selective melanocortin-1 receptor agonist · studied for tanning and sunburn protection, light sensitivity in erythropoietic protoporphyria (FDA approved as a 16 mg implant)

Melanotan I dosage

Melanotan I is afamelanotide, a linear alpha-MSH analog that is more selective than MT-2 and does not cause the erections. As Scenesse it is a 16 mg implant placed every 2 months by a clinician. The 2004 Arizona tanning trials injected 0.08 to 0.16 mg/kg a day (5.6 to 11 mg for 70 kg) for 10 days, with only nausea and flushing. Community use of the 10 mg vials is far lower: 0.25 to 1 mg a day, then once or twice a week.

By the Peptide Calculations editors · Updated 2026-10-19

16 mg implant every 2 monthsper 2 months

Basis: FDA label. Scenesse, subcutaneous implant placed above the hip by a trained clinician; erythropoietic protoporphyria only

How often: daily while loading (community) or 5 days a week (trial), then 1 to 2 times a week
When: evening; pair with modest sun exposure, which the trial showed it works with, not instead of
How long: 10 days to 4 weeks loading, maintenance through the season
Route: subcutaneous (vials); subcutaneous implant for the approved product
Storage: lyophilized: fridge or freezer; reconstituted: fridge, dark, use within 4 weeks (commonly reported)

Dose ranges by source

Range	Per	Basis	Note
16 mg implant every 2 months	2 months	FDA label	Scenesse, subcutaneous implant placed above the hip by a trained clinician; erythropoietic protoporphyria only
0.08 mg/kg to 0.16 mg/kg per day (5.6 mg to 11.2 mg at 70 kg)	day	clinical trial (Dorr et al. 2004, Arch Dermatol, three phase 1 studies, 10 days daily or 5 days a week for 4 weeks)	tanning in 3 of 4 subjects at the low dose; toxicity limited to nausea and transient facial flushing
0.25 mg to 1 mg per day	day	commonly reported	loading, then 1 to 2 mg a week as maintenance

Melanotan I dose to units chart

10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL (50 mcg per unit on a U-100 insulin syringe). 10 mg + 2 mL = 5 mg/mL, so 500 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units, 1 mg = 20 units and 250 mcg = 5 units.

Dose	mL	Units (U-100)
11.2 mg	2.24	224
16 mg	3.2	320
20 mg	4	400

Different vial or water? Full 10 mg + 2 mL table or set your own numbers below.

Side effects

nausea
transient facial flushing
darkening of moles and freckles (the label calls for twice-yearly skin checks)
appetite loss
injection site redness

Before you start. The approved form is an implant for a rare disease and the Scenesse label calls for a full-body skin exam twice a year because moles darken. The tanning trial doses are 10 times what community users inject, so the community range is not a trial range. Anyone with a melanoma history should not use it. Not medical advice. Talk to a clinician and start low.

Melanotan I dosage questions

Melanotan 1 dosage for tanning?

Community practice is 0.25 to 1 mg a day for 10 days to 4 weeks with some sun, then 1 to 2 mg a week. The published tanning trials used 0.08 to 0.16 mg/kg a day for 10 days, about 10 times more, and saw only nausea and flushing. Start at 0.25 mg.

What is the difference between melanotan 1 and 2?

MT-1 is selective for the MC1 skin receptor, so it tans without the erections, strong appetite loss and most of the nausea that MT-2 causes. It needs more peptide per dose and works slower. MT-1 is also an approved drug (Scenesse) for a rare light-sensitivity disease; MT-2 is approved nowhere.

How many units is 1 mg of melanotan 1?

At 5 mg/mL (10 mg in 2 mL) 1 mg is 20 units. 500 mcg is 10 units. With 1 mL of water, halve those.

How long does melanotan 1 last?

The approved implant is replaced every 2 months. In the 2004 trial the tan held at least 3 weeks longer than sun alone. Users report the color fading over 1 to 2 months without maintenance doses.

Sources

Brands we recommend for Melanotan I. We are independent and have no affiliation with any brand: no affiliate links, no referral codes, no paid placements. These are the suppliers whose testing and certificates hold up when we check them.

Licensed Peptides two accredited labs on every lot, certificates public, card and Apple Pay checkout
Core Peptides long track record, public certificates, wide catalog
Ascension Peptides public third-party testing, clear pricing

This page is an educational summary of published labels, trials and commonly reported use. It is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician.