GHK-Cu protocol for aesthetic purposes?

[lil ghost]

Like many others, I've been very curious about taking ghk-cu for hair and skin benefits. However, there seem to be so many contradictions when it comes to dosing, cycling, side effects, and basically everything else under the sun. I've been researching it for weeks now and feel almost more lost than when I started. 🥲

So, my questions are:

1. Have you taken ghk-cu solely for aesthetic benefits? If so, did you notice any significant changes?
2. What dose did you take, and how long did you take it? (I've seen some people say to pin every other day, others say 5 days on and 2 days off, others say to pin every day. Similarly, some say you need to cycle it for 6-8 weeks and then take a few weeks off, but others say you need to stay on it for months to see results.)
3. Did you take a zinc supplement? (Some say that a zinc supplement is essential, others say it "cancels out" the benefits of copper.)
4. Did you notice any serious burning or stinging when injecting?
5. Would a blend (GLOW or KLOW) be better if your main goal is to improve appearance rather than promote healing?

I've watched some doctors on youtube (Dr. Alex Tatem and Dr. Ashley), and both say that ghk-cu are "well-tolerated" in the body, but I've also read horrible stories about people getting painful welts, swelling, and other long-lasting reactions from taking it. I understand that there is no established protocol for a research peptide, but I'm hoping some lovely people here will have personal experiences to share?

 

[lil ghost]

I knew I shouldn't have rambled so much. 😅 Here's a less complicated question: what are your thoughts on a GHK-Cu / KPV blend in regards to hair and skin health?

 

[Vriende]

Like many others, I've been very curious about taking ghk-cu for hair and skin benefits. ....

1. Would a blend (GLOW or KLOW) be better if your main goal is to improve appearance rather than promote healing?

Lots of great threads here already. Use the search bar to look for them.

Here is one to get you started --

https://glp1forum.com/threads/12-weeks-of-peptide-therapy-w-pictures.12214/

 

[puree]

I've done a cycle of KLOW at 2mg ghkcu daily. Noticed more supple glowy skin around the fifth week mark but also got a breakout around the third week that I just toughed out. Don't know if you've heard of the copper uglies. I don't take zinc since I remember reading the actual copper in each dose is not enough to require supplementing.

 

[lil ghost]

Lots of great threads here already. Use the search bar to look for them.

Here is one to get you started --

https://glp1forum.com/threads/12-weeks-of-peptide-therapy-w-pictures.12214/

I'm sorry, I didn't intend to come off as ignorant. 😞 I started this thread specifically because I've scoured this site to read about other people's experiences and have come away with more questions than answers. I promise I read exponentially more than I post!

 

[Big C]

i am joining the discussion in hopes of learning more myself. i am wanting to try ghk-cu.

 

[randompersonrandom]

I'm on my third full cycle of KLOW; first one was at the beginning of September of last year. I dose it to 2 mg of the ghk-cu per day for around seventy days, followed by few weeks to a month off. I did a half cycle at one point when I was bored. I'm a week or two into full cycle number three, though.

As far as I can tell, it does nothing for wrinkles, hair, fine lines, loose skin, or sun spots. I don't see any change in any of those five, though my loose skin isn't horribly loose and I still look good on all five; but I looked fine on all five before KLOW too.

What it DOES do for me, though, and the reason why I will keep right on cycling it, is that my skin looks pretty somehow. Kinda glowy, bright, radiant, smooth, even. I don't wear foundation and never have, but I slap on a little moisturizer and I look incredibly healthy in the face. The skin on my arms and legs also looks moisturized and pretty. I have no zits and not much in the way of pores. I look at my face in the mirror and think "damn, 45 years old and I look pretty." Like, minus my under eye bags and drooping brow (both of which I'm getting corrected in the fall), I'd be what I consider beautiful; which is not too bad for a middle-aged smoker.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely look 45, and I have the hallmarks of a 45 year old woman's face and body, but I look like a healthy, glowy radiant 45, and I don't correlate "beautiful" with "looks young" anyway, so I'm strongly in favor of the KLOW.

 

[FlowerFairy]

Like many others, I've been very curious about taking ghk-cu for hair and skin benefits. However, there seem to be so many contradictions when it comes to dosing, cycling, side effects, and basically everything else under the sun. I've been researching it for weeks now and feel almost more lost than when I started. 🥲

So, my questions are:

1. Have you taken ghk-cu solely for aesthetic benefits? If so, did you notice any significant changes?
2. What dose did you take, and how long did you take it? (I've seen some people say to pin every other day, others say 5 days on and 2 days off, others say to pin every day. Similarly, some say you need to cycle it for 6-8 weeks and then take a few weeks off, but others say you need to stay on it for months to see results.)
3. Did you take a zinc supplement? (Some say that a zinc supplement is essential, others say it "cancels out" the benefits of copper.)
4. Did you notice any serious burning or stinging when injecting?
5. Would a blend (GLOW or KLOW) be better if your main goal is to improve appearance rather than promote healing?

