GHK lipopeptide · wrinkles
A cosmetic ingredient made by attaching palmitic acid to GHK (glycine-histidine-lysine), a tripeptide found in human plasma and inside the type I collagen chain. Unlike the better-known GHK-Cu, it carries no copper. It is used in wrinkle-focused skin care, often with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 in the Matrixyl 3000 blend, and older labels called it palmitoyl oligopeptide, a name since retired.
GHK has a long research history as a tissue-repair signal. In fibroblast cultures, its copper complex stimulated collagen synthesis at very low concentrations, and because the GHK sequence sits within type I collagen, the authors suggested it may be released by enzymes at sites of injury1. Adding a palmitoyl tail makes the peptide more fat-soluble, which is meant to improve entry into skin2.
An imaging study in three volunteers detected Pal-GHK throughout the stratum corneum after a serum was applied, located between cells rather than inside them3. A 2025 review concluded that cell studies support GHK's matrix-building activity but found a notable absence of clinical studies of Pal-GHK2.
Direct evidence for this form is limited. Most of what is known about GHK comes from the copper complex in cell culture1, not from the palmitoylated version. Human data on Pal-GHK come from multi-ingredient products: in a 12-week study, 37 women applied an eye cream containing palmitoyl tripeptide-1, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, a yeast/rice ferment, and N-acetylneuraminic acid to one side of the face, and the treated side showed better hydration, elasticity, and ultrasound-measured collagen density than the untreated side; the combined actives also raised collagen and elastin in cultured fibroblasts4. Because the product contained several actives and there was no placebo cream, the peptide's own contribution is unknown. The 2025 review noted the absence of clinical studies of Pal-GHK2.
Not approved as a drug by the FDA or any other regulator found; it is used as a cosmetic ingredient2. In the US, cosmetic ingredients do not need FDA approval before they go on the market5.
We found no published human data on adverse effects of this peptide on its own. In the 12-week eye-cream study of a blend containing it, dermatologists observed no reactions such as redness, papules, scabbing, or peeling in 37 women4. As with any topical cosmetic, the finished product can irritate skin or cause contact allergy.
This page is educational reference material about compounds studied in research settings. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, possess, or use any compound. Research findings described are from published literature; individual compounds may not be approved for human use. Talk to a licensed clinician about anything that affects your health.
Brand names on this page belong to their owners and are used only to identify a product. goodtides is not affiliated with those companies.