Melanotan II 10mg Dosage Protocol

Cycle

Recommended: tanning-day protocol. This is widely regarded as the best balance of colour, side effects, and mole/freckle risk. It replaces the outdated “daily loading phase” recommended across many sites.

Why pre-tan > night-only

MT-II mainly drives melanogenesis (new melanin). Perfect golden bronze also needs UV oxidation of that melanin (mainly UVA). Deployment → UV within an hour lets new pigment form where skin needs UV protection, then oxidise for an even tan. A big daily load, and UV only on weekends tends to tan exposed areas hard and leave patchy colour elsewhere.

Tanning-day titration (2 mL = 5 mg/mL)

Step	Dose per tanning session	U-100 units	Volume	Notes
Session 1–3	50–75 mcg	1–1.5 units	0.01–0.015 mL	Assess side effects
Every +3 sessions	+25 mcg	+0.5 units	+0.005 mL	Only if dose is tolerated
Typical working range	250–500 mcg	5–10 units	0.05–0.10 mL	Often reached over weeks
Maintenance	~250 mcg	5 units	0.05 mL	Once a week when desired tan is achieved

UV progression: start with very short exposure (1–2 minutes in a bed, or brief sensible sun). Add ~1 minute per tanning session as both dose and tan develops. People with fair or freckle-prone skin should be careful.

Schedule: inject and tan every 2nd or 3rd day (less often if tan develops too quickly). Rest days = no MT-II.

Use 30- or 50-unit syringes for micro-doses under 5 units; they are easier to read.

Session checklist

1. Optional: antihistamine 15–45 minutes before (if struggling with flushing/nausea).
2. Draw dose, inject subQ or intra-nasal. Rotate sites.
3. Within 1 hour: controlled UV exposure. Use sun cream; do not burn.
4. Log dose, UV duration, and all side effects before increasing.

Supplies

Supplies for 12-week tanning-day protocol

Counts below assume 2 tanning sessions per week (~24 injection days), 2 mL recon per vial, slow titration from 50 mcg toward 250–500 mcg, and two alcohol swabs per injection.

Also needed: sharps container, fridge storage, vial labels, UV plan (sun or bed). Tanning-day dosing uses far less peptide than an 8-week daily load (~5 vials).

Daily loading phase (reference only)

• ~5 vials, ~15 mL BAC, ~60 syringes, ~120 swabs for 8 weeks daily at 3 mL recon

General supplies

• Melanotan II 10 mg lyophilised vial(s)
• Bacteriostatic water (BAC), 10 mL or 30 mL vial
• U-100 insulin syringes (1 mL and/or 30–50 unit for small doses)
• Alcohol swabs and sharps container
• Refrigerator for reconstituted vial

Dosing & Reconstitution

Reconstitution (2 mL standard)

Recommended BAC water: 2.0 mL → 10 mg ÷ 2 mL = 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL)

1. Swab rubber stoppers on peptide and BAC vials. Let dry.
2. Draw 2.0 mL bacteriostatic water (1 mL at a time if using a 1 mL syringe).
3. Inject slowly down the inside wall of the peptide vial. Do not squirt directly onto the powder.
4. Swirl or roll gently until clear. Do not shake hard.
5. Label with date and BAC volume. Refrigerate immediately at 2–8 °C.

Formula: dose volume (mL) = desired mcg ÷ 5,000. Syringe units = dose volume × 100.

Examples at 5 mg/mL: 50 mcg = 1 unit · 250 mcg = 5 units · 500 mcg = 10 units.

With BAC, use reconstituted solution within about 1–2 weeks refrigerated. See the Storage Guide.

Quick dose table (2 mL dilution)

Level	Dose per tanning session	Units	Volume
First sessions	50–75 mcg	1–1.5 units	0.01–0.015 mL
Low	100–250 mcg	2–5 units	0.02–0.05 mL
Medium	500 mcg	10 units	0.10 mL
High	750–1,000 mcg	15–20 units	0.15–0.20 mL

Alternative dilution (3 mL)

For the legacy daily-loading table only: 3 mL → 3.33 mg/mL (3,330 mcg/mL). One unit ≈ 33.3 mcg.

