Melanotan II
Unapproved tanning injection
Unapproved tanning peptide
Match every finding to its exact substance, formulation, route and study population. A related molecule or approved medicine does not validate a catalog vial.
Ring closed by a lactam bridge, a bond between two side chains
Color key
At a glance
Why people take it. And what backs it up.
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Get a deep tan fast
Small early study; agencies warn
Injected daily with sun or sunbeds, then weekly to hold the color, by people hoping to tan fast without burning; it can darken moles.
Sources (6)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Done with MT2” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Did the normal daily 0.1mg loading phase followed by 0.5mg once or twice a week before sun.”
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“Motivations for MT II use included the pursuit of a tanned appearance, often in anticipation of sun holidays and fitness/body building competitions.”
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“I’ve been interested in trying either MT1 or MT2 out since they help with preventing sunburns.”
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TrialDorr et al., Life Sciences, 1996 (3 men; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“These results demonstrate that MT-II has tanning activity in humans given only 5 low doses every other day by subcutaneous injection.”
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“Published case reports discuss serious adverse events including melanoma, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, sympathomimetic toxidrome and priapism.”
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“the unregulated use of both melanotan I and II is associated with cutaneous complications, particularly melanocytic changes in existing moles and newly emerging (dysplastic) nevi”
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Boost libido and erections
Early human studies
Some take it mainly for stronger desire and erections, the effect that led to the development of PT-141.
Sources (5)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 protocol” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Im honestly on it because the libido and erections are borderline satanic and feel better than Viagra.”
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“Mainly doing this for libido and tanning as a bonus effect”
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TrialWessells et al., Journal of Urology, 1998 (10 men; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“In 8 of 10 men treated with Melanotan-II clinically apparent erections developed.”
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TrialWessells et al., Urology, 2000 (10 men; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“Melanotan II initiated subjectively reported erections in 12 of 19 injections versus only 1 of 21 doses of placebo.”
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ReviewHadley and Dorr, Peptides, 2006 (review; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“A new MTII analog, PT-141 (Palatin Technologies) has initial phase I/II trials and is scheduled to enter pivotal stage III clinical trials leading to commercialization.”
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Curb appetite
Side effect in one small study
Some take it partly to curb appetite and make dieting easier, an effect many users notice.
Sources (4)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “appetite/weight loss” (February 2023) (opens in a new tab)
“Been on it for about a week, I think it’s cut my hunger some. Not insanely but makes IF a bit easier.”
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“has the pleasant sides of tanning and appetite suppression which I am also after”
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TrialWessells et al., Journal of Urology, 1998 (10 men; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“Transient side effects of nausea, stretching and yawning, and decreased appetite were reported more frequently after injections of Melanotan-II than placebo”
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StudyZhang et al., Peptides, 2010 (rats; PubMed abstract) (opens in a new tab)
“Either form of MTII administration results in significant weight and adiposity reductions”
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Evidence briefing
Sources checkedWhat the sources support.
Melanotan II is an unapproved synthetic melanocortin agonist marketed online for tanning and other effects. FDA describes serious reported case events, including melanoma, posterior reversible encephalopathy, sympathomimetic toxicity and priapism; the MHRA advises users to stop unlicensed injections and nasal sprays. Bremelanotide (PT-141) is a related, separately developed drug, not the same approved product.
Reports of suspected adverse events do not prove causation, and unlicensed product contents and quality are unknown; those caveats do not make seller Melanotan II an approved medicine.
The research. What’s been studied.
TapClick a dotted word to see what it means.
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Early human studies
Pigmentation in early research
Small early studies reported tanning effects. This does not establish safe tanning or validate unlicensed products.
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Early human studies
Sexual effects in early studies
Erectile effects were reported during early research. Bremelanotide (PT-141) is a distinct related molecule, not an approved Melanotan-II product.
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Animal & lab studies
Appetite signaling research
Effects on receptors have been studied, but appetite suppression is not an established approved benefit of seller Melanotan II.
What do these labels mean?
- Human evidence: approved-drug data or larger human studies, within the populations and uses studied.
- Early human studies: small, preliminary or limited human studies.
- Animal & lab studies: animal or laboratory findings that do not establish effects in people.
- Unverified: a proposed use or claim without verified supporting clinical evidence.
