PeptideCalculations
selective melanocortin-1 receptor agonist

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 · Studied for tanning and sunburn protection, light sensitivity in erythropoietic protoporphyria (FDA approved as a 16 mg implant)

Dose
16 mg implant every 2 months
per 2 months · FDA label
How often
daily while loading
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

1Dose ranges by source

RangePerBasisNote
16 mg implant every 2 months2 monthsFDA label
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)dayHuman trial
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 daydayCommonly reported
commonly reported
loading, then 1 to 2 mg a week as maintenance

2Dose to units chart

10 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 5 mg/mL, so each unit on a U-100 insulin syringe holds 50 mcg.

DoseDraw (mL)UnitsDoses in vial
11.2 mg2.242240
16 mg3.23200
20 mg44000
Open in the Melanotan I calculatorFull 10 mg + 2 mL table

10 mg + 2 mL = 5 mg/mL, so 500 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units, 1 mg = 20 units and 250 mcg = 5 units.

3Side effects

nauseatransient facial flushingdarkening of moles and freckles (the label calls for twice-yearly skin checks)appetite lossinjection 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.

Storage: lyophilized: fridge or freezer; reconstituted: fridge, dark, use within 4 weeks (commonly reported)

4Melanotan 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.

5Sources

  1. FDA prescribing information, SCENESSE (afamelanotide) implant, 2019
  2. Dorr RT et al., Arch Dermatol 2004, Effects of a superpotent melanotropic peptide (melanotan-1) in combination with solar UV radiation on tanning in human volunteers (PubMed 15262693)
  3. Peptide Protocol Wiki, Melanotan-1 dosing (community ranges)

Educational summary of published labels, trials and commonly reported use. Not medical advice.

Brands we recommend for Melanotan IIndependent. No affiliation with any brand, no affiliate links, no referral codes, no paid placements.
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  2. 2Core Peptides long track record, public certificates, wide catalog
  3. 3Ascension Peptides public third-party testing, clear pricing