Injectable dosing

Subcutaneous injection on tanning days only. Get UV within an hour of the shot for even colour. Injecting at night without same-day UV is a common cause of patchy freckling and mole darkening.

Inject slowly. Fresh needle each time; do not reuse. See Deployment Methods · Injection.

Alternative Protocols

Nasal spray (DIY)

Community protocols reconstitute with 2 mL BAC (5 mg/mL), then dilute into a nasal spray bottle for non-injectable delivery. Absorption and dose per spray vary by device and technique.

1. Reconstitute 10 mg with 2 mL BAC → 5 mg/mL in the peptide vial.
2. Add 6 mL saline to an empty nasal spray bottle (8 mL total volume).
3. Transfer the 2 mL peptide solution into the spray bottle → 10 mg in 8 mL ≈ 1.25 mg/mL.
4. If each spray delivers ~0.1 mL, one spray ≈ 125 mcg.

Level	Sprays per day	Approx. daily dose
Low	1 spray	~125 mcg
Medium	2–4 sprays	~250–500 mcg
High	up to 8 sprays	up to ~1,000 mcg

Split sprays between nostrils. Store refrigerated. Spray volume differs by bottle; calibrate your device before relying on spray counts.

Melanotan I (MT-I) vs Melanotan II

MT-I (afamelanotide) is a linear α-MSH analogue with a longer clinical history in photoprotection trials and has an approved form in some countries. MT-II is a shorter cyclic analogue with stronger potency, but more reported side effects (nausea, freckles). If MT-II side effects are too harsh, MT-I is sometimes chosen instead.

With UV exposure

The tanning-day protocol depends on UV. Phase I showed pigmentation from MT-II injections alone (Dorr et al., 1996), but a deep, even bronze usually needs controlled UV timed with dosing. Without UV, people tend to get a yellow-grey jaundice look rather than a nice golden brown.

What Is Melanotan II

Melanotan II (MT-II) is a synthetic peptide that binds melanocortin receptors, especially MC1R on melanocytes (melanin production) and MC4R in the central nervous system (appetite, autonomic effects, sexual function).

Early Phase I studies reported increased skin pigmentation after subcutaneous cycles, alongside dose-dependent nausea and spontaneous erections linked to MC4R activation (Dorr et al., 1996). MT-II is often sold as a research chemical; it is not approved as a medicine for tanning in most countries.

Supplementary Notes

Maintenance after desired colour

After building colour with a proper protocol, many maintain their tan on ~250 mcg once weekly with brief UV. Pigmentation will fade over months without maintenance; weekly top-ups are typical.

Can MT-II be used alone?

Yes, it doesn’t need a partner for tanning activity. Some might like to combine with GHK-Cu or KPV to help prevent any potential pigmentation issues.

Tanning without deliberate UV

MT-II alone will shift skin tone slightly, but this is a weak approach and most likely to lead to uneven moles and freckle darkening. The recommended protocol always pairs injections and same-day UV.

Side effects and mitigation

Common (dose-dependent): facial flushing, nausea, mild fatigue, reduced appetite, increased libido, spontaneous erections, darkening or new prominence of moles and freckles.

Mitigation (anecdotal / clinical adjuncts):

• Antihistamine (e.g. diphenhydramine) or ginger root 15–45 minutes before dosing may reduce flushing and nausea.
• Ondansetron is used by some users for nausea; prescription-only in the UK.
• Face flushing tends to last around an hour, and is a side effect that disappears as tolerance builds.
• Use the tanning-day protocol: fewer doses, less total peptide, less nausea than daily loading.

Serious: systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis reported after very high single doses (Nelson et al., 2012).