I've watched some doctors on youtube (Dr. Alex Tatem and Dr. Ashley), and both say that ghk-cu are "well-tolerated" in the body, but I've also read horrible stories about people getting painful welts, swelling, and other long-lasting reactions from taking it. I understand that there is no established protocol for a research peptide, but I'm hoping some lovely people here will have personal experiences to share?

I have taken it daily for going on a year. I started for skin, keep using it for chronic pain and skin.

5 on/2 off were advocated because med spas aren’t open on weekends to give the shot. There is no reason to do that.

 

[derekd419]

I just ordered some in hopes of just seeing what it can benefit, it hasn't arrived yet but I'm going to pay attention to what my overall skin appearance is looking like around week 6-8

 

[ThatNextGril]

This week is week 5 for me taking 1.5 GHK-cu daily. I really have no idea what it's helping with but figure I've got the carts loaded, the pinning is easy (although it really is dealer's choice if I'll get a little red welt or not any given day) and I haven't had any negative reactions (copper uglies, etc.) so will keep going through to 8 weeks and reassess.

 

[Habibibi]

Sunscreen and tretinoin are the only 2 substances with solid clinical data behind them for anti-aging skin improvements.

 

[Zoozoo's Mama]

I've been on it for 6 weeks now. I started at 1mg per day/5 days per week. I'm now at 2.5mg every day. I feel a huge difference in the texture of my skin. It feels softer and somehow thicker. I'd post a photo but I put self tanner on my face this morning so it really isn't going to be an accurate comparison, lol. I also think that my turkey neck is a little less pronounced. But just based on the texture changes alone I will stay on it. I'm excited to see what additional changes may be coming since they say to allow 3-6 months to really see improvement.

 

[Occindemure]

KLOW Approx 1.5mg daily, so about 300 mcg of the others
Skin is thicker and more resilient. You will notice it is hard to pierce with a needle.
Hair is thicker, and possibly darker on the body. (Maybe MT2)
Face looks healthier. Subjective but it is what it is.

GHK-cu is probably fine for most, but I am a bit older and appreciate the help with all my aches and pains.
As for those.
Overall reduced inflammation and reduction in some arthritis & overuse pain.
Always hoping I will get long term tendon issue improvement with continued use.

ISR pain
Sucks. Sucks a lot for me.
Upper Glutes is the best for me. But even with extra BAC and even a massage gun, I will get pain in the area. If I do not take a break the whole area just gets worse over time. So I have to stop for couple weeks to get back to normal.

 

[deluge]

I've been pinning GHK-Cu at 2mg daily for about 6 weeks. When I did it left or right of the navel, it was painful. Felt like a 2 day old bee sting, or if I'd been shot by an airsoft pellet.

I found that if I went 3-4" below the navel, maybe 1-2" left or right of center, it was painless.

I made 100mg Nexaph into 2 ea 3ml cartridges, for use with a V2 pen. When this 2nd cartridge is empty I was planning on taking a break from it, for maybe 45-60 days.

My wife and I both noticed my face wrinkles lessening, skin feels softer, yet more sturdy, if that's a thing? Looks better, feels better. I do also use a micro-roller (0.3mm) facial scrub, and GHK-Cu topical on forehead, temples, under eyes, neck.

This is what I'm using topically:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRZ3P2SR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[McFatty]

I do 3mg a day. No issues on my gut. But it stings on my legs. Skin feels tighter and fine lines approved. I'm an old, crusty 45 year old from Florida. So there is a lot of sun damage

 

[CariocaLeftSeoul]

I've been doing it daily since the end of December. Do from 3-5mg a day (have done the peptides for KLOW as well, but take them separately bc I'm cheap, so those are cycled off now and I continued with GHK-Cu). Honestly had noticed nothing until this week when I noticed two things:

1) My Botox didn't last as long this last time I got it done, but had read that some peptides could make it metabolize faster, BUT even though I can make expressions again and my forehead shows the wrinkles when I do, the lines don't stick around. So when I look in the mirror I don't have any of those forehead lines. This morning I talked to one of my friends who has been doing it about just as long and she mentioned the same, that her skin must have changed even if she didn't notice it, because the lack of botox isn't bothering her bc it isn't noticeable.

2) And I wish I had taken a before picture for this! I'm in my mid-40's, my eyelids has been bothering me for about a year and I had been looking into a blepharoplasty, know I can't afford it now, and wondered if insurance would cover it since the left one was touching my eyelashes (my right one wasn't as bad). Today as I was driving to work and I noticed it no longer touches my eyelashes, even when I completely open my eyes (before it would touch when my eye was open even only partially). Don't get me wrong, I'd take the surgery in a heartbeat bc it still needs improvement, but I went from wondering if I could get insurance to pay for it to realizing it has somewhat retracted and is not as bad as it was before. No idea when this changed, but it must have been a super slow process since I didn't notice it overnight.

