An FDA advisory committee recommended in July loosening restrictions on six of the 19 peptides the agency restricted in 2023 over safety concerns, according to Dr. Mona Foad, a board-certified dermatologist who spoke to Elle. The recommendation is not FDA approval and doesn't mean those peptides are proven safe or effective, Foad said. The rule change would apply only to injectable peptide products made by compounding pharmacies, not the peptides used in topical skincare, according to Dr. Corinne Erickson, a board-certified dermatologist.
Foad said the copper peptide GHK-Cu, marketed aggressively as an injectable, is scheduled for its own FDA review by the end of February 2027; she said there's no clear FDA authorization for routine compounding of injectable GHK-Cu and no strong safety data for cosmetic use. Erickson said she's separately watching Melanotan II, a tanning peptide slated for review in early 2027, citing published reports linking it to changing moles and melanoma in users.