Cosmetic
Melanotan II
Melanotan II is a non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist that drives melanogenesis.
Also known as MT-II · MT-2 · Melanotan 2 · MT2
At a glance
Dose summary
No reliable human half-life has been published for Melanotan II, so none is listed rather than guessed at.
No regulator and no trial set these numbers. They describe what people actually do, recorded so you can see the range rather than guess at it — which is not the same thing as a recommendation.
Reconstitution
What to draw, at the usual vial
A 10 mg vial reconstituted with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 5.00 mg/mL. A typical 250 mcg dose is 0.050 mL — pull the plunger to 5 units on a U-100 syringe.
Same dose, other vial sizes
| Vial | Water | Concentration | Draw | Units | Doses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | 2 mL | 5.00 mg/mL | 0.050 mL | 5 units | 40 |
The highlighted row is the one quoted above: the smallest listed vial that holds at least four typical doses. Change any of it — a different vial, more or less water, a different dose — on the reconstitution calculator, which draws the syringe to true U-100 graduations.
Mechanism & evidence
What it is, and what is known
Melanotan II is a non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist that drives melanogenesis. It is NOT approved as a medicine in any country. It never completed phase 3 development, the FDA has issued warning letters over its sale, and everything available is unlicensed research-chemical or grey-market product of unverified purity and dose. There is no approved label to anchor dosing to, so the numbers here describe common community practice only: roughly 250 mcg daily as a loading phase until the desired pigmentation is reached (commonly 1-4 weeks), then 500-1000 mcg once or twice weekly as maintenance.
The stored daily frequency reflects that loading phase; step down once you stop the load. Reported half-life figures in the literature conflict badly (from about half an hour to several hours) and no regulatory pharmacokinetic package exists, so none is listed. THE MELANOMA CONCERN IS THE HEADLINE, NOT A FOOTNOTE. Dermatology case series and case reports describe eruptive melanocytic naevi, rapid darkening and dermoscopic change in existing moles, atypical/dysplastic naevi, and melanoma including melanoma in situ associated with Melanotan use.
A personal or family history of melanoma, dysplastic or atypical naevi, or many moles is a conventional reason not to use it at all - that is what the active-malignancy flag on this entry is standing in for, since the dataset has no melanoma-specific flag. Anyone using it should have a full skin check by a dermatologist before starting and be monitored during and after. It does not remove the need for sun protection, and it is frequently combined with sunbeds, which compounds the risk.
The caveat
Never completed phase 3. The most substantial human literature about it is dermatology case reports of naevus change and melanoma.Tolerability
Reported side effects
- Darkening of existing moles, and eruption of new moles - including atypical and dysplastic naevi. This is the reason for the active-malignancy flag on this entry: published case reports describe melanoma and melanoma in situ arising during or after Melanotan II use, and the drug both stimulates melanocytes and makes an existing lesion harder to read
- Nausea and vomiting, worst in the first several doses
- Facial flushing and a yawning/stretching reaction shortly after injection
- Spontaneous erections, and case reports of priapism, which is a urological emergency
- Marked appetite suppression
- Lethargy and drowsiness for an hour or two after dosing
- Injection site pain and redness
- Uneven, blotchy or freckled pigmentation rather than an even tan; darkening of the face, gums, nipples and existing freckles
- Serious single-case reports including rhabdomyolysis, renal infarction and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)
Hard stops
Do not use this if
- Active, suspected or recently treated malignancy
- Pregnancy, possible pregnancy, or breastfeeding
- Under 18
These are flags, not a screening. They do not replace a conversation with a clinician who knows your history.
Handling
Storage
Keep it cold, keep it dark, and label the vial with the date you mixed it. Discard anything cloudy or past the window above.
References
Sources
Educational information only, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, changing, or stopping anything.