Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Mechanism of action

Classified as a matrikine-mimetic signalling peptide. The palmitoyl chain provides stratum corneum penetration and the tripeptide motif (derived from collagen-VI chain-region analysis) is proposed to bind fibroblast surface receptors and trigger transcriptional upregulation of multiple extracellular-matrix components. In-vitro collagen-lattice assays show increases in collagen I, collagen III, collagen IV, fibronectin, hyaluronic acid, and laminin-5 — the "six" of the Synthe'6 trade name. Methionine sulfone substitution is claimed to improve oxidative stability versus standard methionine. Independent mechanistic replication outside Sederma is limited.

Primary uses

• Topical cosmetic anti-aging formulations (wrinkle filling / dermal-epidermal junction support)

Typical dosing

Regulatory status

Cosmetic ingredient; not a drug. INCI name: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38.

Status as of this entry's last review, April 19, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.

What we checked

Palmitoyl tripeptide-38, sold as Matrixyl Synthe'6, is said to stimulate six components of the skin's matrix. On PubMed it appears only in studies of multi-ingredient serums and moisturisers, which cannot isolate its effect; this section records what can be checked.

Identity, computed

The dataset gives Pal-Lys-Met(O2)-Lys, with an oxidised methionine. The calculator models neither the palmitoyl group nor the oxidation, so the dataset's formula is not recomputed here.

Regulatory status, read October 5, 2026

Drugs@FDA: 0 records for “palmitoyl tripeptide-38”. EMA medicines list: 0 records for “palmitoyl tripeptide-38”. Run for semaglutide, the same queries return 6 and 5 records (and the registry search 84 trials), so a zero here is an absence, not a broken search. Not named on the WADA 2026 and 2027 Prohibited Lists. As a substance with no current approval for human therapeutic use, it falls under section S0 (non-approved substances), which is prohibited at all times; the lists were read on September 27, 2026.

What the maker or sellers claim

Claim, from the ingredient's maker and cosmetic sellers: It stimulates collagens I, III and IV, fibronectin, hyaluronic acid and laminin to fill wrinkles. These claims come from the maker's material.

About cosmetic peptides

A 2020 review of cosmetic peptides, cited in References, describes signal peptides like the Matrixyl family and the limited independent clinical evidence for most of them.

What we looked for and did not find

No study of the ingredient on its own, no registry record and no drug application.

References

1. [manufacturer] Sederma (Croda International). "Matrixyl™ Synthe'6 (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38) technical data sheet." Awarded the in-cosmetics 25 Years of Innovation Award, 2015.
2. [review] Errante F, Ledwoń P, Latajka R, Rovero P, Papini AM. "Cosmeceutical peptides in the framework of sustainable wellness economy." Front Chem, 2020;8:572923. PMID: 33195061.
3. [other] Schagen SK. "Topical peptide treatments with effective anti-aging results." Cosmetics, 2017;4(2):16. doi:10.3390/cosmetics4020016 (MDPI Cosmetics is not indexed in PubMed, so no PMID exists).

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