Afamelanotide-related linear analog
Melanotan I
Related approved drug exists Not a tanning product here
What it is
Melanotan I is a linear α-MSH analog. Afamelanotide (Scenesse) is an approved implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria — not a cosmetic tanning kit. Catalog MT-I is not Scenesse.
Benefits in plain language
What researchers and reference users usually mean when they talk about this compound. These are study themes and common claims — not a promise that it will do this in you.
- Afamelanotide-class melanocortin agonist. Medical implant Scenesse exists for a rare light-intolerance disease.
- The cosmetic pull is tanning without as much UV. That is not why the approved implant exists.
- Nausea, flushing, mole darkening are part of the melanocortin package.
If a branded, FDA-approved product exists, that label is the only dose that is actually authorized. Research-chemical vials are a different object.
Mechanism of action
MC1R-driven eumelanin production. Less MC4/MC3 spillover is the usual comparison versus Melanotan II; nausea and sexual effects are discussed as milder, not absent.
Possible side effects / caveats
Pigment change includes moles. Nausea still occurs. An approved photoprotection implant is not permission to use research ampoules for a tan.
Protocol ranges
| Source tier | Amount | Frequency / duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approved afamelanotide | Specialist implant schedule | Rare-disease setting | Do not copy onto a research vial |
| Cited gray-market talk | Unstandardized mcg titration | Avoid treating as a protocol | Risk page more than a dose page |