Melanotan II

What Melanotan II does

Melanotan II is an unapproved tanning peptide, sometimes used for libido. Individual reports describe changing moles, melanoma, prolonged erections and severe illness, but cannot prove it caused them or measure risk. Three small experiments enrolled 23 men. Online injections and nasal sprays have uncertain contents and strength.

• People report darker skin, often while using sunbeds or sunlight; tanning is not an approved use. (Reported by users)
• In two small trials of 10 men each, injections caused erections and more desire, though nausea was common. (Studied in a trial)
• In the first small study in people, injections darkened the skin and caused erections. (Studied in a trial)

Uses in the sources

• Community users report darker skin, often with sunbeds or sunlight. Cosmetic tanning is not an approved indication. (Reported by users) (source)
• Two small trials of 10 men each found erections after injection. They do not establish routine treatment or long-term safety. (Studied in a trial) (source)
• A 2026 phase 2 registration proposes use with NB-UVB for vitiligo. No results or usable dose schedule are posted. (Studied in a trial) (source)

Melanotan II dosage

Typical reported dose: 250–500 mcg once a day for 2 weeks, then three times a week

• Pilot: five weight-based doses: Start 0.01 mg/kg SC; increase active doses by 0.005 mg/kg, to 0.03 mg/kg in two men and 0.025 mg/kg in one. every other weekday; five active doses over 2 weeks, under the skin. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Three monitored healthy adult men. (source)
• Erection study: 0.025 mg/kg: 0.025 mg/kg subcutaneously at each active visit. single monitored study-visit doses, under the skin. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adult men with erection problems. (source)
• Organic ED: 0.025 mg/kg: 0.025 mg/kg subcutaneously at each active visit. single monitored study-visit doses, under the skin. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adult men with erection problems. (source)
• Reported 250-to-500 mcg loading: 250 mcg SC daily for the first week., then 500 mcg SC daily for the second week., then 500 mcg SC on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. daily for 2 weeks, then three times weekly, under the skin. Reported by users, common report. Studied in: Adults reporting cosmetic tanning use. (source)
• Reported 20–100 mcg use: 20–100 mcg SC per reported dose. daily initially; some later use every few days or weekly, under the skin. Reported by users, occasional report. Studied in: Adults reporting cosmetic tanning use. (source)
• Reported weekly maintenance: 250 mcg SC once weekly. once weekly, under the skin. Reported by users, common report. Studied in: Adults reporting cosmetic tanning use. (source)

These are doses reported in labels, trials or user reports, not a personal plan. Check the source behind each one.

Work out syringe units with the dosing calculator

How to mix Melanotan II

Comes as: Community-reported powder vials for injection, Community-reported nasal sprays.

Mixed with: Community injection reports use bacteriostatic water; no approved reconstitution instructions exist..

Common vial sizes: 10 mg. Common water amounts: 2 mL.

• A 10 mg vial plus 2 mL water is a forum example, not a licensed preparation.
• Adding bacteriostatic water does not establish powder sterility or remove endotoxin.
• Syringe units measure volume. They are not a dose unless concentration is known.

Before mixing: No validated storage specification was found for unregulated powder.

After mixing: Users report refrigeration. No validated sterile shelf life after mixing was found.

Melanotan II side effects and risks

Reported side effects

• Nausea and vomiting: Severe nausea after 4/19 active injections in the organic ED study., moderate (source)
• Yawning, stretching and less appetite: More frequent than placebo in the 10 man trials; exact rates not reported., mild (source)
• Sleepiness and fatigue: Grade II at 0.03 mg/kg in 1/2 pilot participants reaching that dose., moderate (source)
• Flushing or headache: Regulatory warnings and community reports; no reliable population rate., moderate (source)
• New or darker moles: Multiple case reports; no reliable rate., serious (source)
• Melanoma after exposure: Cutaneous and oral cases reported; causation and absolute risk are unknown., serious (source)
• Priapism: Case reports include prolonged erections needing hospital treatment., serious (source)
• Muscle breakdown and kidney injury: Reported after a 6 mg injection; another report describes kidney infarction., serious (source)
• PRES brain syndrome: Case report listed by FDA; frequency unknown., serious (source)

Stop and get help if

• An erection lasting 3–4 hours; with sickle-cell disease, a painful erection lasting over 1 hour.: Get emergency care immediately; delay can permanently damage erections.
• Severe headache, confusion, seizure, vision loss or weakness.: Seek emergency care for possible brain or blood pressure complications.
• Severe muscle pain, cola-colored urine, low urine output or flank pain.: Stop exposure and seek urgent care for muscle or kidney injury.
• A fast-changing, bleeding or irregular mole, or a new mouth lump.: Arrange prompt skin or oral assessment; do not assume it is harmless pigment.
• Trouble breathing, facial swelling, or a hot spreading injection-site rash with fever.: Seek urgent care; breathing difficulty needs emergency help.

