Comparison
Three melanocortin peptides: two tanning peptides and one approved for low libido. Below, each one is shown with its status, the state of the human evidence and what named experts have said, word for word.
iNot medical advice. We don’t recommend any peptide or dose, and this page does not say which one is “better”. Every dose below is a quote from the person named.
| Melanotan 1 | Melanotan II | PT-141 (bremelanotide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A tanning peptide; approved only as an implant for a rare disease. | An unapproved tanning injection that also affects libido. | A US medicine for low sexual desire in women (Vyleesi). |
| Category | Sexual health & tanning | Sexual health & tanning | Sexual health & tanning |
| Status | Approved as an implant for EPP (EU/US); injectable not approved | Not approved anywhere; regulator warnings | US prescription medicine (Vyleesi, 2019); not authorised in EU/UK |
| How well studied in people | Approved medicine | Small human studies | Approved medicine |
| Experts quoted | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Dose statements | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Statements filed under one of them that also mention another.
“out of all the choices that we have, I would forego Melanotan 2, I would forego PT-141, I would forego Selank […] And even though I got a libido boost from PT-141, it's not anywhere close to the libido boost I got from Semax.”
Context: Comparing compounds he has tried for libido. He gives no PT-141 dose. The cut removes his comment on Selank.
One statement per expert (the earliest), out of 2 statements on the full page. Quotes are word for word, with cuts marked […].
“HOW I USE MELANOTAN 1: 500 mcg injected subcutaneously 3 times a week, with the doses evenly spaced out within the week.”
Context: Own use, from an article listing “the peptides I am using nearly every day”. He says he takes it for a calm state of mind rather than for tanning, and that he no longer uses Melanotan 2.
“Melanotan-1: 500 mcg injected subcutaneously three times a week, with the doses evenly spaced out within the week.”
Context: From a list of stacks he says he recommends. Just before the list he writes that he has discussed his favourite stacks “with Jay Campbell” and does not want to reinvent the wheel; the wording matches Jay Campbell’s 2022 own-use article almost exactly, so this is best read as Greenfield endorsing the same protocol rather than as a separate one.
One statement per expert (the earliest), out of 2 statements on the full page. Quotes are word for word, with cuts marked […].
“Assess response to a very low dose first (50-75 mcg), and taper up from there. […] It took me weeks before I had even reached a dose of 250 mcg pre-tanning. […] I eventually made my way all the way up to 500 mcg pre-tanning (this took a couple months). […] Now, I can maintain a very dark and healthy looking tan with only one 250 mcg shot per week and a little bit of UV exposure.”
Context: From “The Best Melanotan II Protocol” section of his article (published 26 Apr 2016, updated 12 Jan 2023), which he calls a “hypothetical” protocol that he learned from a researcher online and follows himself. Cuts remove sentences on side effects and freckling.
One statement per expert (the earliest), out of 2 statements on the full page. Quotes are word for word, with cuts marked […].
“PT-141 is dosed at typically 1 to 2 milligrams subq and it's used on an as needed basis, roughly 1 to two hours before you know you know what. For most of the clients that I work with, the sweet spot is two to three times per week throughout the cycle and as needed dose in layering on top of that when you actually want it. […] Start at the lower end though because PT-141 can cause a transient nausea and facial flushing.”
Context: The cut removes his explanation of keeping the pathway “responsive”. He says in his videos that he is not a doctor.
“Doing can be anywhere between a half to one and a half milligrams per dose, administered about 45 to 60 minutes before playtime. You can actually use the injection or nasal, but I noticed the injection is much better. But here's the important part. Maximum usage three times per week. This isn't something that you want to use daily.”
Context: “Doing” is how the captions render “Dosing”. The section is about PT-141 (bremelanotide).
All PT-141 (bremelanotide) statements, safety and research →
The trials below tested a 16 mg implant every 60 days in people with a rare skin disease, not injections in healthy people. They do not tell you a dose for tanning or other uses.
See the studies on the Melanotan 1 page
Melanotan II was only tested in very small early studies in the 1990s, dosed by body weight under supervision. Case reports since then describe melanomas in users. None of this establishes a safe dose.
See the studies on the Melanotan II page
These are the conditions used in the clinical trials that led to approval in women. They are not a guide for other uses.
Compiled from the quotes and research already on each peptide page. Last updated 11 Oct 2026. More comparisons · Glossary