How each claim was reviewed (3)
Reported effects and evidence.
A citation may support, qualify or correct a claim. Read the study scope; a laboratory result is not an established benefit in people. Each review covers a claim as it was first collected; the tiles above show the collection’s current wording.
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Small early human phase 1 study
Review of “Tan with little sun”
A small phase 1 study reported pigmentation after melanotan-II; safety and efficacy for cosmetic tanning remain unestablished.
Limitations and applicability. Pigmentation outcome does not establish tanning safety, approved use or cancer-risk reduction.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Tan with little sun
Produced tanning with minimal sun exposure in small early trials.
Original label: early. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record melanotan-ii:benefit:1 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
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Small early human studies
Review of “Libido and erections”
Early experimental studies reported erectile responses in men; they do not establish a licensed sexual-function treatment.
Limitations and applicability. Erectile responses and arousal are distinct endpoints; retain small sample and experimental formulation.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Libido and erections
Increased sexual arousal and erections in early trials; this led to PT-141.
Original label: early. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record melanotan-ii:benefit:2 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
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Preclinical CNS receptor experiments
Review of “Appetite suppression”
Melanotan-II reduced food intake in rodent melanocortin-receptor experiments; human appetite-treatment benefit was not verified.
Limitations and applicability. Direct evidence found is rodent CNS administration. Current “early” label could be mistaken for human clinical appetite efficacy.
Original collected claim and review history
Original title: Appetite suppression
Reduces appetite through the brain’s MC4R receptor.
Original label: early. Preserved for traceability; the reviewed wording above qualifies this record.
Record melanotan-ii:benefit:3 · Annotated 2026-10-01 · Review method
The research in detail
Evidence category
Small or older human studies
Melanotan II produced tanning effects in early studies, but it has no approved product. It is distinct from bremelanotide (PT-141), a related molecule with a narrow FDA-approved product and indication. FDA and MHRA describe serious reports associated with unlicensed Melanotan-II products; those reports do not prove causation, and product contents are unknown.
Evidence is assessed claim by claim above. Regulatory approval, study design, findings and relevance are separate questions; there is no single evidence score.
Risks and unknowns. What to know first.
Collected cautions follow. These are not an exhaustive or independently validated safety assessment; claim references do not automatically support every caution.
- Nausea, flushing, darkening and new moles, and prolonged erections.
- Case reports link it to melanoma, changes in existing moles, kidney injury and muscle breakdown.
- Darkened moles can hide early signs of skin cancer.
What people report
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Regulator
The FDA says published case reports link melanotan II to melanoma, a brain-swelling syndrome (PRES), dangerous overstimulation (sympathomimetic toxidrome) and priapism, and lists it among compounding substances with potential significant safety risks.
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Regulator
It is illegal to sell or supply melanotan injections in the UK, and Cancer Research UK says melanotan nasal sprays and injections are not safe to use.
Source: Cancer Research UK: Tanning, fake tan and Melanotan (opens in a new tab)
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Case report
A 39-year-old man who injected 6 mg developed racing heart, tremors and muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) with kidney injury and needed intensive care.
Source: Nelson et al., Clinical Toxicology 2012 (opens in a new tab)
Show all 11 cautionsShow fewer cautions
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Case report
Painful prolonged erections (ischaemic priapism) after injections have needed emergency drainage and, in one case, surgery.
Source: Mallory et al., Sexual Medicine 2021 (opens in a new tab)
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Case report
A 22-year-old woman developed a melanoma in the lining of the mouth at the front of the upper jaw after using a melanotan II nasal spray for tanning.
Source: Alsabbagh et al., International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Case report
A doctor-reported case describes a kidney infarct (blocked blood supply) most likely caused by melanotan II.
Source: Peters et al., CEN Case Reports 2020 (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Nausea and vomiting are common complaints; one user vomited and was bed-bound after a first 250 mcg dose.
Source: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “First Dose Nausea” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Dark pigment spots on the lips appeared within days for one user taking 250 mcg daily.
Source: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Little concerning?” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Sudden new freckles and much darker moles within 3 days, plus nausea at each dose increase, are reported at 250–1,000 mcg a day.
Source: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Side effects - but still no tan?” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
One user with allergies had hives, fever, facial swelling and confusion on day 3 (after 50–100 mcg doses) and went to hospital.
