Prescription only · clinician reviewed
GHK-Cu Cream
A topical copper peptide cream for skin support, with clinician oversight.
Member pricing via Castle Rock Contouring
- Billed every 28 days
- Clinician review and care-team messaging included
- We'll bill this supply again when it's due. Complete the portal follow-up so the next fill can ship. You may still have medication on hand.
- Cancel anytime in your patient portal
Free eligibility check · $0 today · You are charged only if a clinician prescribes
Shipping and clinician visit added at checkout.
Choosing a plan starts an intake, not an order. A licensed clinician reviews it and decides whether to prescribe — they may decline, and you are not charged unless they approve.
GHK-Cu Cream
A topical copper peptide cream for skin support, with clinician oversight.
- Skin quality
- Collagen support
- Fits your routine
Why people ask about it
What this is for
Applied where you want the effect
A topical acts locally on the skin, which keeps it separate from your systemic treatments.
Collagen and repair signalling
The interest in GHK-Cu comes from its association with collagen production and skin repair pathways in early research.
Fits an existing routine
A cream slots into what you already do rather than adding a new kind of commitment.
Individual results vary. Your clinician decides whether it is right for you.
Before you start
What to know about GHK-Cu Cream
GHK-Cu is a copper-binding peptide applied to the skin, used for skin quality and appearance support. It is supplied with clinician review as part of your plan.
- 01
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide found in plasma and skin, and its concentration falls with age.
- 02
Most of the mechanistic work is in cell culture and animal wound models. The human evidence is small cosmetic studies, not clinical trials.
- 03
Applied topically it acts on the skin locally. It is not a treatment for acne, eczema, rosacea, or any diagnosed skin condition.
- 04
Supplied as a compounded topical, which means it is not FDA-approved.
Who this tends to fit
- You are interested in skin quality and appearance support
- You prefer a topical to anything systemic
- You want a clinician-guided skin routine
- You want clinician oversight
Fitting the description does not mean you will be prescribed this. A clinician decides after reviewing your intake.
Supplied as a compounded topical product, so it is not FDA-approved and has not been reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Much of the supporting work is laboratory or small-study evidence. It is not a treatment for any skin disease, and dermatological conditions need a dermatologist.
The science
The science of GHK-Cu Cream
Tap a card to see the research behind each pathway.
How care works
What clinician oversight means here
Licensed clinicians, real review, and support after you start.
A licensed clinician decides
Your intake is reviewed by a clinician licensed in your state. They choose the treatment and the dose, and they can decline. Insert MD does not make that call.
Dispensed by a licensed pharmacy
Nothing ships without a prescription. Your order is prepared and sent by a licensed pharmacy, not packed by us.
Reviewed again at follow-up
Continuing is a decision, not a default. Your clinician reassesses whether the treatment still fits before you carry on.
Compounded is not FDA-approved
Several treatments here are compounded. The FDA does not review compounded medications for safety, effectiveness, or quality, and we say so on every page where it applies.
How it works
Three steps, no charge to find out
Check eligibility
A quick questionnaire — takes about 2 minutes. No charge to see if you qualify.
Provider review
A licensed clinician reviews your intake and approves an appropriate plan.
Delivered to you
Your treatment ships directly to your door, with care-team support.
Precise, consistent dosing
Your prescription is prepared by a licensed pharmacy and reviewed by a clinician licensed in your state. Nothing ships until they approve.
- Compounded by a licensed pharmacy
- Identity, potency, and purity tested
- Dose set by a licensed clinician
- Ships ready to use — no home mixing
Good to know
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper peptide that appears in skin and declines with age. In laboratory and early human work it has been associated with collagen production and skin repair signalling. Applied topically, it acts locally on the skin rather than systemically.
Supplied as a compounded topical product, so it is not FDA-approved and has not been reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Much of the supporting work is laboratory or small-study evidence. It is not a treatment for any skin disease, and dermatological conditions need a dermatologist.
- Wilson's disease or other copper-handling/metabolism disorders
- Known allergy or hypersensitivity to copper compounds or excipients
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
- Significant liver disease (copper is hepatically handled)
- Active or previous cancer — route to prescribing provider for risk/benefit decision
Your dose, schedule, and how long you stay on treatment are set by the prescribing clinician after reviewing your intake, and may differ from any general description here. General information, not medical advice.
No. It is not a treatment for any skin disease. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, see a dermatologist.
Skin changes are gradual. Give it a few months of consistent use rather than judging it in weeks.
A licensed clinician does, after reviewing your intake. Nothing on this page is a prescription or a promise of one, and your plan may look different from any general description here.
References
Scientific sources
The primary papers, for readers who want to go deeper.
- 1.Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(7):1987.
- 2.Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in skin regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108.
- 3.Maquart FX, Pickart L, Laurent M, Gillery P, Monboisse JC, Borel JP. Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+. FEBS Lett. 1988;238(2):343-6.
- 4.Siméon A, Emonard H, Hornebeck W, Maquart FX. The tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+ stimulates matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression by fibroblast cultures. Life Sci. 2000;67(18):2257-65.
- 5.Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(7):1987.
- 6.Leyden J, Stephens T, Finkey MB, Barkovic S. Skin care benefits of copper peptide containing facial cream. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2002;46(3 Suppl):AB78.
- 7.Finkey MB, Appa Y, Bhandarkar S. Copper peptide and skin. In: Cosmeceuticals and Active Cosmetics: Drugs vs. Cosmetics. 2nd ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2005:549-63.
Plain language
Terms you might hear
- Peptide
- A short chain of amino acids. Most act as signals between cells.
- Tripeptide
- A peptide of exactly three amino acids. GHK is glycine, histidine, and lysine.
- Collagen
- The structural protein that gives skin and connective tissue its strength.
- Fibroblast
- The cell in skin and connective tissue that produces collagen and other matrix proteins.
- Extracellular matrix
- The scaffold of proteins and sugars that cells sit within. Collagen and elastin are its main structural parts.
- Topical
- Applied to the skin to act locally, as opposed to systemic treatment that circulates through the body.
- Compounded
- Prepared for an individual patient by a licensed pharmacy. Compounded products are not FDA-approved.
Ready when you are
See if GHK-Cu Cream is right for you
A licensed clinician reviews your intake and decides. You are not charged unless they approve.
GHK-Cu Cream
$120.00 · $0 today