ResearchSafe

GHK-Cu subQ injection site reactions, anyone get prolonged redness and itching?

Posted by tracker_jade in Safety & Side Effects - 8 points, 6 comments.

Anecdotally, every time I pin GHK-Cu subQ I get this raised red welt that sticks around for like 24 hours. Itches like crazy too. Not a histamine thing where I feel it systemically, just localized at the site. I've tried diluting more with bacteriostatic water and that seemed to help a little but it's still there.

I'm wondering if anyone else deals with this and whether it's just a copper irritation thing or if it says something about the solution itself. I switched injection sites from abdomen to glute and it didn't really change anything. Some people have told me to mix it with BPC-157 in the same syringe to buffer it but I'm not sure that makes sense chemically.

Also curious if anyone has had a site reaction that got worse over time rather than better. Mine seems kinda stable but I've only been running it about 6 weeks on and off. I got bloodwork done last month and copper was in range but I don't have a baseline to compare to, so that doesn't tell me much.

Any input on whether this is just par for the course with copper peptides or something I should actually be worried about?

Comments

  • nina489: I’ve seen the same raised red welt and itching after subQ GHK‑Cu shots, usually lasting about a day. Diluting with more bacteriostatic water helped a bit for me but didn’t erase it. I tried mixing a tiny amount of BPC‑157 in the same syringe once and didn’t notice any change, so I’m skeptical it buffers anything chemically. Rotating sites didn’t shift the reaction either. Mine stayed steady over a couple of months, never got worse. My copper levels stayed in range too, so I’m leaning toward it
  • fasted_scientist: Ngl I reckon the BPC thing is just a myth. There is no real data showing it stops local irritation from copper, so I am with you on being sceptical. For me, GHK-Cu always felt a bit harsh on the skin (probably just my own experience), but I never got the welts. Did you check if the pH of your solution was actually balanced?
  • tracker_jade: Yeah I figured the BPC buffering thing was probably bro science, glad you confirmed that. I haven't actually checked the pH of the reconstituted solution, honestly didn't think to. Anecdotally the welts got a little better when I diluted with more bac water but that could just be less concentration per pin, not a pH thing. Do you know what pH range GHK-Cu is supposed to sit at? I could grab some test strips pretty easy.
  • labrat_vik: Yeah I get the same welt and itch, lasts about a day.
  • tracker_jade: Same boat then, that's kinda reassuring honestly. Mine lasts right around 24 hours too. Does yours stay flat or does it get raised and warm to the touch? Mine puffs up enough that I can feel it when I press on it. Wondering if that's standard or if the warmth part means I should be more concerned.
  • tracker_jade: Good to hear yours stayed stable too and didn't escalate. The fact that your copper stayed in range lines up with what I saw on my labs, so I'm leaning the same direction, local irritation not systemic. Interesting that the BPC-157 mix didn't do anything for you either, kinda confirms my suspicion that buffering thing is bro science. Your reply cut off at "have you tried" though, what were you gonna ask?

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.