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Matrixyl + ghk-cu in the same serum, redundant or actually doing different things?

Posted by priya_labrat in Longevity & Anti-Aging - 1 points, 4 comments.

Ok so i have been geeking out on the skincare peptide rabbit hole for a bit now and i keep going back and forth on this. Matrixyl (pal-KTTKS) and pal-GHK both seem to be doing the collagen stimulation thing but reading the mechanism notes on here they hit different pathways? Matrixyl signals via matrikines to fibroblasts for collagen I, III, IV, while GHK is more about the matrikine signal for skin repair and remodelling.

My actual question is, if i am using a 4% matrixyl serum morning and night already, is layering a pal-GHK product on top just redundant or are they actually pulling in different directions? Ngl i am trying to keep my routine tight because i am also using a retinal a few nights a week and my neck is starting to protest.

Also has anyone noticed a visible difference stacking them vs just one? For me the matrixyl serum seems to have softened the fine lines round my eyes after about 6 weeks but that could be loads of things, could be the retinal, could be placebo, who knows. Keen to hear what others have tried tbh?

Comments

  • chris_sleepnerd: Honestly from what I've read they are not really hitting the same targets even though both end up talking to fibroblasts in some way. Matrixyl is more of a direct collagen synthesis nudge through that matrikine signal, while GHK seems to do more of the cleanup and remodelling work, copper delivery, gene expression stuff, helping with how the new collagen actually organizes. So stacking them feels less redundant to me and more like covering different jobs, one is telling cells to build, the othe
  • priya_labrat: Yeah that lines up with what i was reading, the fibroblast nudge vs the remodelling/cleanup angle feels like a proper split rather than overlap. Copper delivery is something i hadnt really focused on tbh, ngl i kinda brushed past that bit. Did you notice much difference going from one to the other, or just stacking felt logical even without a big visible change?
  • runner_aaron: Tbh that lines up with what i was hoping, the "build vs remodel" framing makes it easier to justify the extra step instead of just chucking one out. Did you notice any actual difference in skin feel or texture when you swapped from one to the other, or was it more of a "the science says so" kind of call for you?
  • priya_labrat: Ngl it was a bit of both? Like the matrixyl on its own my skin felt softer and the fine lines round my eyes did seem softer after a few weeks. When i added the ghk-cu on top i didnt notice a massive wow moment, more like my skin just felt a bit bouncier if that makes sense. Could totally be placebo though, hard to say.

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