Melanotan II

Quickstart Highlights

Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) that activates melanocortin receptors non-selectively. It is studied for its effect on skin pigmentation through MC1R and on sexual arousal and appetite through MC3R and MC4R, with human evidence limited to small 1990s pilot studies. It is not approved for human use in any jurisdiction. This educational protocol presents the research-community convention: a 250 mcg test dose, once-daily evening loading at 250–500 mcg for roughly 4–6 weeks until target pigmentation, then 500 mcg–1 mg once or twice weekly as maintenance, using a 2 mL reconstitution of the 10 mg vial (5 mg/mL) for whole-unit insulin-syringe measurements.

• Reconstitute: Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water → 5 mg/mL concentration.
• Dose range: 250 mcg–1 mg per injection: 250–500 mcg once daily in the evening during loading (typically 4–6 weeks), then 500 mcg–1 mg once or twice weekly for maintenance.
• Easy measuring: At 5 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL = 50 mcg on a U-100 insulin syringe.
• Storage: Lyophilized: freeze at −20 °C (−4 °F); after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within 28 days.
• Label: No approved label exists. Nausea is the dose-limiting effect, so the lowest dose is given first; any new or changing mole and any erection lasting longer than 4 hours require prompt medical assessment.

Protocol Overview

Concise summary of the loading-and-maintenance regimen.

• Goal: Build and hold skin pigmentation through MC1R-driven eumelanin synthesis with reduced UV exposure; sources also describe libido and appetite effects through MC4R.
• Schedule: Daily subcutaneous injections in the evening for a 4–6 week loading phase (range 2–8 weeks), then one or two subcutaneous injections per week for maintenance.
• Dose Range: 250 mcg (0.25 mg) to 500 mcg (0.5 mg) once daily during loading; 500 mcg (0.5 mg) to 1000 mcg (1 mg) once or twice weekly for maintenance.
• Reconstitution: 2 mL per 10 mg vial (5 mg/mL) for accurate unit measurements on standard insulin syringes.
• Storage: Lyophilized frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F); reconstituted refrigerated at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F); use within 28 days; avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.
• Evidence: Community convention with no approved label; human data are limited to small 1990s pilot studies using weight-based dosing, and no trial supports the loading-and-maintenance schedule. Confidence is medium for the schedule shape and low for the safety ceiling and course duration.

Dosing Protocol

Suggested loading-and-maintenance approach based on research-community conventions; no clinical dosing guideline exists.

• Days 1–3 (test dose): 250 mcg (0.25 mg) once daily to assess nausea and flushing before continuing.
• Weeks 1–2 (loading): 250 mcg (0.25 mg) once daily.
• Weeks 3–6 (loading): 500 mcg (0.5 mg) once daily until target pigmentation is reached, typically within 4–6 weeks (range 2–8).
• Maintenance (1–2x weekly): 500 mcg (0.5 mg) once or twice weekly to hold pigmentation.
• Maintenance upper: 1000 mcg (1 mg) once or twice weekly is the upper maintenance reference in sources; no source presents a higher maintenance dose.
• Frequency: Once daily during loading; once or twice weekly during maintenance (subcutaneous injection).
• Timing: 30–60 minutes before bed so that nausea peaks during sleep. Sources describe optional 10–20 minutes of UV exposure within one hour of a dose; this does not replace sunscreen.
• Cycle: Loading 4–6 weeks (range 2–8) until target pigmentation, then maintenance. Sources describe no established maximum course, and some conventions take seasonal breaks.

Storage Instructions

Proper storage preserves product quality and efficacy.

• Lyophilized (powder): Store at −20 °C (−4 °F) protected from light; for short-term storage, 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) refrigeration is acceptable. Avoid humidity to prevent peptide degradation.
• Reconstituted (solution): Refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and do not freeze. Use within 28 days; sources range from 7 days (conservative) to 28 days, and the bacteriostatic preservative does not extend potency beyond approximately 4 weeks.
• Allow vials to reach room temperature before opening to minimize condensation uptake.
• Light-sensitive: Melanotan II degrades with light exposure; keep the reconstituted vial wrapped in foil or in an opaque container inside the refrigerator.

Important Notes

Practical considerations for consistency and safety.

