Ingredient glossary
Epidermal Growth Factor
On your shelf ✓What Epidermal Growth Factor does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: sh-Oligopeptide-1 · Also: EGF, rhEGF, Human Epidermal Growth Factor, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 sh-Oligopeptide-1
In short: Epidermal Growth Factor delivers repair and anti-aging support, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is moderate. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant.
- What it does
- Repair, anti aging
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant
- Evidence
- Moderate
- How long
- 4–8 weeks
The Glow take
Genuinely worth a spot in your routine.
When your goal is fading dark spots and evening out tone, Epidermal Growth Factor pulls genuine weight, with a solid amount of evidence behind it. Gentle enough that most skin types can reach for it.
— Maya
What it does
- repair
- anti aging
- brightening
- anti acne
moderate evidenceRandomized split face trials show rhEGF cream reduced inflammatory acne lesions 33.5 percent and non inflammatory lesions 25.4 percent over 6 weeks and an EGF serum improved melasma in 73 percent of subjects versus 13 percent on placebo over 8 weeks while micro spicule delivery and post laser scar studies also favor EGF. One post laser wound healing trial found no added benefit over plain petrolatum and several positive effects may depend on enhanced delivery rather than simple cream penetration.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- normal
- dry
- combo
- mature
- photoaged
Approach with care
- active malignancy
- history of skin cancer
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Often chosen for mature, photoaged. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: active malignancy, history of skin cancer, pregnancy, breastfeeding.
Where it fits in your routine
Give it four to eight weeks, and possibly less: that is simply when it was measured.
What was measured, and in whom
Measured on: Acne lesion counts melasma grading wrinkle and dermal density measures by clinical grading imaging and skin probes.
Acne patients using split face rhEGF cream had significant lesion reductions after 6 weeks and melasma subjects applying EGF serum for 8 weeks improved versus placebo while micro spicule EGF showed superior dermal density by 4 and 8 weeks. Scar improvement after fractional CO2 laser plus EGF took 3 months and used enhanced delivery so the 4 to 8 week value covers the intact skin cream trials only.
Kim 2014 acne split face RCT PMID:24962549; 2018 melasma split face RCT in J Drugs Dermatol PMID:30235384; 2017 micro spicule EGF periocular trial in Annals of Dermatology PMID:28392646; 2022 fractional CO2 plus EGF scar RCT PMID:35942017
Plays well with
- niacinamide
- retinoids
Epidermal Growth Factor, answered
Is Epidermal Growth Factor safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. Epidermal Growth Factor is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid Epidermal Growth Factor?
Approach Epidermal Growth Factor with care if any of these apply to you: active malignancy, history of skin cancer, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.
What concentration of Epidermal Growth Factor actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
During pregnancy
Treat Epidermal Growth Factor as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
Compare Epidermal Growth Factor with
- Niacinamide
- Vitamin C (LAA)
- Retinol
- Retinal
- Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
- Retinyl Palmitate
- Retinyl Acetate
- Retinyl Propionate
- Retinyl Retinoate
- Azelaic Acid
- Tranexamic Acid
- Kojic Acid
- Phytic Acid
- Succinic Acid
- THD Ascorbate
- Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
- Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
- Ascorbyl Glucoside
- Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
- GHK-Cu
- Argireline
- Bakuchiol
- PDRN
- Alpha Arbutin
- Benzoyl Peroxide
- Sulfur
- Zinc PCA
- Tea Tree Oil
- Hydroquinone
- Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
- Rice Extract
- Thiamidol
- Cysteamine
- N-Acetyl Glucosamine
- Adenosine
- Tetrahydrocurcumin
- Phytosphingosine
- Leuphasyl
- Rigin
- Matrixyl Synthe'6
- Syn-Ake
- Exosomes
- Colostrum
- Carnosine
- 4-n-Butylresorcinol
- 4-Hexylresorcinol
- Zinc Gluconate
Can you mix Epidermal Growth Factor with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- PMID 24962549abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- PMID 30235384abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- PMID 28392646abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- PMID 35942017abstract only, the full text is paywalled