An unapproved tanning injection that also affects libido.
StatusNot approved anywhere; regulator warnings
How well studied in peopleSmall human studies
Experts quotedDVSAHKH4 experts
iNot medical advice. We don’t recommend any dose. Every dose below is a quote from the person named, describing their views or their own use. Melanotan II is not approved anywhere. Regulators including the UK MHRA, the US FDA, Australia’s TGA and the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish medicines agencies have warned against buying or using unlicensed melanotan products.
What experts say about dosing
2 statements from 1 person. Each one is word for word: we add punctuation only and mark cuts with […]. The chips repeat the exact words used.
“very low dose first (50-75 mcg) … 250 mcg … 500 mcg”
How often
“only one 250 mcg shot per week (maintenance)”
How long
“this took a couple months”
When
“pre-tanning”
“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.”
Read the sourceMelanotan II Results (With Before And After Pictures) – The Tanning Drug (moreplatesmoredates.com article) · 26 Apr 2016
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.
Titration and frequency
Dose
“start very low … bump the dosage by 25 mcg”
How often
“every other day or every third day”
When
“only on days of tanning”
“An ideal approach in my opinion would be to start very low, and then every 3 sessions (Melanotan II administration coupled with post-administration tanning) bump the dosage by 25 mcg and increase the tanning duration by 1 minute (assuming tanning is being done in a tanning bed). Administration and tanning would be done every other day or every third day (or less frequently depending on personal needs). Administration should NEVER be done on days that you are not going tanning.”
Read the sourceMelanotan II Results (With Before And After Pictures) – The Tanning Drug (moreplatesmoredates.com article) · 26 Apr 2016
Context: Same section. He also writes that the common “loading phase” protocol “is complete bullshit and is totally unnecessary”.
What experts say about safety
6 statements from 4 people about risks and how strong the evidence is.
“Nausea is one of them, as well as flushing of the face, tiredness, decreased appetite and spontaneous erections (in males only obviously). […] To minimize any negative effects, simply opt for a lower dose. Usually the users who encounter issues or undesirable side effects are simply dosing way too high.”
Read the sourceMelanotan II Results (With Before And After Pictures) – The Tanning Drug (moreplatesmoredates.com article) · 26 Apr 2016
Context: From the side-effects section of the same article.
Own experience: permanent darkening
“if you're just using it for a short sporadic period of time, I'm not 100% sure if it's gonna be permanent, but if you've gotten really dark with it it's quite likely […] I think there you can definitely expect your base color once you discontinued it and stop getting UV exposure to be a darker than what your original skin color is”
Watch at 0:47Melanotan II PERMANENTLY Darkened My Skin! (More Plates More Dates) · 22 May 2019
Context: Solo video. A companion article on his site (22 May 2019) says: “Yes, to some extent, Melanotan II permanently darkened my skin after a year of continuous use.”
AH
Andrew HubermanNeuroscientist, Stanford School of Medicine; host of Huberman Lab
What it does
“Melanotan 2 3 4 and 5 also lead to darkening of the skin by way of activating melanocytes in the skin but because they can cross the blood-brain barrier they cause effects that are at the level of psychology […]”
Watch at 1:15:32Huberman Lab: Benefits & Risks of Peptide Therapeutics for Physical & Mental Health · 1 Apr 2024 · show notes
Context: He then describes effects on mood, libido and appetite. He gives no dose.
Side effects of melanocortin peptides
“Now, there are some side effects associated with these compounds. Uh one of the more common ones is nausea, and that's because there are melanocyte stimulating um hormone receptors all throughout the gut. They can also cause flushing of the skin, and they can cause blood pressure to increase. Also, folks with melanoma should be very cautious about using any of the peptides that stimulate melanocytes because that could potentially exacerbate melanoma.”
Watch at 1:16:54Huberman Lab: Benefits & Risks of Peptide Therapeutics for Physical & Mental Health · 1 Apr 2024 · show notes
Context: Said about PT-141 and the melanotan peptides together.
KH
Dr Kent HoltorfPhysician; host of the Peptides and Longevity podcast (Big Doc Energy)
Age and dark spots
“there's melanotan one and then two which is uh which is available: you get tan, you lose weight, increase libido, increase erectile function […] but the problem is if you're young that's great, you get tan, but if you're older it will bring out dark spots”
Watch at 26:33Peptides 101 (Peptides and Longevity podcast / Big Doc Energy, Dr Kent Holtorf) · 5 Feb 2025
Context: From his solo introduction to peptide classes. The cut removes his nickname for it. He gives no dose.
VS
Vigorous SteveBodybuilding coach and YouTuber (VigorousSteve)
Blood counts
“You generally don't see this in individuals who, um, just run melanotan to, let's say, half a milligram, 1 milligram per day, to increase their tan. Their hematology doesn't really change that much.”
Watch at 3:09Melanotan-2 & Testosterone… Hematocrit (VigorousClips) · 2 Dec 2025
Context: He is discussing anecdotal rises in haematocrit seen in bodybuilders who combine Melanotan II with anabolic steroids, and says there is no clinical evidence of this in drug-free people. “melanotan to” is how the captions render “Melanotan 2”. This describes what others run, not a recommendation.
Go deeper
What the research used
Context, not a dosing guide. 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.
Only tiny, short human studies were ever published.
Case reports link use with new or changing moles and melanoma; causation is not proven.
Unlicensed products vary in content and sterility.
It stimulates other melanocortin receptors (appetite, sexual function, nausea).
Common questions
Is Melanotan II legal?
It is not approved as a medicine anywhere, and regulators have warned the public not to buy it.
Is the tan permanent?
Derek of More Plates More Dates says it permanently darkened his skin to some extent after a year of use; see his quote.
Can it affect moles?
Huberman warns people with melanoma to be very cautious, and case reports describe melanomas in users. See the safety section.
Why does the protocol section only contain quotes?
We do not write our own dose ranges. The protocol cards show, word for word, what named people have publicly said, with their caveats and a link to the source.
About this page
Word-for-word statements about how Melanotan II is used for tanning, including own-use accounts and side effects, each with a link to the source. The published research is listed separately as context.