Source: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Allergic reaction to MT2” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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User reports
Accidental overdoses from unit mix-ups are posted regularly, for example 3 mg taken instead of 150 mcg and an accidental 10 mg injection.
Source: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Buddy just took a ton of Melanotan 2” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Published dosing records. What the trials used.
Historical label and trial records for the named product, route, population and indication. These records are not a personal schedule or a validated regimen for a catalog vial. Source attribution does not establish applicability.
Skin tanning, tested in 3 healthy men
Tanning pilot (1996)
- How
- Injection under the skin
- How often
- Every other weekday. On the weekdays in between, the men got a dummy injection of salt water.
- How long
- 2 weeks (5 doses of the drug in all)
Dose, step by step
- First dose 0.01 mg/kg
- Top dose 0.03 mg/kg
- Regulators in the US, UK and Australia warn against the melanotan II sold online.
- Only 3 healthy men took part. Doses rose 0.005 mg/kg at a time: 2 of them reached 0.03 mg/kg, and the third stopped at 0.025 mg/kg.
- The dose is per kilogram of body weight.
- At 0.03 mg/kg, 1 of the 2 men had moderate sleepiness and tiredness. Mild nausea was common.
- Erections happened on their own for 1 to 5 hours after doses.
- The researchers suggested 0.025 mg/kg a day as the single dose for future early-stage studies.
Erectile dysfunction in men (2 small studies of 10 men each)
ED studies (1998–2000)
- Each test session
- 0.025 mg/kg
- How
- Injection under the skin
- How often
- One injection per test session, with 6 hours of monitoring afterwards. Each man also had sessions with a dummy injection.
- How long
- Single test doses only. In the 2000 study, each man had 2 drug injections and 2 dummy injections.
- Regulators in the US, UK and Australia warn against the melanotan II sold online.
- The dose is per kilogram of body weight.
- Erections were measured for 6 hours after each injection.
- Nausea, yawning and stretching were common. In the 2000 study, 4 of 19 drug injections caused severe nausea.
- These were short studies. They did not test regular or long-term use.
These doses were tested in clinical trials under medical supervision. They aren’t approved for use, and a research vial is not the product that was tested.
Community protocols. Reported online. Not clinically validated.
Community reports Collection date: 30 Sep 2026The usual pattern is a “loading” phase of about 0.1–0.5 mg (most often 0.25 mg) injected daily for 1–3 weeks alongside sun or sunbed exposure, then “maintenance” of 0.25–0.5 mg once or twice a week.
More about this
Practice varies a lot: many people now use 100–150 mcg or only dose before going in the sun, some use nasal sprays, and a minority push to 1 mg a day.
Loading, then maintenance
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Mt2 works like a charm!” (September 2026)
- Forum: Same post
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Done with MT2” (August 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Not getting results” (September 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- Loading: 0.1–0.5 mg (most often 0.25 mg). Maintenance: 0.25–0.5 mg.
- How often
- Loading: every day. Maintenance: once or twice a week.
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- Timing
- Many inject at night so nausea passes during sleep; others inject shortly before sun or a sunbed
- How long
- Loading about 1–3 weeks, until the wanted colour; maintenance through the sunny season
- Cycle
- Many stop after summer
- Ramp
- Start at 0.1–0.25 mg and raise to 0.5 mg if nausea allows
- Mixing
- 10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water, so 250 mcg = 5 units and 500 mcg = 10 units
- Users stress that it only works with UV exposure (sun or sunbed).
- New dark freckles and darker moles are widely expected by users.
Sources (4)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Mt2 works like a charm!” (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I did 250mcg nightly for 2 weeks and laid outside maybe twice a week for an hour or so”
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ForumSame post (opens in a new tab)
“I am doing 500mcg twice a week now for maintenance.”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Done with MT2” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Did the normal daily 0.1mg loading phase followed by 0.5mg once or twice a week before sun.”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Not getting results” (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I pull 10 units for 500 mcg (I constituted with 2 mL of BAC water).”
Low dose (“micro”)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “One month on m2, 100-150 mcg 3x a week with at most 30 min sun exposure” (August 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Progress after 4 weeks of 100mcg daily” (July 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 dose vs tanning speed” (August 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 100–150 mcg
- How often
- Daily, or about 3 times a week
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- Timing
- Before sun or short sunbed sessions
- How long
- About a month, then maintenance
- Chosen to limit nausea and dark spots; users report a visible tan at these doses.
