Peptide Graded

Melanotan I

Is Melanotan I safe?

Short trials; online product untested

BSome human evidenceNot approvedas of 2026-10-26

In the EPP trials the implant's side effects were mostly mild. They were nausea, headache, reactions where the shot went in, and darkening of skin and moles. The label advises full-body skin checks. The drug darkens existing moles and could in theory hide melanoma. 2

Injectable Melanotan I bought online has no quality control. The 2006 trial was the only tanning study, and it had 65 participants over three months. No one knows the long-term effects on moles and melanoma risk in people who use it for cosmetic tanning over years. A 2013 analysis of seized products found variable content and contaminants. 13

Online products are unregulated. They have been found to vary in content and purity. The approved form is an implant placed by a doctor for a rare disease. 23

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More on Melanotan I

Citations

  1. Barnetson 2006, J Invest Dermatol: [Nle4-D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH increased pigmentation and decreased UV damage in fair-skinned volunteers pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  2. Langendonk 2015, NEJM: Afamelanotide for erythropoietic protoporphyria pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. 2013, J Pharm Biomed Anal: Analysis of melanotan products purchased on the internet doi.org

Reference information only, not medical advice. Drawn from the Melanotan I article, fact-checked against the cited sources. No dosing anywhere on this site.