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Pal-AHK_Dosage, benefits & legal status

Also known as Palmitoyl-AHK, Palmitoyl tripeptide AHK, Pal-Ala-His-Lys

Published September 12, 2026 · Updated September 19, 2026

A hair-peptide serum ingredient that borrows most of its reputation from GHK-Cu.

Hair growthPalmitoylated tripeptideCosmetic
InSkin and cosmeticTaken without a needle
Common vial size200 mg
DoseTopical serum, per product
FrequencyDaily
RouteOn the skin (topical)
StatusCosmetic ingredient
CycledUsed continuously as a daily cosmetic

Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.

See how this dose compares across the library →

01

What is Pal-AHK?

Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.

Overview

The idea is to nudge hair follicles into staying in their growth phase, and the evidence is thin.

The technical version

Pal-AHK is palmitoylated Ala-His-Lys, a lipidated tripeptide used as a leave-on cosmetic ingredient in scalp and lash products.

What it's used for

Applied to the scalp or lash line, marketed for thicker hair and lashes.

02

How does Pal-AHK work?

What it does in the body, and where.

A short peptide with a fatty tail, designed to reach the follicle through the skin.

  1. 01
    The palmitoyl tail aids penetration
    The fatty acid half helps the peptide cross the skin's oily outer barrier, which plain peptides do poorly.
  2. 02
    AHK is a signal fragment
    Short peptides like this are thought to act as signals to skin and follicle cells rather than as building blocks.
  3. 03
    The evidence is mostly borrowed
    The copper-carrying relatives GHK-Cu and AHK-Cu have most of the actual studies. Pal-AHK itself has very few.
Anatomical illustration highlighting hair
WHERE THIS COMPOUND IS THOUGHT TO ACT:
ScalpSkin

03

What else is it used for?

Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.

  • Hair thickness and follicle support, the main marketing claimResearch only
  • Eyelash serums, where it appears alongside other cosmetic peptidesResearch only

The published record

Research index

0

Papers and trials about Pal-AHK

Searched: Pal-AHK, palmitoyl-AHK, palmitoyl AHK, palmitoyl tripeptide AHK, Pal-Ala-His-Lys.

Europe PMC was searched on 25 October 2026 for these terms and returned nothing.

Counted from Europe PMC indexing, not read by a person.

Pal-AHK vial rendering
Compound field notes

At a glance

Four things to know about Pal-AHK

01

Evidence

Cosmetic

02

Category

Skin and cosmetic

03

Common vial

200 mg

04

Half-life

Not measured, and not the right question

04

How much, and do you cycle it?

The range, and whether you take breaks.

Topical serum, per product, daily. Used continuously as a daily cosmetic Community practice

No study has examined cycling. Cosmetic ingredients of this type are simply used daily until the user stops.

Compare this against the whole library →

05

How long does it stay in the body?

The half-life, and where the figure comes from.

Not measured, and not the right questionNo figure

This is a topical cosmetic ingredient. A blood half-life measures how fast something leaves the bloodstream, and these are not intended to reach it in meaningful amounts. What matters for a topical is how much penetrates the skin and how long it stays in the tissue, which is a different measurement and one that is rarely published.

You can compare this against the whole library to see where it sits.

06

What does it cost?

Typical dose and cost, in plain numbers.

The products priced here are not injected

The listed products are taken on the skin (topical). This is a leave-on cosmetic ingredient, not a measured dose. Finished serums set their own concentrations, and no published human study establishes an effective one.

Cost per month
—
Cost per dose
—
Typical dose
0.5%–5% / formulationCommunity practice
Peptide List →
What it costs

Pal-AHK starts at $176.00 across 4 vendors.

4 listings, last read Oct 24, 2026. Shipping and card fees are not included.

See all 4 listings →
07

How do you store it?

Before mixing, and after.

Room temperature, out of light. Cap it tight after each use.

Pal-AHK ships as a cream, gel, or serum. Keep it at room temperature away from sun and heat unless the label says otherwise. Refrigerating an emulsion can split the texture. Watch for color, smell, or separation changes and stop using it if any appear.

08

What are the side effects and cautions?

Known cautions and warnings for this compound.
Handling note

Check what you are buying. Pal-AHK, AHK-Cu, and GHK-Cu are three different molecules that get marketed almost interchangeably, and the research behind them is not shared equally. Also note that unlike the copper versions, Pal-AHK carries no copper, so copper-interaction advice does not apply to it.

Who should avoid it

Check these before anything else.
  • Broken or badly irritated skin
  • Known allergy to any ingredient in the finished product

Stop and get help

These are emergencies. Seek care.
  • A spreading rash or burning where it was applied
  • Signs of an allergic reaction

Common effects

Expected, and usually mild.
  • Mild stinging or redness when first used
  • Beyond that, little is documented, because little has been published

Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.

09

Is Pal-AHK approved?

And where the numbers on this page come from.

Not as a medicine. Pal-AHK is sold without a prescription as a cosmetic ingredient, which is a different thing from being approved as a drug.

  • Approval status
    CosmeticSold without a prescription as an ingredient in cosmetics, such as skincare and hair products. The FDA does not approve cosmetics before they are sold, and being easy to buy says nothing about whether it works.
  • Route
    On the skin (topical)
  • Checked
    12 September 2026
  • Dose
    From the concentration range manufacturers formulate at. This is a product strength, not a dose set by a regulator or a trial.
  • Vial size
    From what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
  • Sources
    European Commission CosIng cosmetic ingredient database

What has happened recently

We have not yet written a full regulatory note for this compound. The status above is current as of the date shown.

You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.

10

What else is like Pal-AHK?

Others in Skin and cosmetic, side by side.

If you're weighing Pal-AHK, it's worth reading Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Tripeptide-29, and Vialox (Pentapeptide-3) in the same class.

YOU ARE HERE
Pal-AHK

A hair-peptide serum ingredient that borrows most of its reputation from GHK-Cu.

Supplement or cosmetic
Dose
Topical serum, per product
How often
Daily
PALMITOYL-TRIPEPTIDE-5
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

A collagen peptide that works by activating a growth factor rather than mimicking damage.

Supplement or cosmetic
Dose
Serum or cream, typically 200 mg of active per formulation batch
How often
Daily
TP-29
Tripeptide-29

A three-amino-acid collagen fragment sold as a signal for firmer skin.

Supplement or cosmetic
Dose
Topical serum, per product
How often
Daily
VIALOX
Vialox (Pentapeptide-3)

A topical peptide that blocks the muscle's receiving end, sold as needle-free Botox.

Supplement or cosmetic
Dose
Serum, per product
How often
Daily
Browse peptides used for skin Compare oral, nasal, and topical peptides

Guides for this compound

Sources

  • European Commission CosIng cosmetic ingredient database(2026)
    Palmitoylated tripeptides of this family are listed as cosmetic ingredients, which permits their use in leave-on products in the EU. A CosIng listing records that an ingredient may be used in cosmetics. It is not an assessment that the ingredient works.