Sources (3)
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“One month on m2, 100-150 mcg 3x a week with at most 30 min sun exposure”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Progress after 4 weeks of 100mcg daily” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Progress after 4 weeks of 100mcg daily”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 dose vs tanning speed” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I’ve just started using Melanotan II this week (only 100mcg each time) + 3 sunbed sessions of 3 minutes”
Show all 7 protocolsShow fewer protocols
Only before sun (no loading)
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Results from Mt-2 on fair Irish skin” (August 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Do you keep pinning mt2 once youre tan?” (July 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Loading phase - yes/no” (September 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 200–250 mcg
- How often
- Only on days with sun or sunbed exposure
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- Timing
- About 30 minutes before going out or tanning
- How long
- Through the summer (one user used about 6 mg in total over a summer)
- Some users question whether a loading phase is needed at all.
Sources (3)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Results from Mt-2 on fair Irish skin” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Didnt do a loading phase and took 250mcg days when going out tanning. Used roughly 6mg in total over the course of the summer”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Do you keep pinning mt2 once youre tan?” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“pinning only 200mcg right before going out and only on days I go outside.”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Loading phase - yes/no” (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I’ve been taking it 30 minutes before tanning and it has been working.”
Nasal spray
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Started nasal Mt-2 yesterday” (July 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Results” (July 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Advice please!” (September 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- About 150 mcg per spray (for example 10 mg in a 60-spray bottle); 1–2 sprays at a time reported
- How often
- Daily while building a tan
- Route
- Nasal
- Timing
- Before sun or a sunbed
- How long
- About a month to build colour
- Mixing
- Sold ready-made or made up in a spray bottle; strength varies by seller
- Users describe nasal use as slower than injections but still causing nausea.
- Branded tanning nasal sprays are sold directly to consumers.
Sources (3)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Started nasal Mt-2 yesterday” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“10mg in a 60spray Nasal spray, so about 144mcg per Spray. I did 2 sprays yesterday and the nausea was real.”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Results” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I used nasals so way slower than pinning results but this took me about a month mostly sunbathing in UV5-7.”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Advice please!” (September 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“decided to buy glowbox extreme nasal spray. I go on holiday in 2 weeks and started taking the nasal to let it build up”
Aggressive loading up to 1 mg a day
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 really works!” (August 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Holy moly” (August 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- Up to 1 mg
- How often
- Daily while loading, then 1 mg twice a week
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- How long
- About 1–3 weeks of loading
- Ramp
- For example 250 mcg for 3 days, 500 mcg for 7 days, then 1 mg a day
- The poster wrote “mg” where they clearly meant mcg for the lower steps, a common unit slip on the forum.
Sources (2)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 really works!” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“-3 days at 250mg -7 days at 500 mg -1mg/day since July 19 -I’m now where I want to be so dropping to 1mg 2x/week”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Holy moly” (August 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Slowly worked my way up to 1mg. Taken 1mg daily for padded two days.”
Year-round low maintenance
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “17 year consistent user - some thoughts.” (September 2026)
- Forum: Same post
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “Tan update” (July 2026)
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- About 300 mcg (not always stated)
- How often
- About once or twice a week
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- How long
- Continuous, in one case for 17 years without breaks
- Cycle
- No off-cycle
- Ramp
- Higher doses at first, then lower maintenance
- Mixing
- One long-term user pre-loads and freezes syringes
- Some keep a weekly short sunbed session to hold the colour.
Sources (3)
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“I’ve been taking MT2 for 17 years, without cycling off (high dosage at first but then maintenance)”
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ForumSame post (opens in a new tab)
“I do a low maintenance, usually 2 jabs a week. I load up and freeze all my syringes”
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “Tan update” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“I’ve cut down my dosage and sunbed times now to 300mcg and a 12 min sunbed about once a week”
For libido and erections
Collected report · exact form and route are only as reported below. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01.
- Forum: Reddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 protocol” (July 2026)
- Forum: Same post
Frequency labels describe this collection, not a measured population. Contradictory records remain available.
Details and sourcesHide details
- Dose
- 250–500 mcg
- How often
- Not stated
- Route
- Injection under the skin
- The sexual effects that led to PT-141 are also a reason some people take melanotan II.
