing catches you by surprise.

Injectable use can sting and may leave temporary blue-green discoloration (it is a copper complex). Excess copper is toxic — do not stack multiple copper sources. Topical is the well-supported route.

Reconstitution guide

GHK-Cu ships as a lyophilised powder and gets mixed with bacteriostatic water before use. How much water you add sets the concentration, which sets how many syringe units make up each dose. One unit on a U-100 syringe is 0.01 mL — the tables below do the arithmetic for the vial sizes you are most likely to be holding.

50mg vial most common

Water addedConcentration 1mg3mg
2mL (common) 25 mg/mL0.04 mL
4 units		0.12 mL
12 units
3mL 16.67 mg/mL0.06 mL
6 units		0.18 mL
18 units

100mg vial

Water addedConcentration 1mg3mg
2mL (common) 50 mg/mL0.02 mL
2 units		0.06 mL
6 units
3mL 33.33 mg/mL0.03 mL
3 units		0.09 mL
9 units
50 mg vial + 2.5 mL BAC water = 20 mg/mL — a 2 mg dose = 10 units on a U-100 syringe. 100 mg vial + 3 mL = 33 mg/mL — 2 mg = 6 units.

Standard steps

  1. Inspect the vialConfirm the label and that the powder cake is intact. Do not use a cracked or compromised vial.
  2. Let it reach room temperatureSitting out for a few minutes reduces condensation inside the vial when the seal is broken.
  3. Disinfect both stoppersWipe the compound vial and the bacteriostatic water vial with a fresh alcohol swab and let them air-dry.
  4. Draw the bacteriostatic waterUse a sterile syringe to draw the volume you have chosen from the reconstitution table.
  5. Add the water down the vial wallInject slowly so it runs down the inside wall rather than spraying directly onto the powder. This limits foaming.
  6. Dissolve gentlySwirl or roll the vial between your hands until the cake dissolves. Never shake — agitation damages peptide bonds. The solution should end up clear.
  7. Label and refrigerateWrite the reconstitution date and concentration on the vial. Store at 2–8°C. Do not freeze.
Running a different vial size or water volume? The DoseIQ calculator works it out for any combination — mcg, mg or IU, on any syringe size.
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This page is an educational research reference and is not medical advice. Dose figures reflect the published record and what the community has converged on — starting points to weigh, not instructions. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any protocol.