Moles, skin checks, and cancer risk

MT-II stimulates melanocytes. Monitor existing moles and seek dermatology review if you see anything concerning. Melanotan use has appeared in case literature alongside skin cancer diagnoses; however there is no definitive evidence tying these together. Doctors often link MT-II as a cause of skin cancer when a patient has both skin cancer and takes MT-II, but mechanistically there is no clear pathway for MT-II alone to cause melanoma. UV is an established carcinogen (PMID 24355990), whilst increased melanin is photoprotective (PMID 7983590). Unapproved injectables may still reduce odds of skin cancer overall for some users, but that doesn’t make you immune to the harmful effects of UV.

White patches that will not tan (tinea versicolor)

Hypopigmented spots that won’t tan may be tinea versicolor (Malassezia overgrowth), not “uneven tans”. If this occurs, antifungal washes (ketoconazole) might be an approach to improving pigmentation.

Sport and WADA

Check the current WADA Prohibited List for your sport and federation.

Why start low?

Phase I subjects had nausea before higher doses were tested. Anecdotes consistently tie freckles, mole darkening, and nausea with higher doses, or a high daily dose without UV. The tanning-day approach exists to avoid that pattern.

Research

Phase I tanning and safety

Dorr et al. (1996) escalated subQ MT-II in three male volunteers. Pigmentation increased after five low every-other-day doses across two weeks. Nausea was common; researchers recommended 0.025 mg/kg/day for subsequent Phase I work (PubMed).

Maintenance dosing

Clinical and dermatology sources recommend transitioning from daily loading to 1–2 weekly injections to maintain pigmentation (DermNet NZ).

MC4R effects

MT-II is linked to penile erection and sexual motivation via melanocortin pathways (Wessells et al., 2000), consistent with yawning, stretching, and erections noted in Phase I.

Beyond Tanning

MT-II is discussed for effects beyond pigmentation. Human evidence is thin outside melanotropic and MC4R endpoints.

Libido and erectile function

Research: MC4R agonism and human MT-II studies report erection and libido effects (Wessells et al., 2000; Dorr et al., 1996).

Anecdotal: increased libido and erection frequency at moderate doses; erectile dysfunction reported after extreme overdoses.

Appetite and body composition

Research: MC4R signalling influences appetite in broader melanocortin literature; MT-II Phase I noted reduced appetite in some subjects.

Anecdotal: mild fat loss or appetite suppression during loading.

Mood and cognition

Anecdotal: reports of improved mood or calmness.

Neurodevelopment / autism (preclinical only)

Research: Rodent work reports behavioural effects relevant to autism spectrum models (PMID 30629642).

Anecdotal: online claims about “reversing autism”.

References

Clinical trials and pharmacology

1. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci. 1996. PubMed
2. Wessells H, Levine N, Hadley ME, et al. Melanocortin receptor agonists, penile erection, and sexual motivation: human studies with Melanotan II. Int J Impot Res. 2000. DOI
3. Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012. PubMed
4. RxList. Melanotan-II uses, side effects and dosing overview. View source

Patient information and public health

1. DermNet NZ. Melanotan II information for patients: use, side effects, maintenance. View source
2. Health Service Executive (HSE) Ireland. Public health advice on injecting tanning agents (melanotan). View source

Storage and handling

1. Cell Sciences Inc. Melanotan-II product data sheet: lyophilised and reconstituted stability (vendor documentation; direct PDF access may be restricted).
2. NIBSC. Peptide storage guidance. View source

Injection technique

1. MedlinePlus. Subcutaneous injections: patient instructions. View source
2. NCBI Bookshelf. Administration of parenteral medications. View source
3. CDC. Vaccine administration: subcutaneous technique and site selection. View source
4. NCBI Bookshelf. Best practices for injection safety. View source

UV, melanin, and preclinical notes

1. PMID 7983590 · PMID 31968661 · PMID 28703311 · Melanin and photoprotection literature (see PubMed).
2. PMID 24355990. Tanning bed UV and skin cancer risk.
3. PMID 30629642. Rodent model work cited in online neurodevelopment discussions.