Sources (2)
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ForumReddit r/Melanotan2: “MT2 protocol” (July 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Im honestly on it because the libido and erections are borderline satanic”
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ForumSame post (opens in a new tab)
“I’m currently doing 500mcg while my wife is at 250mcg since she pukes with 500.”
Where the numbers come from
Forum-built over nearly two decades on tanning and bodybuilding forums. Doses appear to have drifted down: a 2012 poisoning case describes 1 mg as the recommended starting dose at the time, while current Reddit users mostly start at 0.1–0.25 mg. No clinical dose exists because the drug was never approved.
Home-made sprays and serums
Home-made nasal spray. Community recipes. Not tested.
Original source recordsHide
Melanotan II ‘nasal tanners’ are widely sold, often as kits of two 10 mg vials, sterile water and an empty spray bottle to mix at home; people also make their own with bacteriostatic water. Case reports now describe users of MT2 nasal spray, including a mouth melanoma.
Best evidence: No trial or approved product. Vendor mixing instructions (TruTan, UK), community posts, and case reports / social-media studies (2025–2026) confirming nasal-spray use.
Collected strength records
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500 mcg per sprayCommon
Workings 2 vials × 10 mg = 20 mg in 2 × 2 mL = 4 mL = 5 mg/mL (as worked out by someone planning to buy the kit); × 0.1 mL = 500 mcg per spray. The kit gives no spray size, so 0.1 mL is assumed (approved sprays deliver about 0.1 mL per press). The seller’s ‘10 daily doses’ of 2 sprays would use only 2 of the 4 mL at that size.
Sources (6)
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“2 x 10mg Melanotan 2 vials”
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“each vial of MT2 should be mixed with 2ml (2 FULL SYRINGES PER VIAL) as a minimum”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/GulliblePanic5098 (post, 2025-08-18) (opens in a new tab)
“Therefore the total solution comes out to 4ml of sterile water and 20mg of Melanotan”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/GulliblePanic5098 (post, 2025-08-18) (opens in a new tab)
“I will end up with a ratio of 5mg Melanotan per 1ml solution”
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VendorTruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“When mixed as per our recommendation, each kit provides 10 daily doses”
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ManufacturerDesmopressin Nasal Spray, USP – FDA label (Apotex), DailyMed (opens in a new tab)
“Desmopressin nasal spray pump delivers 10 mcg (0.1 mL) of desmopressin acetate per spray.”
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Vendor nasal kit: 2 × 10 mg vials, each mixed with 2 mL injectable water
Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.
- Vendor: TruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit product page (archived 18 Apr 2026)
- Vendor: TruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026)
- Vendor: TruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026)
- Vendor: TruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026)
- Vendor: TruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/GulliblePanic5098 (post, 2025-08-18)
Batch: about 4 mL
Ingredients and methodHide the recipe
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Melanotan II | 2 × 10 mg vials | Active |
| Injectable (sterile) water | 2 mL per vial, as a minimum (5 mL supplied) | Liquid |
Method
- Wipe the top of the vial with a sterile wipe.
- Draw a full insulin syringe of water and push it into the vial, onto the side of the glass; repeat (2 full syringes per vial).
- Roll the vial between your fingers until dissolved – don’t shake.
- Repeat with the second vial.
- Draw all the solution from both vials and put it gently into the nasal bottle.
- How it’s used
- 2 sprays a day, one in each nostril; one kit gives 10 daily doses.
- Preservative
- None (sterile water).
- Storage
- Refrigerate once mixed.
- The seller claims nasal sprays are about 30–40% as effective as injections, which is why the kit has two vials.
- A 2025 user following the same kit instructions worked out 5 mg per mL and thought that too strong to start.
Not stated: the amount per dose and how long it keeps.
Sources (6)
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“each vial of MT2 should be mixed with 2ml (2 FULL SYRINGES PER VIAL) as a minimum”
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VendorTruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Draw out all of the mixed solution from both vials with the syringe and place into your nasal bottle (gently)”
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VendorTruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“When mixed as per our recommendation, each kit provides 10 daily doses”
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VendorTruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“Once mixed, your solution must be kept refrigerated for freshness and safety.”
