Skip to content
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement.
AMIRAVOResearch Library
Skin · Dosing reference

Matrixyl dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyBLimited human dataNone established
Full research pageCycle-length evidenceComparePrefer Amiravo on Google
Regulatory status
Not approved — research use only
Human amounts
None established in humans
Route studied
—
Frequency
Not established
Half-life
Not located in the sources reviewed. In skin extracts and homogenates both the unmodified pentapeptide and the palmitoylated form were rapidly degraded, with the palmitoylated form more stable; protease inhibitors improved the stability of both (mouse skin preparations) 4.
Evidence grade
Grade B · Limited human data
Vial sizes on the market
Not recorded
Other forms seen
—

What Matrixyl is

Matrixyl is the trade name of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 (pal-KTTKS), a cosmetic ingredient based on a fragment of type I procollagen with a palmitic acid tail; the main human study is a 12-week industry split-face trial in 93 women reporting reduced fine lines versus the same moisturizer without it, with cell work suggesting collagen stimulation and skin studies showing poor permeation.

Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 joins the pentapeptide Lys-Thr-Thr-Lys-Ser, a sequence corresponding to a fragment of the type I procollagen propeptide, to palmitic acid at the N-terminus 2,7. The stated rationale is that such collagen fragments act as feedback signals to dermal fibroblasts, so that applying the fragment stimulates new extracellular matrix production; the palmitoyl tail is added to improve passage into… How it works →

Key evidence

  • Robinson et al., Int J Cosmet Sci · 2005 · Humans (93 white women aged 35 to 55)
    Reported significant improvement versus the control product in wrinkles and fine lines by quantitative image analysis and expert grading, with participant-reported fine-line change and no skin tolerability problems. 1
  • Jones et al., Mol Pharm · 2013 · Cells (human dermal and corneal fibroblasts)
    Collagen production rose in a concentration-dependent manner close to the critical aggregation concentration, suggesting self-assembly and collagen stimulation are inter-related. 2
  • Aruan et al., J Clin Aesthet Dermatol · 2023 · Humans (21 Indonesian women aged 26 to 55 with crow's feet)
    The authors judged the palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 arm to show more change than the acetyl hexapeptide-3 arm and placebo, and described the study as preliminary with an inadequate sample size. 3
All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

Human studies of Matrixyl are listed below by design, population and duration. None was designed or powered to establish an amount, and Amiravo does not reproduce their amounts for a compound approved nowhere.

  • 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, split-face, left-right randomized comparison of a moisturizer containing the peptide versus the same moisturizer; manufacturer-run; White women aged 35 to 55 with photoaged facial skin; 93 participants; duration 12 weeks. 1
  • Double-blind randomized three-arm trial (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 cream, acetyl hexapeptide-3 cream, placebo) with instrumental and photographic assessment; Indonesian women aged 26 to 55 with crow's feet; 21 participants; duration 8 weeks. 3

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for Matrixyl.

Cycle-length evidence for Matrixyl

Supplies and handling

  • Lyophilized vial
    Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
  • Sterile diluent
    The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
  • Graduated syringes
    Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
  • Alcohol prep pads
    For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
  • Nitrile gloves
    Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
  • Sharps container
    Puncture-resistant container for used needles.
Step-by-step reconstitution guideStorage and transport accessories

Storage

General research-context handling only. Lyophilised lipopeptides of this type are generally kept dry, cool and protected from light and moisture; aqueous preparations are treated as short-lived, and the peptide is rapidly degraded by proteases in skin preparations 4. Finished cosmetic formulations follow the manufacturer's own stability data. Defer to supplier documentation for the specific lot.

  • Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
  • Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
  • Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent
The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed
Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles
Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution
This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed
Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status
A cosmetic ingredient, not an approved drug. Cosmetic ingredients in the United States are not subject to FDA premarket approval, and palmitoyl pentapeptide does not appear in any of the three categories of FDA's 503A bulk drug substances list as updated May 14, 2026 9. The principal human study was conducted by the ingredient's manufacturer 1.
United States (FDA)
Marketed as a cosmetic ingredient rather than a drug. Cosmetic ingredients in the United States are not subject to FDA premarket approval, and palmitoyl pentapeptide does not appear in any of the three categories of FDA's 503A bulk drug substances list as updated May 14, 2026 9. Absence from drug databases is therefore expected and says nothing about efficacy.
Sport (WADA)
Not named individually in the sources reviewed; S0 covers substances without governmental approval for human therapeutic use, prohibited at all times 10. Cosmetic status does not by itself place a substance outside the List, so athletes should seek a ruling from their anti-doping organisation.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Matrixyl compared with related compounds

CompoundStatusEvidenceHuman amountsHalf-life
MatrixylNot approved — research use onlyBNone establishedNot located in the sources reviewed. In
AfamelanotideFDA-approvedAFDA labelApproximately 15 hours (apparent, from t
ArgirelineNot approved — research use onlyBNone establishedNot located in the sources reviewed. Rel
GHK-CuNot approved — research use onlyBNone established—
SNAP-8Not approved — research use only—None established—
Melanotan INot approved — research use only—None established—

Frequently asked questions

What doses of Matrixyl have been studied in humans?
None that establish an amount. Matrixyl is not approved anywhere and the human studies that exist are small and were not designed to find a dose. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.
Is there an established Matrixyl cycle length?
No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for Matrixyl.
How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a Matrixyl vial?
There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.
How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?
On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.
What is the half-life of Matrixyl?
Not located in the sources reviewed. In skin extracts and homogenates both the unmodified pentapeptide and the palmitoylated form were rapidly degraded, with the palmitoylated form more stable; protease inhibitors improved the stability of both (mouse skin preparations) 4.
Is Matrixyl FDA-approved?
Not approved — research use only. A cosmetic ingredient, not an approved drug. Cosmetic ingredients in the United States are not subject to FDA premarket approval, and palmitoyl pentapeptide does not appear in any of the three categories of FDA's 503A bulk drug substances list as updated May 14, 2026 9. The principal human study was conducted by the ingredient's manufacturer 1.

References

  1. Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin Int J Cosmet Sci. 2005
  2. Collagen stimulating effect of peptide amphiphile C16-KTTKS on human fibroblasts Mol Pharm. 2013
  3. Double-blind, Randomized Trial on the Effectiveness of Acetylhexapeptide-3 Cream and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 Cream for Crow's Feet J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2023
  4. Dermal Stability and In Vitro Skin Permeation of Collagen Pentapeptides (KTTKS and palmitoyl-KTTKS) Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2014
  5. Matrixyl Patch vs Matrixyl Cream: A Comparative In Vivo Investigation of Matrixyl (MTI) Effect on Wound Healing ACS Omega. 2022
  6. Microneedle enhanced delivery of cosmeceutically relevant peptides in human skin PLoS One. 2014
  7. Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (CID 9897237) PubChem. 2026
  8. Effect of Palmitoyl-Pentapeptide (Pal-KTTKS) on Wound Contractile Process in Relation with Connective Tissue Growth Factor and alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2017
  9. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (updated May 14, 2026); no entry for palmitoyl pentapeptide or matrixyl in any of the three categories FDA. 2026
  10. International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026
  11. Liposome Encapsulation of the Palmitoyl-KTTKS Peptide: Structural and Functional Characterization Pharmaceutics. 2024

Last reviewed October 24, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error