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Head-to-head evidence comparison — which supplement is right for you?
Afamelanotide vs Melanotan-1: their evidence isn't directly comparable (one is unscored); they're alternatives for tanning & skin darkening — the best pick depends on your goals. Take the 60-second quiz for a pick tailored to your goals.
Afamelanotide wins 1 of 3 categories. Both are solid choices — the best pick depends on your specific goals.
Verdict
Mostly mechanism / observational
Top outcomes
Verdict
Mostly mechanism / observational
Top outcomes
Shared outcomes (2)
Outcomes where both Afamelanotide and Melanotan-1 have evidence — compare verdict strength side-by-side.
Approved EPP regimen is a single 16 mg controlled-release SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANT inserted by a clinician approximately every 60 days. There is NO consumer dose — afamelanotide is a prescription drug administered in a clinical setting, not a self-dosed supplement.
any
16 mg subcutaneous controlled-release implant (prescription, clinician-administered)
No validated dose for cosmetic tanning. Grey-market injectable use is unapproved; the legitimate, evidence-based form of this peptide is the prescription afamelanotide (Scenesse) implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria — see that entry.
any
None established for grey-market use (research peptide)
Over each ~60-day implant cycle
Days to weeks
8-24 weeks
Around implant placement
Days to weeks
After dosing
Weeks to months
Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria.
N Engl J Med (2015) · Rct · n=168
Two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trials of 16 mg subcutaneous afamelanotide implants every 60 days (EU n=74, US n=94)
Afamelanotide and narrowband UV-B phototherapy for the treatment of vitiligo: a randomized multicenter trial.
JAMA Dermatol (2015) · Rct · n=55
Randomized multicenter trial in non-segmental vitiligo: combination 16 mg afamelanotide + NB-UV-B (n=28) vs NB-UV-B monotherapy (n=27)
Afamelanotide: A Review in Erythropoietic Protoporphyria.
Am J Clin Dermatol (2016) · Review
Drug review summarizing the approved 16 mg controlled-release subcutaneous implant for EPP
Effect of MELANOTAN, [Nle(4), D-Phe(7)]-alpha-MSH, on melanin synthesis in humans with MC1R variant alleles.
Peptides (2006) · Rct · n=77
Randomized human study of Melanotan-1 (NDP-MSH) on melanin synthesis in 77 individuals
Afamelanotide (CUV1647) in dermal phototoxicity of erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Expert review of clinical pharmacology (2015) · Review
Review of afamelanotide — the regulated form of this same peptide — in erythropoietic protoporphyria
Melanotropic peptides: more than just 'Barbie drugs' and 'sun-tan jabs'?
The British journal of dermatology (2010) · Review
Review of melanotropic peptides including their cosmetic-tanning misuse
Afamelanotide has gradable evidence while Melanotan-1 has insufficient evidence to score and wins in 1 of 3 categories.
For tanning & skin darkening, Afamelanotide has a higher relevance score (50 vs 40).
No known interactions between Afamelanotide and Melanotan-1 have been documented in our database. However, always consult a healthcare provider before combining supplements.
The right pick depends on your goals. Answer a few quick questions for a personalised recommendation — or dig into the full evidence on each.