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VendorTruTan – Melanotan 2 Tanning Nasal Spray Kit (archived 2026) (opens in a new tab)
“While nasal sprays deliver around 30–40% the effectiveness of injections, each kit comes with 2 x 10mg vials”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/GulliblePanic5098 (post, 2025-08-18) (opens in a new tab)
“I will end up with a ratio of 5mg Melanotan per 1ml solution”
MT2 powder with bacteriostatic or sterile water in a spray bottle (home-made)
Original source-specific report. Collection checked 30 Sep 2026; presentation annotated 2026-10-01. Source date and reporter identity are not separately verified. Exact form and route are limited to the source’s description.
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/[deleted] (post, 2023-05-13)
- Forum: Reddit r/Peptides, u/Naive_Succotash_973 (post, 2026-02-11)
Ingredients and methodHide the recipe
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Melanotan II | 10 mg vial | Active |
| Bacteriostatic water or sterile water (5 mL supplied in one kit) | not stated | Liquid |
Not stated: how it’s used and the amount per dose.
Sources (2)
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/[deleted] (post, 2023-05-13) (opens in a new tab)
“I’ve seen people make their own Melanotan nasal sprays from reconstituting the solid MT2 with bac water then putting it into a nasal spray bottle.”
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ForumReddit r/Peptides, u/Naive_Succotash_973 (post, 2026-02-11) (opens in a new tab)
“a kit that includes a vile of 10mg of Melanotan 2 with a nasal spray bottle and 5ml of sterile water.”
How the method was put together, step by step with its sources
Editorial synthesis and reported strength comparison
This synthesized method combines source records. It has not been validated for preparation, sterility, compatibility, absorption or storage. Select a reported strength to inspect the arithmetic; no strength is selected for you.
500 mcg per spray
Makes 4 mL · about 35 sprays (with a 0.1 mL pump)
Synthesized quantities and equipment
- 20 mg Melanotan II
- 4 mL sterile (injectable) water
- Liquid, which people disagree on: sterile saline (gentler, but no preservative), bacteriostatic water (preserved, but can burn), or a mix of the two.
- An empty metered nasal spray bottle. Many are sold as about 0.1 mL per press, but users report 0.05–0.2 mL, so check yours.
- New sterile syringes to measure and move liquid. On a U-100 insulin syringe, 100 units is 1 mL, so 1 unit is 0.01 mL.
- Alcohol prep pads, for the vial stopper and the spray tip.
Synthesized steps · not validated
- Check your pump first: spray a measured amount of water through it and count the presses. Users report about 0.05–0.2 mL per press.
- Wash your hands. Wipe the vial’s rubber stopper with an alcohol pad and let it dry before piercing it.
- With a new sterile syringe, add a little of the liquid slowly, aiming it down the inside wall of the vial, not onto the powder.
- Swirl or roll the vial gently until the powder dissolves; don’t shake it. Don’t use it if it’s cloudy, discoloured or has particles.
- Draw the dissolved peptide back into the syringe and add it gently to the spray bottle.
- Rinse the vial with a little more of the liquid and add that to the bottle too, so no peptide is left behind.
- Make the bottle up to the full batch volume with the rest of the liquid.
- Fit the pump and press it into the air until a fine mist appears; labels say 4–6 presses. Re-prime after 3–7 days unused.
- Label the bottle with the date you mixed it and its strength.
- Before each dose, blow your nose gently. Close one nostril and aim the tip toward the back of your head, not the middle wall.
- Labels differ: some say breathe in gently as you press, others hold your breath. Try not to sneeze or blow your nose straight afterwards.
- Afterwards, wipe the tip with an alcohol wipe, put the cap back on and keep the bottle upright.
- Each spray
- 500 mcg per 0.1 mL spray
- Keeps
- Fridge (2–8 °C), upright; don’t freeze. No tested shelf life: pharmacy defaults are 14 days unpreserved, 35 days preserved; saline dilutes bacteriostatic water’s preservative.
- How it’s used
- One press per nostril at a time: a nostril holds about 0.1 mL, at most 0.15 mL, and more runs out or is swallowed.
Good to know
- Bacteriostatic water contains 0.9–1.1% benzyl alcohol as a preservative. Its label covers mixing injections, not nasal use; EU labels warn of allergic reactions.