• Use new sterile insulin syringes for each injection; dispose in a proper sharps container.
• Rotate injection sites systematically (abdomen, upper thighs, upper arms) to reduce local irritation and avoid lipohypertrophy.
• Test dose first: Nausea is the dose-limiting effect and is worst with the first doses. Evening dosing and, in some conventions, an antihistamine 30 minutes before the dose are the two mitigation approaches sources describe.
• Skin monitoring: Melanotan II darkens existing moles and freckles and can produce new ones. Sources advise a dermatology review before starting and an annual skin check; any new or changing mole should be assessed promptly, and a 2026 case report describes multiple melanomas in situ after Melanotan II use.
• Priapism: Spontaneous erections are a known effect; an erection lasting longer than 4 hours is a medical emergency, and a published case of ischemic priapism required surgery.
• Regulatory status: Not approved by Health Canada, the FDA or any regulator for human use. Sale for human use is illegal in the US, UK and Australia, Health Canada has issued public warnings, and the product is research-use only in Canada.
• Evidence caveat: The loading and maintenance schedule is community convention with no published trial basis; the only human studies (Dorr 1996, Wessells 1998) used weight-based dosing in small male groups.
• Sources list melanoma history, dysplastic nevi, uncontrolled hypertension, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy or breastfeeding as contraindications. Do not combine with PT-141, a close structural analogue, because nausea, blood-pressure and pigmentation effects are additive.

How This Works

Melanotan II is a cyclic lactam analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) and a non-selective melanocortin agonist. At MC1R on melanocytes it drives eumelanin synthesis, so skin darkens in a dose-dependent manner; pilot data reported a 49–98% increase in eumelanin, and a tan develops with less UV exposure than would otherwise be needed. At MC3R and MC4R in the hypothalamus it increases sexual arousal and suppresses appetite, which is why early pilot work tested it for psychogenic erectile dysfunction. Because the receptor activity is non-selective, the same signaling produces nausea, facial flushing and pigmentary changes to moles, the effects that limit dosing. Human evidence consists of small 1990s studies (Dorr 1996 on tanning, Wessells 1998 on erectile function) using weight-based doses; the loading-and-maintenance schedule used in practice has no published trial basis and reflects research-community convention, which is why the page presents it with the lowest dose first.

Potential Benefits & Side Effects

Observations from small pilot studies and research-community reports.

Potential Benefits:

• Dose-dependent skin darkening through MC1R-driven eumelanin production, with a 49–98% eumelanin increase reported in small pilot data.
• A tan reached with less UV exposure, typically within 4–6 weeks of loading, in community reports.
• Increased libido and erections through MC4R activity; an 80% response rate in psychogenic erectile dysfunction was reported in a small pilot study.
• Appetite suppression through MC4R activity, reported in pilot and community data.

Potential Side Effects:

• Nausea (dose-limiting and worst with the first doses), facial flushing, fatigue and sleepiness.
• Darkening of existing moles and freckles, new moles and uneven pigmentation; a 2026 case report of melanoma in situ makes annual skin checks advisable.
• Spontaneous erections; a published case of ischemic priapism required surgery, and an erection lasting longer than 4 hours is an emergency.
• Transient blood-pressure elevation and appetite loss.
• Rhabdomyolysis and kidney injury have been reported in overdose case reports.
• Contraindicated in sources for melanoma history, dysplastic nevi, uncontrolled hypertension, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Lifestyle Factors

Complementary practices described alongside pigmentation-focused use.

• Continue daily broad-spectrum sunscreen; Melanotan II does not prevent sunburn or UV damage, and no evidence supports sunbeds or deliberate extra sun exposure.
• Keep UV exposure modest if used at all: sources describe 10–20 minutes of natural light within one hour of a dose, not extended sessions.
• Photograph and map moles before starting and review them monthly so that any new or changing lesion is noticed early.
• Dose in the evening and keep meals simple on loading days to limit nausea.
• Stay well hydrated, especially during the loading phase when nausea and flushing are most common.
• Pause loading if pigmentation becomes uneven or moles change, and arrange a dermatology review before continuing.

Injection Technique

General subcutaneous injection guidance from clinical best-practice resources.

• Clean the vial stopper and chosen skin site with separate alcohol swabs; allow both to dry completely before proceeding.
• Pinch a fold of skin between your fingers; insert the needle at a 45–90° angle into the subcutaneous tissue (fatty layer, not muscle).
• Do not aspirate (pull back the plunger) when giving a subcutaneous injection.
• Inject the solution slowly and steadily; wait at least 6 seconds after injection before withdrawing the needle to ensure complete delivery and minimize leakage.
• Withdraw the needle and apply light pressure with a clean swab; avoid rubbing vigorously.
• Rotate injection sites systematically (abdomen, thighs, upper arms) to prevent lipohypertrophy and maintain consistent absorption.
• Dispose of used syringes and needles immediately in a proper sharps container.

Recommended Source

We recommend Amino Labs for high-purity Melanotan II (10 mg vials).

Note: Product availability and specifications subject to change. Verify current product details on supplier website.

Shop at Amino Labs