α-MSH analog · unregulated tanning peptide
Melanotan II
High-caution Not approved for tanning
What it is
Melanotan II is a cyclic α-MSH analog that darkens melanin and also hits receptors involved in appetite and sexual function. It is not an approved tanning drug. Afamelanotide (Scenesse) is a different, tightly indicated medicine.
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.
- A shorter, punchier melanocortin agonist. Tanning plus libido side effects made it famous.
- PT-141 was spun out of this family for the sexual-function path.
- Unregulated tanning shots have a long safety-complaint history. Darkening of existing moles is not a small print item.
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 drives eumelanin; other MC receptors explain nausea, blood-pressure, and sexual side effects. Pigment change includes existing moles.
Possible side effects / caveats
Nausea, flushing, appetite change, spontaneous erections, darkening of moles/freckles, new nevi reports, and blood-pressure effects. This is one of the worse risk/benefit stories in the gray-market peptide set.
Protocol ranges
| Source tier | Amount | Frequency / duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cited range | Variable mcg titration talk | Unstandardized | No safe “tanning protocol” belongs on a referral site |