- Some use store-bought saline nasal spray for its preservatives: often benzalkonium chloride, which can irritate the nose with long use, and sometimes benzyl alcohol.
- Never tap water: it is not sterile, and CDC researchers warn against it for nasal rinsing.
This method is a guide put together from the sources cited for each item (drug labels, pharmacy and CDC rules, research reviews and community recipes); it is not anyone’s tested protocol. The method’s sources
What people report
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Regulator
FDA lists melanotan II among substances that may present significant compounding risks; published case reports include melanoma, PRES (a brain-swelling syndrome), sympathomimetic toxidrome and priapism.
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Case report
Case report: a 22-year-old woman who had used an MT2 nasal spray before UV tanning sessions developed a malignant melanoma inside the mouth (Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2025).
Source: Yassin Alsabbagh et al., Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2025 (PubMed 40210573) (opens in a new tab)
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Case report
A 2026 case paper describing the same case says she used two sprays in each nostril twice a day for a month.
See all 4Show fewer
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Study
About 3% of pro-tanning TikTok videos analysed referenced melanotan II, including nasal spray formulations.
Source: JAAD Case Reports (2026), citing a TikTok content analysis (opens in a new tab)
Research notes
Doses have fallen over time, and the forum frequently mixes up mg and mcg (for example “250mg”), a real overdose risk. Nasal sprays are sold as branded tanning products with unclear strength. Several users also take retatrutide or other peptides at the same time.
Nasal spray
Vendor claims about nasal effectiveness (30–40% of injection) are unsourced. The site’s own status line already notes FDA, MHRA and TGA consumer warnings; the TGA warning pages could not be reached in this search.
What it is. In plain English.
An unapproved tanning injection that multiple health agencies have warned against.
A ring-shaped seven-amino-acid α-MSH analog developed at the University of Arizona. PT-141 is almost the same molecule; only the chain end differs.
It activates melanocortin receptors across the body without much selectivity: MC1R (skin pigment), MC4R (sexual arousal, appetite) and others. That’s why it causes tanning, erections and appetite loss together.
Reviewed 2026-10-01.
Structure. A close relative’s structure.
Related structure
Bremelanotide (PT-141, magenta) bound to the human melanocortin-4 receptor (gray). Melanotan II is a close relative of it and has no structure of its own. Also part of the experiment, but not drawn: a G protein and an antibody fragment.
How it differs. This is bremelanotide (PT-141), not melanotan II. The two differ only at the end of the chain: melanotan II ends in an amide, bremelanotide in a free acid. The model contains no acetyl cap or terminal amide, so the atoms you see are the same either way.
Missing parts
- The ring that closes the peptide is drawn from the positions of its atoms: the entry’s file doesn’t list that bond.
- A calcium ion that touches the peptide and the receptor in the experiment isn’t drawn.
7F55, Zhang et al., 2021. Rendered with Mol* (Sehnal et al., 2021) from RCSB PDB data (Berman et al., 2000).
Specs. The facts at a glance.
- Length
- 7 amino acids, ring-shaped
- Sequence
- Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH₂
- Sold as
- Melanotan II 10 mg
- Regulatory status
- Not approved anywhere. Australia’s TGA warns against it, the UK’s MHRA advises anyone using it to stop, and the FDA lists serious reported harms, including melanoma.
- Also known as
- Unapproved tanning peptide
Sources. What this page rests on.
Every source behind this page, with what it says and when it was checked, is in the Source library.
Melanotan II in the Source library
Original overview and research notes · annotated 2026-10-01
Historical collection text. Read alongside the claim corrections above; identity or evidence qualifications may supersede this wording.
Tanning (unapproved)
An unapproved tanning injection that multiple health agencies have warned against.
A ring-shaped seven-amino-acid α-MSH analog developed at the University of Arizona. PT-141 is almost the same molecule; only the chain end differs.
It activates melanocortin receptors across the body without much selectivity: MC1R (skin pigment), MC4R (sexual arousal, appetite) and others. That’s why it causes tanning, erections and appetite loss together.
Small early human trials showed tanning with little sun and erectile effects. Commercial development was abandoned in favor of the more targeted afamelanotide and bremelanotide.
Original status record: Not approved anywhere. Australia’s TGA warns against it, the UK’s MHRA advises anyone using it to stop, and the FDA lists serious reported harms, including melanoma.