I'm one of the lucky ones that get zero reactions from it, unless I do 6mg at once, otherwise, it's just like doing anything else. I take zinc when I remember it or not being lazy.

 

[lakelife13]

I’m about to complete my 4th week this weekend. Started at 1mg a day for the first week then moved up to 2mg a day and will stay there for the rest of the 12 week cycle. Planning to take 4 weeks off and then do it all over again but starting at 2mg from the beginning.

I have been noticing lines under my eyes are more subtle than before, even my wife noticed. So I’m excited to see what other benefits I have once I’m closer to 12 weeks. As of now not much change with my hair yet.

For me it doesn’t burn, I guess the burning is a reaction your body has so not everyone experiences it.

I do take ZMA supplements every night before bed (EVL Evolution Nutrition Z-Matrix that I got from Amazon). I’ve read you need to make sure the supplement does not contain zinc oxide as oxide negatively affects GHK-CU absorption.

Next cycle I will be pinning GHK-CU in the morning instead of before bed because there’s a lot of people saying zinc supplements and GHK-CU should be taken hours apart. So I’ll be doing that just to be safe.

 

[Crumplestiltskin]

KLOW Approx 1.5mg daily, so about 300 mcg of the others
Skin is thicker and more resilient. You will notice it is hard to pierce with a needle.
Hair is thicker, and possibly darker on the body. (Maybe MT2)
Face looks healthier. Subjective but it is what it is.

GHK-cu is probably fine for most, but I am a bit older and appreciate the help with all my aches and pains.
As for those.
Overall reduced inflammation and reduction in some arthritis & overuse pain.
Always hoping I will get long term tendon issue improvement with continued use.

ISR pain
Sucks. Sucks a lot for me.
Upper Glutes is the best for me. But even with extra BAC and even a massage gun, I will get pain in the area. If I do not take a break the whole area just gets worse over time. So I have to stop for couple weeks to get back to normal.

I was hoping to start GHK-cu for inflammation, too. I have notice an uptick in pain, specifically in my feet and ankles, since I started (just a few days ago). Is there an adjustment period, since GHK can affect collagen? I am trying to see if it's just a temporary reaction, or some other condition flaring up.

 

[SeaGypsy]

I take 2mg of GHK-CU daily. I have noticed healthier skin. Skin feels thicker...I'm over 50 so my skin felt thin before. It just feels and looks healthier. I can't say on hair as I take oral minoxidil daily. I can say my fine wrinkles are much softer and my turkey neck is not noticeable any more. I will never not have this one in my protocol rotations.

 

[domin8brix]

I've been doing it daily since the end of December. Do from 3-5mg a day (have done the peptides for KLOW as well, but take them separately bc I'm cheap, so those are cycled off now and I continued with GHK-Cu). Honestly had noticed nothing until this week when I noticed two things:

1) My Botox didn't last as long this last time I got it done, but had read that some peptides could make it metabolize faster, BUT even though I can make expressions again and my forehead shows the wrinkles when I do, the lines don't stick around. So when I look in the mirror I don't have any of those forehead lines. This morning I talked to one of my friends who has been doing it about just as long and she mentioned the same, that her skin must have changed even if she didn't notice it, because the lack of botox isn't bothering her bc it isn't noticeable.

I am about to reconstitute and start the GHK injections but this part does not excite me. I already feel like it metabolizes too fast on me, so speeding it up isn't really ideal. I am 6 months from my last injections (I had should surgery right when I was due and had to reschedule) so it's pretty much all burned off by now, and my god I cannot wait til they attack my masseters.

 

[CariocaLeftSeoul]

I am about to reconstitute and start the GHK injections but this part does not excite me. I already feel like it metabolizes too fast on me, so speeding it up isn't really ideal. I am 6 months from my last injections (I had should surgery right when I was due and had to reschedule) so it's pretty much all burned off by now, and my god I cannot wait til they attack my masseters.

Yeah I don't know if it's the GHK-Cu or other things causing the botox to last even less time than before 🙁 I read that anything that speeds up the metabolism can have that effect, but I'm taking multiple peptides, most with no benefit to the skin, so it may be caused by something else. Fingers crossed!

 

[Occindemure]

I was hoping to start GHK-cu for inflammation, too. I have notice an uptick in pain, specifically in my feet and ankles, since I started (just a few days ago). Is there an adjustment period, since GHK can affect collagen? I am trying to see if it's just a temporary reaction, or some other condition flaring up.

