GHK-Cu and Hair Growth: What Has Been Studied

What the research covers

A PubMed search found no trial of GHK-Cu on its own for hair growth. Human hair data come from products that joined GHK, or mixed copper peptides, with other agents.

GHK-Cu is a small peptide, glycyl-histidyl-lysine, bound to copper. In a 2016 trial, 45 men with pattern hair loss sprayed their scalp once a day for 6 months. The full paper lists 43 men randomised to the three groups. Two groups got a spray called ALAVAX, and one group got a placebo. ALAVAX joins GHK to 5-aminolevulinic acid and has no copper. Hair counts rose by 52.6 and 71.5 in the two ALAVAX groups and by 9.6 with placebo. Hair length and thickness did not differ. No side effects were reported in any group.

A 2025 report looked back at 7 men who had five monthly scalp tattooing sessions. Each session put minoxidil, dutasteride and 1.2 percent copper peptides into the scalp. Scalp coverage scores improved, but there was no placebo group. The effect of the copper peptides alone cannot be separated from the other drugs. In a 2007 lab study, a different copper peptide, AHK-Cu, lengthened human hair follicles. That study did not test GHK-Cu.

Sources

1. Lee WJ, Sim HB, Jang YH, et al. Efficacy of a Complex of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and Glycyl-Histidyl-Lysine Peptide on Hair Growth Ann Dermatol (2016). PMID 27489425 doi:10.5021/ad.2016.28.4.438 Placebo-controlled trial, 45 men with pattern hair loss; scalp spray of GHK joined to 5-ALA (no copper), once daily for 6 months.
2. Kuceki G, Coppinger AJ, Ragi SD, et al. Enhanced hair regrowth with five monthly sessions of minoxidil-dutasteride-copper peptides tattooing for androgenetic alopecia assessed by artificial intelligence and blinded evaluators JAAD Int (2025). PMID 40225275 doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2025.01.012 Look-back report, 7 men; five monthly scalp tattooing sessions with minoxidil, dutasteride and 1.2% copper peptides; no placebo group.
3. Miller TR, Wagner JD, Baack BR, et al. Effects of topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin Arch Facial Plast Surg (2006). PMID 16847171 doi:10.1001/archfaci.8.4.252 Defines GHK-Cu as glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine-Cu(2+); cited here for the definition only.
4. Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, et al. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro Arch Pharm Res (2007). PMID 17703734 doi:10.1007/BF02978833 Lab study of AHK-Cu, a different copper tripeptide, on human hair follicles and dermal papilla cells.