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Delivery Routes: Topical vs Injectable
Route matters for skin research because it determines what tissue actually receives the compound. Topical delivery deposits the peptide at the stratum corneum and requires penetration through the epidermal barrier to reach fibroblasts in the dermis. Peptide mo
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- Route matters for skin research because it determines what tissue actually receives the compound. Topical delivery deposits the peptide at the stratum corneum and requires penetration through the epidermal barrier to reach fibroblasts in the dermis. Peptide molecular weight and formulation vehicle both affect this — GHK-Cu (~340 Da free tripeptide) and small signal peptides like Matrixyl (~578 Da) are near or below the ~500 Da threshold associated with useful dermal penetration.
- Subcutaneous injection delivers the peptide systemically. Skin receives compound via bloodstream distribution rather than surface application. This route allows research protocols with larger peptides (BPC-157, TB-500) that would not penetrate the stratum corneum in usable quantities. The tradeoff is systemic distribution — the compound reaches many tissues, not just skin.
- Some research designs combine both. The peptides for skin research guide covers protocol design considerations across delivery routes and the reconstitution guide covers injectable format preparation.