Sorry for the delayed answer
I am not aware of any side effects beyond some people have temporary skin reactions (The Copper uglies). It is a long term treatment so I would be surprised if you see anything related to collagen changes for a long time. If you are taking any of the Growth Peptides, they can retain water which might be an answer. Not sure GHK does though.
Still an issue?

 

[Crumplestiltskin]

Sorry for the delayed answer
I am not aware of any side effects beyond some people have temporary skin reactions (The Copper uglies). It is a long term treatment so I would be surprised if you see anything related to collagen changes for a long time. If you are taking any of the Growth Peptides, they can retain water which might be an answer. Not sure GHK does though.
Still an issue?

Thankfully, no! It seems like the increased pain was due to B12 deficiency, having recently tapered down from my usual B12 dose. Anyway, I'm glad for that, as I'm excited to continue with GHK.

 

[puree]

Yeah I don't know if it's the GHK-Cu or other things causing the botox to last even less time than before 🙁 I read that anything that speeds up the metabolism can have that effect, but I'm taking multiple peptides, most with no benefit to the skin, so it may be caused by something else. Fingers crossed!

Try taking zinc a few days before and after Botox, supposingly it makes tox lasts longer. But ya, I find even just regular exercise and sauna makes my Botox wear off a lot faster than if I was just sedentary.

 

[CariocaLeftSeoul]

Try taking zinc a few days before and after Botox, supposingly it makes tox lasts longer. But ya, I find even just regular exercise and sauna makes my Botox wear off a lot faster than if I was just sedentary.

I've been taking zinc regularly since I started GHK-Cu (I know some people say you don't need to, but it's cheap, and just covering my basis). But yes, when I was an avid crossfitter, botox rarely lasted bc your metabolism revs up, so I get that. But I haven't noticed a change with zinc, but maybe things would have been even worse without it?

 

[HereKittyKitty]

Amazing the results y'all are having. My changes have been: chronically cracked heels are now as smooth as butter, my cuticles no longer shred. My girlfriends say I'm glowing (none know I take GHK-Cu, or even what it is LOL)

 

[mybodyisasewer]

KLOW Approx 1.5mg daily, so about 300 mcg of the others
Skin is thicker and more resilient. You will notice it is hard to pierce with a needle.
Hair is thicker, and possibly darker on the body. (Maybe MT2)
Face looks healthier. Subjective but it is what it is.

GHK-cu is probably fine for most, but I am a bit older and appreciate the help with all my aches and pains.
As for those.
Overall reduced inflammation and reduction in some arthritis & overuse pain.
Always hoping I will get long term tendon issue improvement with continued use.

ISR pain
Sucks. Sucks a lot for me.
Upper Glutes is the best for me. But even with extra BAC and even a massage gun, I will get pain in the area. If I do not take a break the whole area just gets worse over time. So I have to stop for couple weeks to get back to normal.

Did you notice improved recovery between workouts with KLOW? That's why I'm looking at it rn...

 

[Llanitox]

Like many others, I've been very curious about taking ghk-cu for hair and skin benefits. However, there seem to be so many contradictions when it comes to dosing, cycling, side effects, and basically everything else under the sun. I've been researching it for weeks now and feel almost more lost than when I started. 🥲

So, my questions are:

1. Have you taken ghk-cu solely for aesthetic benefits? If so, did you notice any significant changes?
2. What dose did you take, and how long did you take it? (I've seen some people say to pin every other day, others say 5 days on and 2 days off, others say to pin every day. Similarly, some say you need to cycle it for 6-8 weeks and then take a few weeks off, but others say you need to stay on it for months to see results.)
3. Did you take a zinc supplement? (Some say that a zinc supplement is essential, others say it "cancels out" the benefits of copper.)
4. Did you notice any serious burning or stinging when injecting?
5. Would a blend (GLOW or KLOW) be better if your main goal is to improve appearance rather than promote healing?

I've watched some doctors on youtube (Dr. Alex Tatem and Dr. Ashley), and both say that ghk-cu are "well-tolerated" in the body, but I've also read horrible stories about people getting painful welts, swelling, and other long-lasting reactions from taking it. I understand that there is no established protocol for a research peptide, but I'm hoping some lovely people here will have personal experiences to share?

Did you find the answers you were looking for eventually and if so mind sharing as I’m considering starting a ghkcu and KPV stack

 

[lil ghost]

Did you find the answers you were looking for eventually and if so mind sharing as I’m considering starting a ghkcu and KPV stack

My understanding is that GHK-Cu seems to be mostly beneficial for middle-aged and older folks since natural levels of GHK-CU decrease in the body as you age. It seems to improve skin texture and firmness, but its effects may be minimal in younger people. It also sounds like injections are a pain in the ass (literally).

Since I'm 29, I've decided that I don't need to inject GHK-Cu, but I am interested in making a topical copper-infused serum instead. As for KPV, that sounds like a solid healing peptide that seems to be suitable for gut and skin health.