AHK-Cu protocol · PepGuide

Use protocol

Ongoing

Few drops massaged into thinning scalp areas · Once daily (PM)

Leave on. Judge at 3–6 months. Often stacked with minoxidil (different time of day).

Phase	How often	Dose	Units	Notes
Ongoing	Once daily (PM)	Few drops massaged into thinning scalp areas	–	Leave on. Judge at 3–6 months. Often stacked with minoxidil (different time of day).

Keep away from vitamin C / acids (breaks the copper complex); can pair with GHK-Cu.

Cycle & timing

Cycle: Continuous; assess at 3–6 months.

Timing: Dry/damp scalp at night; a 0.5 mm dermaroller 1–2×/week boosts penetration.

Where: Application: Topical scalp serum. Patch-test for copper sensitivity.

What to expect

Gradual hair-follicle support over 3–6 months; best as a minoxidil adjunct rather than a standalone.

How much to buy

For see GHK-Cu topical guide:

~1 scalp-serum batch

× 50mg vials

~2 batches

× 100mg vials

Men & women

Unisex topical copper peptide, used the same by anyone; watch cumulative copper with heavy use. Confirm with a prescriber in pregnancy.

Storage

PowderPowder: -4°F.
MixedMixed serum: 36–46°F; preserve if stored.
Toss itBright blue = fresh; faded/brown = remake.

Don't use if: Copper sensitivity / Wilson’s disease · Broken or inflamed scalp · Pregnancy and lactation

Stop if you notice

Persistent scalp irritation
Allergic/copper-sensitivity reaction

Side effects

Minimal, occasional scalp irritation; faint blue staining of light hair (rinses out).

Drug interactions

Topical vitamin C / acids / benzoyl peroxide: chemical incompatibility (space them apart). None systemic.

Labs

None, cosmetic topical

What these labs mean →

Warnings

Topical cosmetic, patch-test for copper allergy. Acids/oxidizers in the same session disrupt the copper complex. Standalone hair-regrowth evidence is modest, best as an adjunct. Unpreserved serum spoils, preserve or refrigerate.

Patient education

Topical scalp serum, see the GHK-Cu topical guide for recipe and cautions. Patch-test; keep away from vitamin C / acids. Give it 3–6 months; pair with minoxidil + microneedling. Bright blue means fresh, remake if it fades.

These apply on top of the universal safety rules.

Pairs well with

GHK-Cu

copper-peptide hair stack

GHK-Cu

Minoxidil

different time of day

Microneedling

Avoid with

Vitamin C / AHA-BHA / benzoyl peroxide same session

breaks copper complex

Broken/irritated scalp

Pregnancy

Can AHK-Cu + GHK-Cu share a syringe?

Not an injected co-mix. Topicals (Matrixyl-1, SNAP-8, AHK-Cu) and clinician procedures (Lemon Bottle, Botox) are never co-mixed.

What it does

AHK-Cu (alanine-histidine-lysine copper tripeptide) stimulates dermal papilla cells, promotes VEGF-driven angiogenesis around hair follicles, and supports hair growth and shaft thickness. Like GHK-Cu it’s a copper-carrying repair peptide; AHK-Cu is the more hair-focused variant. Topical use; the blue copper color signals an intact complex.

Topical formulation

Vial	Carrier	Target %	Note
50 mg	Distilled water + glycol scalp serum	0.05–1%	50 mg makes ~5–10 mL at 0.5–1%. Use the same recipe/cautions as the GHK-Cu scalp serum.
100 mg	As above	0.05–1%	100 mg makes ~10–20 mL at 0.5–1%.

Approved drug

Tretinoin (Renova) is FDA-approved for fine wrinkles and Botox for frown lines, both far better evidenced than cosmetic peptides.

References

researchdosing peptidedosages PubMed

From the guide, page 16.