Who should avoid it

• melanomaOrAtypicalMoles: Precaution for melanoma history, suspicious lesions or atypical moles. Causation is unproven, but pigment changes can obscure assessment.
• pregnant: No established pregnancy safety or approved use.
• breastfeeding: No human milk or infant safety data were found.
• tryingToConceive: No established reproductive safety for this unapproved compound.
• under18: No controlled pediatric safety evidence or approved use was identified.
• kidneyDisease: Kidney injury, muscle breakdown and kidney infarction have been reported after exposure.
• uncontrolledBloodPressure: Serious systemic toxicity and PRES reports warrant review before any exposure.
• heartCondition: Broad melanocortin activity and systemic toxicity make cardiovascular effects a concern.
• seizureDisorder: A PRES case is reported; neurological safety is inadequately characterized.
• testedAthlete: Falls under WADA S0 for nonapproved drugs.
• other: Precaution: prior priapism or sickle-cell disease raises concern for prolonged erections. This is not a formal melanotan II label.

Interactions

• Other melanocortin agonists: Overlapping receptor effects; no established safe combination. Concurrent PT-141 use appears in a community report.
• Erection medicines: Possible additive prolonged erections. This is a precaution; no direct interaction trial was found.
• UV exposure and sunbeds: UV can damage skin. Tanning is not evidence of protection against skin cancer.
• Anticoagulants and antiplatelets: Injection-site bleeding is a procedural concern; a specific melanotan II drug interaction has not been measured.

Product quality risks

• Vials labeled 10 mg contained 4.32–8.84 mg in a 2015 study. Unknown impurities were 4.1–5.9% in products from two of three online shops.
• A 2024 forensic study identified melanotan II in two submitted vials and reported powder purity of 30%.
• These chemistry studies did not establish sterility, endotoxin safety or consistent nasal spray delivery.
• TGA testing in August 2026 found estimated 22–54 mg across five nasal bottles labeled 30 mg, using their labeled 20 mL volume.

What to expect

• After early injections: The three-man pilot reported nausea at most dose levels and spontaneous erections lasting one to five hours after some injections.
• During the two-week pilot: One man developed notable sleepiness and fatigue at the highest tested dose as doses rose.
• One week after the pilot ended: Two of the three men showed darker skin one week after active dosing ended.

An early three-man pilot used five active injections over two weeks, alternating with saline; this does not establish a safe tanning course.

Three published experiments enrolled 23 men; a 2026 vitiligo study has no posted results. Safety evidence mainly comes from individual reports.

Key studies

• Single-blind, alternating-day controlled pilot: Five alternating active doses caused pigment and erection effects. (source)
• Erection crossover: 10 men: A small crossover showed an erectile effect, not long-term safety. (source)
• Organic erection problems: Erections and desire increased, with substantial nausea. (source)
• Vitiligo registration, no results: Listed as recruiting, with no results posted by 2026-10-18. (source)
• Severe toxicity after 6 mg: Systemic toxicity and muscle breakdown followed injection. (source)
• Kidney infarction report: The report cannot establish a rate or prove causation. (source)

Melanotan II FAQ

• Is Melanotan II FDA-approved? No. FDA documented a 2007 warning over illegal MT-II sales. PCAC review is planned before February 2027; no approval or favorable decision was found.
• How do people take it? Under the skin, daily for 2 weeks, then three times weekly. Source: reported by users, not an established dose.
• What's the difference between Melanotan II and Bremelanotide? Melanotan II: an unapproved tanning peptide with small human trials and reports of serious harm. Bremelanotide: an as-needed injection for low libido before menopause; nausea is common. Why people pair them: a community poster combined tanning use with a libido schedule.
• Can I take it with Bremelanotide? A community poster combined tanning use with a libido schedule. Duplicate melanocortin activity; no combination trial. Source: reported by users. Ask a doctor before combining anything.
• Is it banned in sport? Yes. It is banned in and out of competition (WADA 2026). Inferred under S0: no human therapeutic approval was found. Melanotan II is not named as an example in the list.
• How long does a mixed vial last? Users report refrigeration. No validated sterile shelf life after mixing was found.