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GHK-Cu for a total beginner, where do I even start

Posted by nof1_midwest in Beginner Questions - 1 points, 6 comments.

Hi everyone, I am pretty new to all this, I have been reading a lot the last weeks but I still feel a bit lost. I want to try something for my skin, I am 46 and starting to see more lines and a little sag around the jaw, especially on the neck area. I work long hours so I do not want something complicated.

I keep seeing GHK-Cu mentioned. From what I understand it is a copper peptide, and the idea is it helps with collagen and wound healing? But I do not know if I should use it on skin only, or also take something oral like collagen peptides with it. Is it ok to use both at same time, or is that overkill for a beginner?

Also I am a bit worried about the green tint thing I read about. For somebody who never used copper peptides before, what is a safe way to start? Low concentration, few times a week, and see how it goes?

If somebody has experience with GHK-Cu, especially at my age, I would appreciate any honest thoughts. Not looking for a routine, just want to know what worked for you and what to avoid early on. Thank you.

Comments

  • grinder265: Ngl GHK-Cu is one of the gentler options out there for beginners, you're not starting with something gnarly. The green tint is real but it really comes down to concentration and formulation. The higher the copper content the more it can oxidize on skin and leave that faint hue. Starting at a lower concentration and every other day for the first week or two is solid advice, you already figured that part out. Topical versus oral is kind of a false choice here. GHK-Cu as a topical peptide works th
  • tracker_jade: That makes sense about the different pathways. Anecdotally I've run topical GHK-Cu on some healing patches I had and paired it with oral collagen on my own thing, didn't notice anything bad from running both. Do you know if the copper peptide topical actually gets absorbed better when skin barrier is compromised versus intact? Seems like it would but haven't seen much on that specifically.
  • tracker_jade: Yeah makes sense they work different. I tried a low‑dose serum every other day and kept taking my usual collagen powder, didn’t notice any clash. Did you find any benefit stacking them or just keep them separate?
  • nof1_midwest: I have not really started yet, I am still in the reading phase, so I can not say from my own experience if stacking helps more than using GHK-Cu alone. Maybe I will try serum first a couple times a week, very low concentration, and keep my collagen powder in the morning, see how skin reacts over a few weeks. If nothing weird happens I can think about using both.
  • nof1_midwest: Yeah that is interesting question, I do not know the answer honestly. I never had broken skin or anything when I tried it, just normal face, so I cannot compare. Makes sense it would absorb more if barrier is not intact, but I do not want to test that on myself. Maybe somebody with more knowledge can say.
  • nof1_midwest: Yeah about topical vs oral being different, that makes me feel better about not doubling up right away. I will start just with the topical and skip the collagen for now, maybe add it later if I feel like I need it. The every other day for two weeks sounds like a smart ramp, I was thinking maybe even twice a week to be safe but every other day feels doable too. What concentration did you start with, was it like a 2% serum or lower? I keep seeing different numbers out there and it is confusing.

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