Peptide education
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Pal-GHK
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 is a three-amino-acid peptide attached to a fatty acid and used in topical skin-care products. Its peptide sequence is GHK.
A cosmetic safety report summarizes a small vehicle-controlled pal-GHK cream test. A separate eye-serum study found changes from baseline in skin measurements, but its many ingredients were not tested separately.
Overview
Quick answer
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and copper tripeptide-1 share the GHK sequence but are different ingredients. The older name palmitoyl oligopeptide was also used for more than one peptide.
What is it?
It is pal-GHK, a fatty-acid-linked tripeptide used in cosmetics. Some formulas combine it with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. A product's classification depends on its intended use, not the ingredient alone.
Has it been tested on its own?
A cosmetic safety report summarizes a blinded vehicle comparison in 15 women using a cream with 3 ppm pal-GHK. The report describes improved wrinkle measurements, but provides limited details about the small test.
What did the multi-peptide serum study show?
Thirty-two women completed a 28-day study that reported fewer wrinkles from baseline. Changes in hydration below the eye and elasticity at the eye corner were not statistically significant. Without a control group, the contribution of individual ingredients cannot be determined.
Is this the same as copper tripeptide-1?
No. Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 is linked to a fatty acid; copper tripeptide-1 is a copper complex. Evidence for one does not automatically establish results for the other.
Evidence
Evidence snapshot
The safety report summarizes a four-week blinded test of a 3 ppm cream and reports improved wrinkle measurements compared with vehicle.
The tested serum included palmitoyl tripeptide-1, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, other peptides, and additional ingredients. Measured hydration and elasticity changes were not statistically significant at day 28.
The cosmetic safety panel considered pal-GHK safe under the uses and concentrations described in its report.
Claims
Common claims vs evidence
| Claim | Human evidence | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| It improves the appearance of eye-area wrinkles. | A safety assessment summarizes a small blinded pal-GHK cream comparison that reported better wrinkle measures than vehicle. An uncontrolled serum study included pal-GHK alongside several other ingredients. | The small cream test is relevant, but its limited reporting and sample size leave uncertainty about results across products and people. |
| It has the same effects as a copper peptide. | Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and copper tripeptide-1 are different forms of the GHK sequence, and the product studies did not compare them. | A shared peptide sequence does not make their formulations or outcomes equivalent. |
Bottom line
Main takeaway
Pal-GHK is a cosmetic peptide, distinct from the copper complex of GHK.
A cream with a stated peptide concentration and a multi-ingredient serum are different product tests.
The controlled cream test is summarized in a safety assessment; the serum study has no vehicle control.
Identity
What it is
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 is palmitic acid linked to the glycine-histidine-lysine sequence. Its peptide portion is also described as a fragment of type I collagen.
One cosmetic blend pairs palmitoyl tripeptide-1 with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7. The older label palmitoyl oligopeptide did not distinguish it clearly from palmitoyl hexapeptide-12.
Use context
Routes, doses, and cycle patterns
These product schedules come from different studies. A finished serum amount and a peptide concentration in a cream are not the same measurement.
Human studies and product labels
Pal-GHK eye-area cream test
- Purpose
- Wrinkle appearance
- Context
- Small blinded vehicle-controlled test summarized by the safety panel
- Route
- Topical cream around the eyes
- Amount
- 3 ppm pal-GHK in the cream
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Duration
- 4 weeks
The report describes the cream concentration, not the amount of pure peptide applied each time.
Multi-peptide eye-serum study
- Purpose
- Eye-area skin appearance
- Context
- Uncontrolled study in women
- Route
- Topical eye-area serum
- Amount
- Approximately 0.5 mL of finished serum per application
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Duration
- 28 days
The serum contained 4% of a two-peptide ingredient blend and 2% of another blend. Those percentages do not disclose the amount of pure pal-GHK.
Research
Research evidence
The cosmetic safety assessment summarizes a 15-person blinded, vehicle-controlled pal-GHK cream test. A separate 32-person study evaluated a multi-ingredient eye serum without a control group. Both are short and formulation-specific.
| Study / evidence area | Population | Design | Product context | Main outcome | Limitations | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pal-GHK cream test summarized in a safety assessment | 15 women aged 44 to 59 | Blinded, vehicle-controlled cosmetic test | 3 ppm pal-GHK cream applied around the eyes | The report describes improvements in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness compared with vehicle after four weeks. | The expert report summarizes an industry-associated source. Its brief account and the small sample limit independent assessment of the result. | Limited controlled cosmetic evidence reported by a safety panel |
| Multi-peptide eye-serum study | 32 women aged 20 to 45 who completed the study | Before-and-after study without a control group | Eye serum containing both palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, plus other ingredients | Investigators reported fewer wrinkles from baseline and no product-related adverse reactions. Changes in hydration below the eye and elasticity at the eye corner were not statistically significant at day 28. | The formula contained several actives, and the study lacked a vehicle group. | Limited uncontrolled product evidence |
Cautions
Safety and unknowns
- The safety panel's conclusion applies to the cosmetic uses and concentrations it assessed. Its report noted missing published carcinogenicity and reproductive and developmental toxicity data for the reviewed ingredients.
- The eye-serum study reported no product-related adverse reactions in 32 completers over 28 days. It could not rule out uncommon or delayed reactions.
- A finished product can cause sensitivity because of the peptide, the vehicle, or another ingredient.
Product quality
Product identity and quality
Peptide identity and the whole cosmetic formulation matter when interpreting product claims.
Ingredient identity
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 is not the same as copper tripeptide-1 or palmitoyl hexapeptide-12.
Blend concentration
The percentage of an ingredient blend is not necessarily the percentage of pal-GHK.
Vehicle and other ingredients
Delivery and tolerability can differ across creams and serums.
Mechanism
How it is proposed to work
Pal-GHK is studied as a cosmetic signaling peptide. The safety assessment describes laboratory observations involving skin cells and matrix production.
Laboratory findings in the safety assessment include stimulation of collagen synthesis in cultured fibroblasts exposed to pal-GHK.
Cell exposure is different from applying a finished product to living skin. The clinical studies do not establish how much collagen a given product builds.
Details
Technical details
Sources
References
- 1.
PubMed. Clinical evidence of the efficacy and safety of a new multi-peptide anti-aging topical eye serum
doi:10.1111/jocd.15849 PMID:37335808
Uncontrolled study of a serum containing multiple ingredients, including palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7.
- 2.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Safety Assessment of Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-12, Their Metal Salts and Fatty Acyl Derivatives, and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as Used in Cosmetics
Final cosmetic safety assessment; also summarizes a small vehicle-controlled pal-GHK cream test and laboratory work.
- 3.
FDA. Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or Is It Soap?)
US guidance on how intended use affects product classification.