In Plain English
Melanocortin receptors sit in several places in the body and do several unrelated jobs — pigmentation, sexual arousal, appetite regulation. Melanotan I mainly hits the pigment one. Melanotan II hits most of them. That is why its effects are stronger and broader, and it is also why the side effect list is longer.
What people use it for. Tanning, with sexual arousal effects and appetite suppression as commonly reported secondary effects.
What to know before you buy. Melanotan II is stronger than Melanotan I because it is less selective — it activates several receptors instead of mainly one. That is the whole story of this compound, good and bad. The same skin cancer consideration applies as with MT-I, and more so given the wider activity: if you have any melanoma history, unusual moles or heavy sun damage, see a dermatologist first. Additionally, prolonged painful erection is a documented risk with this compound and is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. Nausea on early doses is common.
What It's Used For
| Goal | What that rests on |
|---|---|
| Tanning with less sun | Melanocortin receptor activation stimulates melanin independently of UV |
| Stronger than MT-I | Broader receptor activity produces more pronounced effects |
| Appetite suppression | A commonly reported MC4R effect |
| Honest caveat | The same breadth causes the side effects. Priapism is a documented risk and a medical emergency. Skin history screening applies |
The left column lists goals people commonly pursue with this compound; the right column states what that rests on. These are described uses and research findings, not proven outcomes or treatment claims. Individual results vary and no outcome is promised.
Pricing & Sizes
Ships sealed and lyophilized — stable for years at room temperature, reconstitute before use, or ask and it will be reconstituted free at the volume shown below. Free shipping on every order, no minimum. Third-party COA available for every batch — HPLC purity and mass spec verification.
Reconstitution — bacteriostatic water: 10mg vial at 2mL = 5mg/mL, so 10 units on a 100-unit syringe draws 0.5mg. Concentrations are arithmetic from vial content and diluent volume, not a dosing recommendation.
Text To OrderAt a Glance
- Class
- Synthetic cyclic analogue of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone
- Receptors
- Non-selective across melanocortin receptors including MC1R, MC3R and MC4R
- Effects
- Pigmentation (MC1R) plus pronounced sexual arousal effects and appetite suppression (MC3R/MC4R)
- Approved status
- None anywhere. Unlike Melanotan I, MT-II has no approved counterpart in any market
- Related approved drug
- Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) is an MT-II-derived analogue approved for hypoactive sexual desire disorder — a different, refined molecule
- Regulatory (US)
- Not FDA-approved. Not on the July 2026 PCAC agenda
- Format
- 10mg vial
Important safety considerations — read first
Two distinct issues. First, like all melanocortin tanning peptides, MC1R activation stimulates melanocytes and does not distinguish normal from abnormal ones — a personal or family history of melanoma, atypical naevi or significant sun damage is a specific contraindication to discuss with a dermatologist. Case reports describe changes in existing moles and eruptive naevi following melanotan use. Second, MT-II’s broader receptor activity is associated with reported adverse effects including priapism (prolonged painful erection, a urological emergency), nausea and vomiting, and blood pressure changes. Not on the July 2026 PCAC agenda.
MT-II vs MT-I
| Melanotan II | Melanotan I | |
|---|---|---|
| Selectivity | Broad — MC1R, MC3R, MC4R | More MC1R-selective |
| Sexual effects | Pronounced; spontaneous erections commonly reported | Minimal |
| Appetite | Suppression commonly reported | Minimal effect |
| Nausea | Common, particularly on early doses | Less common |
| Priapism risk | Reported; a recognised concern | Not characteristic |
| Approved counterpart | None | Scenesse (afamelanotide) |
The Bremelanotide Comparison
Bremelanotide, marketed as Vyleesi, is an FDA-approved drug for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women, and it was derived from Melanotan II. This is sometimes cited as validation of MT-II. It is better read the other way round: pharmaceutical developers took MT-II, refined it into a more selective molecule, and put that through clinical trials. The approval belongs to the refined compound, not to MT-II.
MT-II itself has no completed approval-standard trial programme in any jurisdiction, and no long-term safety data for cosmetic use.
The bottom line
Stronger and broader in effect than Melanotan I, with a correspondingly wider risk profile and no approved counterpart anywhere. Given the melanocyte activation mechanism and the reported priapism and cardiovascular effects, this is a compound where a dermatologist and a clinician — not a supplier — should be answering the screening questions.
Also in the Range
Compare with Melanotan-I, which is more MC1R-selective, has an approved counterpart in a rare disease indication, and lacks the sexual, appetite and priapism effects.