AHK-Cu: The Copper Peptide for Scalp & Hair

If GHK-Cu is the copper peptide for your face, AHK-Cu is the one for your scalp. It's the active at the heart of Scalp Theory — and while the two peptides are cousins, they aren't interchangeable.

What is AHK-Cu?

AHK-Cu (copper tripeptide-3) is a short chain of three amino acids — alanine, histidine, and lysine — bound to a copper ion. Like all copper peptides, it carries copper, an essential trace mineral, into the skin. What makes AHK-Cu distinct is that it's the copper peptide studied specifically in the context of hair and the scalp, rather than facial skin.

Why a scalp-specific peptide?

The scalp isn't just skin with hair on top — it's a busy environment of oil, buildup, and hair at every stage. That's why Scalp Theory uses AHK-Cu instead of reusing the face peptide, and pairs it with a short list of supporting ingredients:

• Caffeine — leaves the scalp feeling fresh and invigorated.
• Succinic acid — a gentle organic acid that helps keep the scalp feeling clean and balanced.
• Panthenol — pro-vitamin B5, a classic hair-care conditioner.

The result is a lightweight, leave-in tonic for a scalp that feels clean and balanced and hair that looks fuller over time. Nine ingredients in all, listed in full on the Scalp Theory page.

How to use it

Part the hair and apply 2–3 pumps directly to a clean, dry or towel-dried scalp, in sections. Massage in and don't rinse. Copper peptides work gradually and hair grows slowly, so give it at least 12 weeks of daily use before you judge how your hair looks.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Mycena products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.