Reviewed by the PeptideMind Team · Updated July 15, 2026

Melanotan I Dosage Guide, Benefits & Side Effects

Approved as Afamelanotide, Melanotan I stimulates UV-independent melanin production, easing phototoxic reactions in EPP patients. See research.

Chemical Makeup

7

Amino Acids

Melanotan I

?

X

Position 1

Asp

D

Position 2

His

H

Position 3

Phe

F

Position 4

Arg

R

Position 5

Trp

W

Position 6

Lys

K

Position 7

Amino acid sequence
?Position 1
Aspartic acidPosition 2
HistidinePosition 3
PhenylalaninePosition 4
ArgininePosition 5
TryptophanPosition 6
LysinePosition 7

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Melanotan I Dosage Guide for Skin & UV Protection

Melanotan I helps your skin tan and offers some UV protection, with fewer side effects than Melanotan II. People usually use it daily until they get the tan they want, then use it less often to maintain it.

Vial size

10 mg

Bacteriostatic water

3 mL

Dosing

250–500 mcg

Frequency

Daily

Cycle

2–4 weeks

Benefit

Skin & UV Protection

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What is Melanotan I?

Melanotan I (afamelanotide) is a lab-made version of a natural skin-pigment hormone that tells your skin cells to produce more melanin, the pigment that darkens skin. It's FDA-approved under the brand name Scenesse to help people with a rare condition that makes them extremely sensitive to sunlight tolerate more light exposure safely. It's also being explored for other skin and light-sensitivity conditions.

Skin

Research targets include collagen production, skin elasticity, and hair follicle health.

Skin

MT-1

Is Melanotan I FDA approved?

Melanotan I is FDA approved.

FDA Approved

Melanotan I has been reviewed and approved by the FDA for safety and efficacy in its approved indications.

Regulated Manufacturing

Manufactured under FDA-regulated quality standards, ensuring consistent purity and dosing.

Prescription Use

Legally available by prescription for its approved medical indications.

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How Does Melanotan I Work?

It attaches to a pigment-cell receptor, switching on an internal chemical cascade that boosts an enzyme responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that darkens and protects skin. This happens without any need for actual sun exposure to trigger it.

Binds a pigment receptor

Attaches to a melanocyte receptor without needing sun exposure.

Switches on a cascade

Triggers an internal chemical chain reaction.

Boosts melanin

Raises the enzyme responsible for producing skin-darkening pigment.

Melanotan I Targeted areas

How to reconstitute Melanotan I

View guide

The materials you'll need and step-by-step instructions for safely mixing Melanotan I with bacteriostatic water.

Materials needed

Your Melanotan I vial (lyophilized)

Alcohol swabs

Bacteriostatic sterile water

3 mL syringes (Luer Lock tip)

25G or 27G needles (Luer Lock). Other gauges may also be acceptable.

Sharps container (optional)

1

Remove the caps

Remove the caps from both your Melanotan I vial and your bacteriostatic water vial.
2

Sanitize the rubber stoppers

Wipe down the rubber stoppers on both vials with alcohol swabs and let them dry for about 3 minutes.
3

Attach the needle

Take your 3 mL syringe and needle. Twist the needle's plastic hub into the Luer Lock tip on the syringe to secure it.
4

Draw the bac water

Pull back on the plunger to draw your desired volume of bacteriostatic water. If you overfill, just push the excess back in until you reach the right marker on the syringe.

How much bac water? Melanotan I typically comes in a 10 mg vial. We recommend 3 mL of bacteriostatic water, though anywhere between 1 mL and 3 mL is acceptable. For larger vials you can use up to 5 mL — more bac water makes microdosing easier, but insulin needles usually max out at 1 mL per injection. That means a lot of bac water might force you into multiple injections to hit your target dose. Unless you're microdosing, 2 mL per vial is a solid rule of thumb.
5

Insert the needle into the Melanotan I vial

With the bac water in your syringe, insert the needle into the Melanotan I vial at a slight angle to avoid pressure buildup.

