Hexapeptide-9
Signal peptide
Also Collaxyl, Collaxyl IS, Hexapeptide 9, cosmetic peptide, skincare peptide, Matrixyl
- Evidence
- CAnimal and cell studies
- FDA status
- Cosmetic ingredientas of 2026-10-26
- Route
- Topical
- Studies cited
- 2 human1 animal or cell
It is put in anti-ageing creams to smooth wrinkles. The one controlled trial, of 96 adults, tested a changed version and was run by a cosmetics company.
Sold for
Hexapeptide-9 is marketed in anti-aging serums as a collagen fragment that signals skin cells to rebuild the dermis and smooth wrinkles.
Studies say
The only controlled human trial tested a modified molecule and was run by the manufacturer, and the data for standard hexapeptide-9 are laboratory assays, so the grade is C.
Why grade C. For wrinkle reduction, the evidence for standard hexapeptide-9 is unpublished supplier data, lab and mouse work, and a small split-face volunteer test of a delivery carrier. The one randomised double-blind trial, published in 2025 by employees of a cosmetics company, enrolled 96 adults but tested a chemically modified cyclised version against a low-concentration retinol and vehicle over 56 days, so the standard ingredient stays at C. 134
FDA. Hexapeptide-9 is a cosmetic ingredient. Cosmetics do not go through FDA drug approval, so it has no approved indication and makes no drug claims; it is listed under its INCI name in skincare formulations. 2
Written from 4 cited sources. Fact-checked 2026-10-27: 16 claims checked, 9 corrected. Last refreshed 2026-10-27. Not physician reviewed.
What this means for you
- What people take it for
- Smoothing wrinkles
- Can a US doctor prescribe it?
- No prescription; it is a cosmetic ingredient.
- Properly tested in people?
- Not properly: lab studies and one 96-person trial of a changed version, run by the maker.
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial One double-blind trial, modified peptideyes
- Human study over 100 people Trial sample size not availableno information
- More than one research group Maker-linked authors and supplier datano
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Skin appearance measures onlyno
- Human safety data beyond case reports Supplier panel claims, no independent datano
Drawn from the cited studies below. A dash means the sources give no information.
What it is
Hexapeptide-9 is a piece of type IV collagen with six amino acids. Ashland sells it to formulators as Collaxyl. It belongs to the matrikines. These are short peptides released when the skin's structural proteins break down. They in turn tell cells to make replacements. 12
It appears in serums and creams at low levels, next to other signal peptides. Palmitoylated peptides have a fatty tail. This one usually has none. That raises the question of how much crosses the skin barrier. A 2025 study found that an ionic-liquid carrier raised its entry into skin several-fold in lab tests. 24
How it works
Ashland calls hexapeptide-9 a matrikine whose sequence occurs in collagen IV and XVII. It says the peptide promotes extracellular matrix synthesis. It also says it helps the epidermis and dermis hold together and speeds epidermal renewal. The supplier calls it clinically proven to reduce the look of wrinkles. But the data behind those claims have not been published in peer-reviewed form. 12
What human research shows
The one randomised trial appeared in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in 2025. Its authors came from Shanghai Chicmax Cosmetic and its biotech arm. They assigned 96 Asian adults aged 30 to 55 to one of three serums. One held a cyclised form of hexapeptide-9. One held retinol. One was a vehicle serum. People applied it twice daily for 56 days. The cyclised peptide cut the number, area and roughness of crow's feet and forehead wrinkles. It beat retinol on most measures. But the retinol serum used the minimum cosmetic dose, as the authors admit. The molecule tested is a modified version. So the result does not carry over directly to the standard ingredient. 3
In 2025, a Harbin Institute of Technology group and the cosmetics firm Bloomage tested standard hexapeptide-9. They put it in an ionic-liquid carrier made from GABA and lactic acid. The carrier raised skin entry several-fold in lab tests. The combination reduced UV damage in a small mouse photoaging model. A split-face test on volunteers compared the peptide with and without the carrier for immediate wrinkle reduction. The authors list the small clinical sample as a limit. 4
| Study | Model | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Chang 2025, cyclised hexapeptide-9 versus retinol | Humans, n=96, randomised double-blind, active- and vehicle-controlled, 56 days | A cyclised hexapeptide-9 serum outperformed retinol on skin-aging endpoints; the molecule tested differs from standard hexapeptide-9. 3 |
| Ashland Collaxyl data | Supplier product page, unpublished manufacturer data | The supplier reports matrix synthesis, dermo-epidermal anchorage and a clinically proven wrinkle benefit without published data. 1 |
| Wang 2025, ionic-liquid delivery of hexapeptide-9 | Lab skin models, mice (n=5 per group) and a small split-face volunteer test | A GABA and lactic acid carrier increased hexapeptide-9 skin penetration about five-fold and improved its anti-wrinkle effect over the peptide alone. 4 |
Safety
Cosmetic peptides are used at tiny levels and have no reported effects on the whole body. Ingredient listings describe a low chance of irritation or allergy. In the trial of the cyclised version, no arm reported irritation, including the retinol arm. So it did not show a safety edge over retinol. Patch tests in the carrier study found no reactions. 234
Questions for your clinician
- Does a controlled trial exist on the standard form used in my product?
- How would this compare with retinol or sunscreen, which have more evidence?
- Could an ingredient list with several peptides irritate my skin?
Questions people ask
Is hexapeptide-9 FDA-approved?
It is a cosmetic ingredient, and cosmetics need no FDA approval before sale. Products with it may not claim to treat or prevent disease. 2
Does hexapeptide-9 reduce wrinkles?
The peer-reviewed human evidence is a single randomised trial run by the maker. It tested a modified, cyclised version of the peptide. Over 56 days in 96 people, it did better than a low-dose retinol. For the standard ingredient, the data are unpublished supplier claims, lab and mouse work, and a small split-face test. 314
What is a matrikine?
It is a short peptide released when structural proteins such as collagen break down. It then acts as a signal that tells skin cells to make new matrix. Hexapeptide-9 is a piece of type IV collagen used on this idea. 1
Citations
- Ashland: Collaxyl biofunctional (hexapeptide-9) product page ashland.com
- SpecialChem: hexapeptide-9 INCI ingredient entry specialchem.com
- Chang 2025, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology: cyclised hexapeptide-9 versus retinol, randomised double-blind trial doi.org
- Wang 2025, Materials Today Bio: ionic liquid (GALA) for transdermal delivery of hexapeptide-9, lab, mouse and small clinical tests doi.org