Papa & Filles · Ingredient education
GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu: which copper peptide is which?
GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu are different copper peptides. Here is how to compare the molecules, the evidence and the product label. Published by Papa & Filles, which sells copper peptide scalp care.
One letter changes the peptide
GHK identifies glycine, histidine and lysine. AHK identifies alanine, histidine and lysine. Both sequences contain three amino acids, which makes each a tripeptide. The first amino acid differs; the names should not be treated as interchangeable. Cu identifies copper in the complex.
That is the useful starting point when someone asks which copper peptide is better. Better for which purpose, in which formula, and according to which test? A name can identify a molecule. It cannot rank two finished products on its own.
The research asked different questions
A 1988 study by Maquart and colleagues examined GHK-Cu in cultured fibroblasts and reported a collagen-synthesis response. This was a cell experiment, not a customer trial of scalp serum. Read the original GHK-Cu study and our GHK-Cu research guide.
Pyo and colleagues studied AHK-Cu in isolated human hair follicles and cultured dermal papilla cells in 2007. The laboratory and tissue findings explain interest in scalp applications; they do not establish a result from applying our bottle at home. See the original AHK-Cu paper and our AHK-Cu guide.
These are not head-to-head trials that tell a shopper to choose GHK-Cu over AHK-Cu. Nor do they prove that a blend of the two performs better than either alone.
Compare the bottle, not just the initials
Start with the intended application. A scalp product belongs on the scalp according to its directions; a facial cream has its own application area. Next, read the complete ingredient list, the stated concentration basis and the cautions. Ask whether a percentage refers to finished active content or a diluted raw-material blend. Without that context, two large numbers may describe different things.
Then check what was evaluated. A supplier ingredient study, a laboratory experiment and a finished-product customer study provide different kinds of evidence. A useful comparison identifies the actual material, route of application and measured outcome. A claim about hair appearance should not quietly become a promise of new hair growth.
Where our concentrate fits
Copper Peptide Scalp Concentrate is our 30 mL leave-on scalp cosmetic. Its featured panel lists GHK-Cu at 1% and AHK-Cu at 0.5%, alongside niacinamide, caffeine, panthenol and sodium hyaluronate. Those are featured ingredients, not the complete INCI list. Check the finished label or contact us before purchasing for the complete list.
The directions are 4–6 drops once daily on a dry or towel-dried scalp, gently massaged in and left on. Follow the finished label and stop use if irritation occurs. We have not established clinical hair-regrowth outcomes for this finished concentrate.
A useful next step
If you are deciding where to start, read copper peptides for scalp care, then how to apply scalp serum. For the broader family, visit Peptide Care. Our facial peptide products use different peptide names; sharing a family does not make their formulas the same.
Quick answers
Are GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu the same?
No. GHK contains glycine–histidine–lysine; AHK contains alanine–histidine–lysine. Each can form a copper complex.
Which copper peptide is better?
The cited studies are not a finished-product head-to-head comparison. Compare the intended use, complete formulation and evidence for the outcome you want.