Supplements
Melanotan II ('Tan Injections')
It works — that is the problem. An unlicensed, unregulated peptide with documented melanoma reports and eruptive, darkening moles.
Also called: melanotan · mt2 · tanning injection · barbie drug
Verdict — cope
The mechanism does not hold. Your time is better spent elsewhere.
Evidence grade C
Mechanistic plausibility, small studies, or observational data. Suggestive, not established.
Mechanism
Non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist. MC1R activation drives eumelanin synthesis; MC3/MC4 activity produces the nausea, flushing and priapism users describe.
Citations
- Melanoma and changes in melanocytic naevi associated with Melanotan use: a case seriesJAMA Dermatology · 2017
- Melanotan-associated toxicity: a review of reported adverse effectsClinical Toxicology · 2019
The full read
Unlike most entries in this section, the mechanism is sound and the effect is real — which is exactly why it needs a clear read rather than a dismissal. Melanotan II is sold grey-market, is not approved anywhere for cosmetic use, and comes as a lyophilised powder reconstituted by the user with no sterility or purity assurance. The dermatology literature carries repeated reports of new and changing naevi, eruptive darkening of existing moles, and melanoma diagnosed in users — plus the practical problem that a field of rapidly darkening moles makes melanoma surveillance much harder. Afamelanotide, the licensed analogue, exists for a rare photosensitivity disorder under specialist supervision, not for a tan.
