EGF Serums in Korean Skincare: What sh-Oligopeptide-1 Is, What the Evidence Shows, and Who Should Avoid It

Quick answer

EGF (epidermal growth factor) is a small protein that tells skin cells to grow and repair. On Korean labels it usually appears as sh-Oligopeptide-1: a lab-made copy of human EGF produced by microorganisms, not something taken from people.

Growth factor serums show modest improvements in texture and fine lines in small studies. A 2023 systematic review rated the overall evidence as positive but low in quality. EGF is an optional premium ingredient; it has not been proved to outperform established skincare approaches, and is not a direct substitute for them.

In this guide

• What is EGF?
• How might EGF work on skin?
• What the evidence shows
• Why EGF studies are difficult to compare
• EGF vs peptides vs PDRN vs retinoids
• Stability: why storage matters
• Safety questions to ask
• Cosmetic EGF vs clinic growth factor treatments
• How to assess whether an EGF serum is worth the premium
• Korean EGF products to know
• How to use an EGF serum
• Frequently asked questions
• Practical decision guide and bottom line
• References

What is EGF?

Epidermal growth factor is a signalling protein of 53 amino acids. Your body makes it naturally, and it binds to EGF receptors on skin cells, speeding up cell renewal and wound healing. Its discovery earned a Nobel Prize in 1986.

In medicine, recombinant human EGF (international name nepidermin) has been used in wound-healing products in some countries. Some cosmetic EGF ingredients use the INCI name sh-Oligopeptide-1; the name must still be verified against the exact formulation. The INCI name signals a sequence-designed cosmetic peptide/protein; it is not proof that a marketed formula contains a clinically active, correctly folded EGF dose.

Recombinant EGF can be produced in microbial expression systems. Manufacturing routes and ingredient identities differ by supplier, so check the exact material documentation. Korea's Daewoong Pharmaceutical, maker of the Easydew brand, developed one of the best-known versions, DW-EGF (Soko Glam interview).

Don't confuse it with:

• Plant "EGF" such as barley-derived growth factors. These are similar proteins made in plants.
• Human-derived growth factors from cell cultures, conditioned media or secretomes. These are legally problematic in UK cosmetics. See our exosome guide.
• Signal peptides such as palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. These are much smaller fragments that mimic part of a signal. See our peptides explainer.

How might EGF work on skin?

1. Binds EGF receptors on keratinocytes, the main cells of the epidermis
2. Speeds up cell turnover and repair in the outer layers
3. May indirectly influence fibroblasts, the collagen-making cells deeper down, through signalling chains

The penetration problem: EGF weighs about 6,000 daltons. That's far above the roughly 500-dalton size that crosses intact skin easily (Bos & Meinardi, 2000). Intact-skin delivery of a large protein is challenging; however, a molecular-weight heuristic does not establish where any particular product acts. Clinical post-procedure evidence cannot be assumed to support routine at-home use on abraded skin.

What the evidence shows

Our reading of the evidence: the direction is positive, but the studies are small, short, often uncontrolled and frequently linked to manufacturers. The 2023 review, from a London plastic surgery group, found that participants usually rated their results higher than investigators did. Compare that with tretinoin, which has decades of large, controlled trials. EGF sits well below it on evidence.

Why EGF studies are difficult to compare

The 2023 systematic review collected 33 studies, 1,180 participants and 23 topical growth-factor preparations, but only nine included a comparator and the preparations contained different growth factors, vehicles and supporting actives. Reported median improvements were generally modest and often measured against each participant's own baseline, not against retinoids or a matching placebo. Three comparative randomised trials did not find a statistically significant difference between the compared treatments. This is far weaker than a statement that “EGF is clinically proven to reverse ageing”.

A 2026 randomised pilot enrolled 20 women, compared two specific growth-factor formulations over 12 weeks, and can inform hypotheses but cannot establish the best EGF serum for all age groups or the superiority of Korean products. No result in these papers proves the value of a serum merely because its label contains sh-Oligopeptide-1.

EGF vs peptides vs PDRN vs retinoids

Read more in our peptides guide, PDRN guide and advanced ingredients guide.

Stability: why storage matters

Proteins can lose activity with unsuitable processing and storage. The stability of a particular EGF formulation depends on its manufacturing, preservatives, packaging and label instructions. This is a realistic problem for products shipped long distances or kept in a warm bathroom.

• Choose airless pumps or single-dose ampoules over open jars.
• Store EGF products somewhere cool and dark. Follow the label if it says to refrigerate.
• Avoid making ad hoc mixtures of products; separating strongly irritating actives can simplify tolerance, but a universal EGF/vitamin C chemical incompatibility has not been established.
• Use within the period-after-opening shown on the pack.

Safety questions to ask

Can EGF cause cancer? This is a reasonable question because the EGFR pathway is involved in normal cell growth and some cancers. EGF receptors are overactive in some cancers, so there's a theoretical concern that adding growth signals could encourage abnormal cells. There's no evidence that cosmetic EGF serums cause skin cancer. The systematic review found a low rate of side effects. Long-term safety data, however, don't exist.

