Does Palmitoyl tripeptide-38 work?
Not properly: one small study of 35 women with no comparison group.
The one peer-reviewed human study is a two-month open-label trial in 35 women over 40 using a serum that combined the peptide with vitamins C and E, with no control group. The peptide's own contribution cannot be separated from the vitamins or from regular use of any serum. A vehicle-controlled trial cited in that paper comes from the manufacturer. Uncontrolled human data put it at C. 1
Lintner and colleagues published the study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. It followed 35 women aged 40 and older with signs of photoaging. They applied a serum once daily for 56 days. The serum held palmitoyl tripeptide-38 plus vitamins C and E. Skin roughness fell by 8 to 9%. Redness fell by 9% and evenness rose by 8% from baseline. Self-assessments improved. The serum's maker funded the study, and the authors consult for it. There was no placebo or vehicle group. The serum also held two antioxidants, which have their own effects on photoaged skin. So the result describes the product, not the peptide. 1
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial Open-label study without a control
- Human study over 100 people Small two-month study
- More than one research group Mostly manufacturer-linked reports
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Appearance measures only
- Human safety data beyond case reports Well tolerated, little data
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Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Palmitoyl tripeptide-38 article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.