Hair growth is one of those topics where GHK-Cu seems to get mentioned almost immediately. But before asking: “What peptide is good for hair?” There may be a more important question: Why is the hair thinning, shedding or failing to grow in the first place? Because “hair loss” can describe several very different things. • The follicle gradually shrinking and producing thinner, shorter hairs (follicle miniaturization) • More hairs than normal entering the shedding stage • Hair not returning efficiently to its active growth stage • Hair shafts becoming weak or breaking • Inflammation around the follicle • Patchy or unusual patterns of hair loss And those problems don't necessarily have the same solution. Before we get into peptides, it also helps to understand that every hair follicle moves through a natural growth cycle. 🌱 THE HAIR-GROWTH CYCLE - The active growth phase (anagen) - This is when the follicle is actively producing and lengthening the hair. - The transition phase (catagen) - Growth slows and the follicle begins preparing for its resting stage. - The resting and eventual shedding phase (telogen) - The follicle rests, the old hair is eventually released, and ideally another growth cycle begins. So when we talk about something potentially “helping hair growth,” what we're really asking is: What part of this system is it influencing? 🔹 COPPER PEPTIDES — GHK-Cu & AHK-Cu Copper peptides are probably the best-known peptides associated with hair. They're interesting because they may influence several processes surrounding the follicle, including: • Repair and remodeling of tissue • The structural support surrounding cells (extracellular matrix) • Formation of new tiny blood vessels (angiogenesis) • Signals that encourage blood-vessel growth (VEGF) • Activity of the cells at the bottom of the follicle that help regulate hair growth (dermal papilla cells) One of the better-known studies involving actual human hair follicles studied AHK-Cu — not GHK-Cu.