Our practical advice:

• If you have active cancer treatment, a suspicious or previously treated lesion, or individual concerns, ask your treating clinician rather than assuming a cosmetic growth-factor serum is appropriate. A blanket ban for all cancer survivors is not established by the evidence.
• Don't apply to moles, changing spots or unexplained lesions. Get those checked by your GP first.
• Prefer recombinant sh-Oligopeptide-1 from brands that state the source. Avoid products that are vague about where their "growth factors" come from.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: product-specific clinical safety data are limited. Do not infer safety solely from EGF's biological role or its estimated absorption. Discuss it with your midwife or pharmacist.

Cosmetic EGF vs clinic growth factor treatments

UK clinics offer growth-factor and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments, often combined with microneedling. Those use your own blood products or medical-grade preparations, applied to deliberately opened skin. They are a different category from a cosmetic serum on intact skin, with different evidence, risks and regulation. A home serum is not equivalent to a clinical procedure.

If you're having clinic treatment, ask your practitioner before using any growth factor serum on freshly treated skin.

How to assess whether an EGF serum is worth the premium

Ask five questions. Does the manufacturer identify recombinant EGF rather than ambiguous “growth factors”? Is concentration or bioactivity independently documented? Is the stability and period-after-opening information specific? Is there a human trial of the finished product, with a comparator rather than just before-and-after photos? And are the UK Responsible Person, full INCI, storage instructions and returns policy clear?

A serum with an elegant moisturising base may feel worthwhile even without proof of a strong EGF-specific effect—but price it as a cosmetic, not a regenerative medical procedure. If your main concern is sun-related ageing, regular sunscreen and appropriately chosen established treatments usually have a stronger evidence base.

Korean EGF products to know

How to use an EGF serum

1. Apply to clean skin, before thicker creams, once or twice a day.
2. It is often formulated alongside humectants and barrier ingredients. The benefit of combining it specifically with PDRN has not been established.
3. If you also use a retinoid, alternate nights or apply EGF in the morning.
4. Wear SPF 30+ every morning. No anti-ageing ingredient works without sun protection.
5. Give it 8–12 weeks. That's the length of most studies.

Frequently asked questions

Is sh-Oligopeptide-1 the same as EGF?

It is used to identify EGF-related cosmetic material, but the INCI name by itself does not verify active protein identity, concentration or efficacy.

Is EGF in skincare made from human cells?

Recombinant EGF is made by bacteria or yeast carrying the human gene, not taken from people. Products that use human cell-derived ingredients are a different, legally restricted category.

Is EGF better than retinol?

No. Retinoids have far stronger evidence. EGF is an option if you can't tolerate retinoids, or a gentle add-on.

Can I use EGF with vitamin C?

Yes. If your vitamin C is a low-pH ascorbic acid serum, using them at different times of day is a sensible precaution.

Does EGF help acne scars?

It may support recovery after professional scar treatments. There's no good evidence that it improves established scars by itself.

Is EGF vegan?

Recombinant EGF is produced by microorganisms. Check the rest of the formula and the brand's animal-testing policy.

Practical decision guide and bottom line

Best fit for consideration: someone with a stable routine who understands this is an experimental cosmetic extra and can afford it without displacing sunscreen or a proven moisturiser. Lower priority: someone treating active acne, a changing lesion, an infected wound, or a skin condition requiring prescription care. Avoid DIY post-microneedling use: a clinician needs to select appropriate sterile products and aftercare for broken skin.

Bottom line: growth-factor biology is well established, but the leap from growth-factor signalling to guaranteed visible improvements from a particular retail serum is not. Treat EGF as an optional, formulation-dependent extra with limited long-term comparative evidence.

References

Research references below were retrieved via PubMed.

1. Quinlan DJ, Ghanem AM, Hassan H. Topical growth factor preparations for facial skin rejuvenation: a systematic review. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023;22(7):2023–2039. doi:10.1111/jocd.15644
2. Abud B, McGinn L, Cawthon E, et al. Synthetic versus human-derived topical epidermal growth factor for facial rejuvenation: a randomized, double-blinded pilot study. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2026;25(5):e70927. doi:10.1111/jocd.70927
3. Seidel R, Moy RL. Reduced appearance of under-eye bags with twice-daily application of EGF serum: a pilot study. J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(4):405–10. PMID 25844616
4. McKnight B, Seidel R, Moy R. Topical human epidermal growth factor in the treatment of senile purpura. J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(10):1147–50. PMID 26461827
5. Bos JD, Meinardi MM. The 500 Dalton rule for the skin penetration of chemical compounds and drugs. Exp Dermatol. 2000;9(3):165–9. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0625.2000.009003165.x
6. Soko Glam. Everything you need to know about Easydew EX (brand interview).

How we researched this guide

This guide is based on peer-reviewed studies (retrieved via PubMed), UK regulatory and NHS guidance, and manufacturer or retailer information, which we identify as such wherever it is cited. Products named here have not been tested hands-on by us. The guide was medically reviewed by Khalid Anwar, GPhC-registered pharmacist, on 30 October 2026. It is general information, not individual medical advice. Spotted an error? Tell us via our corrections page.