GHK-Cu + tretinoin — can I layer these or does the retinoid kill the copper?
25 posts
Running tret 0.05% nightly for years. Want to add GHK-Cu to the routine. Everything I read says 'don't combine with acidic actives' but tret isn't really acidic — it's a retinoid in a pH-neutralish vehicle usually.
What's the actual interaction? Is it: (a) No problem, layer directly (b) Wait 20 minutes between (c) Alternate nights (d) Morning vs night
Current routine: cleanser, tret, wait, moisturizer. Want to slot GHK-Cu serum somewhere in there without wasting the peptide.
9 Replies
205 posts
The main copper-peptide-killer is low pH (vit C, AHA, BHA) because it protonates the histidine and drops the peptide's copper-binding affinity. Tret at the formulation pH (~5–6) is mostly fine. I do tret, wait 20 minutes, GHK-Cu, moisturizer. No interaction I've noticed.
- CJC-1295 no DAC · 100 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- Ipamorelin · 200 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- BPC-157 · 500 mcg · 2x/day · sub-Q
58 posts
The anxiety about 'degrading' GHK-Cu with adjacent products is overblown. If your routine isn't full of citric acid and ascorbic acid, you're fine. Tret is not the enemy here.
- Epithalon · 10 mg · 10d on / 80d off · sub-Q
- MOTS-c · 5 mg · 2x/wk · sub-Q
- 5-Amino-1MQ · 150 mg · daily · oral
32 posts
I alternate — tret Monday Wednesday Friday, GHK-Cu the other nights. Easier than timing them. Skin has been great for 6 months.
36 posts
Morning GHK-Cu, evening tret is the simplest split and the one I'd start with. Lets you see if either is causing irritation in isolation.
- Tesamorelin · 1 mg · daily AM · sub-Q
25 posts
8 posts
205 posts
@cautious_ox azelaic is pH 4–5 which is borderline. I'd either apply it separately with a real gap (30+ min) or switch GHK-Cu to the opposite time of day.
- CJC-1295 no DAC · 100 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- Ipamorelin · 200 mcg · pre-bed · sub-Q
- BPC-157 · 500 mcg · 2x/day · sub-Q
19 posts
Does the GHK-Cu still work if I'm using an azelaic acid in the morning? That's low pH.