Use a thin needle: Stick to 25G or higher to avoid damaging the rubber stopper. Higher gauge means a thinner needle.
6

Release the water gently

Let the water run gently down the side of the vial. Don't inject it forcefully.

Heads up: Sometimes the plunger pushes itself in as soon as the needle enters the vial. Hold the plunger back so you have full control over how fast the bac water enters.
7

Swirl to dissolve

Avoid shaking. Gently swirl, flip, and roll the vial to dissolve the powder.

Be patient: This usually takes 2 to 5 minutes of consistent swirling, mixing in a circular motion, and gently flipping the vial up and down. The water needs to run through the powder many times to fully dissolve it. Don't shake or get aggressive with it.
8

Check for full dissolution

The solution should be clear with no visible particles. If it's cloudy or clumpy, wait a minute and repeat the swirling step.
9

Cap, dispose, and store

Once you're done, cap the needle and dispose of it (ideally in a sharps container). Store the reconstituted Melanotan I vial in the fridge whenever it's not in use. It will stay good for approximately 30 days.

How to Store Melanotan I

Keep the dry powder well below freezing; it can handle room temperature for a few weeks. Once mixed with liquid, refrigerate and use within a week, or freeze it for longer, avoiding repeated freezing and thawing.

Lyophilized Storage

Store below -18°C, stable at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Reconstituted Storage

2–8°C for up to 7 days, or below -18°C for long-term.

Handling Notes

Avoid freeze-thaw cycles.

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What Are the Benefits of Melanotan I?

What research says it may help with, and how it works in the body.

skin health

More pigment in the skin gives natural protection from the sun's rays and reduces sunburn risk.

Helps pigment spread evenly across the skin, so tans look more even rather than blotchy.

Boosts the skin's natural pigment (melanin) to produce a deeper, longer-lasting tan with less sun exposure needed.

medical applications

It's the active ingredient in SCENESSE, an implant that has official FDA approval for a specific medical use.

What Are the Side Effects of Melanotan I?

Who should avoid it, warning signs to watch for, and what to know before combining it with other compounds.

Who Should Avoid It

Stop Right Away If You Notice

Severe nausea/vomiting lasting >24 hours

Rapid concerning mole/freckle changes

Injection site infection signs

Unusual skin reactions

Allergic reaction symptoms

Milder Signs to Watch For

Pre-mixed liquid solutions (degrade rapidly)Cloudy or discolored solution
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How Long Should a Melanotan I Cycle Last?

This breaks down how long a typical Melanotan I cycle runs and what research suggests happens at each stage. Research shows that staying on a peptide continuously, without a break, may make it less effective over time.

That's why most research protocols build in a break between cycles, often called a washout period, to let the body reset before starting again.

Day 1-3
Possible mild nausea, facial flushing, reduced appetite
Day 3-7
Initial skin darkening, increased mole/freckle pigmentation
Week 1-2
Noticeable tanning with minimal UV exposure
Week 2-4
Peak effects, maintained pigmentation with reduced frequency

Cheat Sheets Featuring Melanotan I

See how Melanotan I fits into a broader research stack with these free downloadable cheat sheets. Each one includes reference dose ranges, dosing frequency, and half-life for every peptide it covers. For research purposes only.

View all
Master Peptide Cheat Sheet
Master Peptide Cheat Sheet

78 peptides

Skin & Hair Peptide Cheat Sheet
Skin & Hair Peptide Cheat Sheet

7 peptides

Browse user-created protocols

Real protocols from the community that include Melanotan I

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Healing

Daily peps

Kennedy

4

Weight

GLP-3

Healing

core

Skin

MT-1

Melanotan I Research References

It is a fda approved compound

3Research references

Melanotan I

Melanotan I is a fda approved compound

MT-I Photoprotection Study

Demonstrated significant photoprotection effects

n.d.

Melanocortin Receptor Binding Study

Characterized MC1R selectivity

n.d.

Pharmacokinetics Injectable MT-I

Established half-life and bioavailability parameters

n.d.

Frequently Asked Questions About Melanotan I

Straight answers on reconstitution, dosing, and safety, everything you need to research with confidence. For research reference only.