The Ordinary hair serum and GHK-Cu: what the evidence actually shows

What did @drkopelman actually say?

The creator reviewed The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density and made three specific mechanistic claims: that an ingredient called Redensyl "stimulates hair stem cells," that Procapil and caffeine "stimulate blood circulation to the scalp," and that results require at least three to four months of consistent daily use. They were also clear this is not a first-line treatment, saying it is "not at the top of my list in terms of promoting new hair growth." That kind of epistemic humility is not common in hair-care content, so credit where it's due. The framing as a medication-free alternative is legitimate. The mechanistic explanations are where things get interesting, because the science is real but partial.

Does the science back this up?

Partially, yes. Redensyl is a proprietary compound containing dihydroquercetin-glucoside and EGCG-glucoside. A 2017 industry-funded study published in the International Journal of Trichology found Redensyl outperformed minoxidil 2% in hair count over 84 days, but the trial was small, company-sponsored, and not peer-replicated in an independent setting. That matters. Procapil is another proprietary blend combining apigenin, oleanolic acid, and biotinyl-GHK, a copper peptide derivative. The GHK-Cu component has legitimate research behind it. A study by Pickart and Margolina (2018, Symmetry) documented GHK-Cu's role in upregulating hair follicle proteins and extending the anagen phase. Caffeine's role in scalp circulation is supported by Fischer et al. (2007, International Journal of Dermatology), who showed topical caffeine penetrates the follicle and counteracts DHT-related suppression of hair shaft elongation. The mechanisms are real. The clinical magnitude of effect from a cosmetic serum is a different question entirely.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

The creator got the ingredient mechanisms broadly right, but the framing around "natural ingredients" deserves scrutiny. Redensyl and Procapil are synthetic proprietary compounds, not botanicals in the traditional sense. Calling them "natural" is a marketing frame, not a pharmacological description. That said, the creator correctly avoided overclaiming. They did not say this serum reverses androgenetic alopecia or replaces finasteride or minoxidil. The three-to-four month timeline is also accurate. Hair follicles cycle through anagen, catagen, and telogen phases over roughly 90 to 120 days, so any topical treatment needs that window to show measurable change. That is consistent with what dermatologists actually tell patients. The one thing missing from this video is any acknowledgment that the evidence base for these proprietary ingredients is almost entirely industry-funded. That omission does not make the claims false, but it does make them incomplete.

What should you actually know?

If you are experiencing meaningful hair loss, particularly pattern hair loss driven by DHT, a cosmetic serum is not going to do what prescription treatments do. Minoxidil has decades of randomized controlled trial data behind it. Finasteride has robust evidence for androgenetic alopecia in men. The Ordinary serum sits in a different category: a low-risk, low-cost adjunct that may support scalp health and modestly extend the anagen phase in people with early or diffuse thinning. The GHK-Cu peptide component in Procapil is genuinely interesting from a research standpoint and is the same class of peptide studied in broader longevity and tissue repair contexts. But a cosmetic serum delivers a fraction of the concentration used in clinical peptide research. Do not expect clinical peptide therapy outcomes from a topical serum. The creator's bottom line is reasonable: this is an option for people who want to avoid medication, not a replacement for it.