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Mt22.0

Melanotan-2 Research

Mostly mechanism / observationalLimited safety

12 peer-reviewed studies

What the evidence says

Mostly mechanism / observational

Most Melanotan-2 studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.

Most evidence is from mixed-quality randomised trials published 1996–2026 with a typical study size of 1 participants.

Based on 12 studies · 2 RCTs · 28 total participants

Confidence

Low

By outcome

Safety & serious harms
Mostly mechanism / observational10 studies
Skin tanning & pigmentation
Mostly mechanism / observational8 studies
Erectile & sexual arousal
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies

Steady research

2 studies in the last 5 years

199620112026

1Review2019

The suspected causes were skin and other diseases (50%); immunosuppressive agents, chemotherapy or melanotan (41%)... Five cases of associated melanoma were reported.

Burian EA, Jemec GBE. · Am J Clin Dermatol (2019)

Systematic review of 179 patients with eruptive melanocytic nevi (sudden onset of new moles)
Drugs including melanotan were among the leading suspected triggers (41% with immunosuppressants/chemotherapy/melanotan)
16% of cases had at least one histologically confirmed dysplastic nevus; five associated melanomas were reported

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2Systematic Review2026

Unregulated melanotan I and II use has caused serious adverse effects, including rhabdomyolysis, renal infarction, and priapism.

Resnick G, Khajeh-Afzaly M, Yousefian F, Raza A, Issa NT. · J Clin Aesthet Dermatol (2026)

PRISMA systematic review of self-tanning agents (68 studies), covering DHA, melanotan, forskolin and carotenoids
Unregulated melanotan I/II use has caused serious adverse effects including rhabdomyolysis, renal infarction and priapism
Frames melanotan as one of the dominant sunless-tanning agents in current use but emphasises its lack of regulation and long-term safety data

3In Vitro2015

Users of these drugs may be exposed to a range of potential harms... given that these products are manufactured, distributed and supplied from an illicit market.

Breindahl T, Evans-Brown M, Hindersson P, McVeigh J, Bellis M, Stensballe A, Kimergård A. · Drug Test Anal (2015)

Analytical study of melanotan-II vials purchased from three illegal online shops
Vials from two shops contained unknown impurities (4.1-5.9%)
Actual melanotan-II content ranged 4.32-8.84 mg despite all shops claiming 10 mg per vial (under-dosing)

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4Crossovern=10 · very small study2000

Melanotan II initiated subjectively reported erections in 12 of 19 injections versus only 1 of 21 doses of placebo.

Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. · Urology (2000)

Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of subcutaneous melanotan-II (0.025 mg/kg) in 10 men with organic-risk erectile dysfunction
Erections reported after 12/19 melanotan-II injections vs 1/21 placebo; mean tip-rigidity >80% lasted 45.3 min vs 1.9 min
Sexual desire was significantly higher after melanotan-II than placebo

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5Crossovern=10 · very small study1998

In 8 of 10 men treated with Melanotan-II clinically apparent erections developed.

Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, Hadley ME, Hruby VJ, Dorr R, Levine N. · J Urol (1998)

Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in 10 men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction
Clinically apparent erections in 8 of 10 men; mean tip rigidity >80% lasted 38.0 min vs 3.0 min for placebo
Transient nausea, stretching/yawning and decreased appetite more frequent with melanotan-II

6Case Studyn=1 · very small study2012

Melanotan II use resulted in systemic toxicity including apparent sympathomimetic symptoms, rhabdomyolysis, and renal dysfunction.

Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. · Clin Toxicol (Phila) (2012)

Case report: a 39-year-old man injected 6 mg of internet-purchased melanotan-II (six times the recommended starting dose) for winter tanning
Developed a sympathomimetic toxidrome — tachycardia to 146 bpm, hypertension, agitation, diaphoresis, mydriasis, tremor
Rhabdomyolysis with CPK rising to 17,773 IU/L and acute renal dysfunction; required ICU admission and IV fluids/bicarbonate

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7Case Studyn=1 · very small study2020

We present a review of Melanotan II and the possible effects of this drug on the kidneys by including a case of a renal infarction most likely attributed to Melanotan II.

Peters B, Hadimeri H, Wahlberg R, Afghahi H. · CEN Case Rep (2020)

Case report plus literature review implicating melanotan-II in renal infarction
Proposes thrombotic pharmacological influence and possible direct renal toxicity as mechanisms
Notes melanotan-II is a non-selective melanocortin agonist used grey-market for pigmentation and sexual stimulation

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8Observational2021

Clinicians should be aware not only of the potential risks in relation to pigmented skin lesions, but also... transmission of infectious diseases, use of potentially contaminated products, polypharmacy, and sunbed exposure.

Gilhooley E, Daly S, McKenna D. · Dermatology (2021)

Qualitative thematic analysis of 623 entries from 205 participants on UK/Ireland online forums
Motivations were a tanned appearance (sun holidays, fitness/bodybuilding competitions) using an unregulated product
Themes included misinformation, self-administration, dosing regimens, sunbed use and concerning practices

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9Pilotn=3 · very small study1996

These results demonstrate that MT-II has tanning activity in humans given only 5 low doses every other day by subcutaneous injection.

Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, Brooks C, Xiang L, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME. · Life Sci (1996)

Original phase-I pilot: single-blind, placebo-controlled trial in just 3 normal male volunteers
Subcutaneous melanotan-II produced increased facial, upper-body and buttock pigmentation after only five low doses
Spontaneous penile erections (1-5 h) and a stretching/yawning complex were observed; mild nausea was common, with somnolence/fatigue at higher dose

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10Case Studyn=1 · very small study2014

We present a case where the melanocyte stimulation of MT-II in combination with the use of sun tanning beds coincided with cutaneous melanoma.

Hjuler KF, Lorentzen HF. · Dermatology (2014)

Case report: a 20-year-old woman developed cutaneous melanoma after a 3-4 week course of self-injected melanotan-II to augment sunbed tanning
Skin was universally intensely pigmented; a suspicious black gluteal lesion was excised and histology confirmed melanoma
Authors warn the drug is unlicensed and incompletely tested, so the extent and types of adverse effects are unknown

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11Case Studyn=1 · very small study2019

This case study presents a patient... with acute priapism after abdominal subcutaneous injection of melanotan... Acute priapism is an unreported side effect of melanocortin analogue use.

Dreyer BA, Amer T, Fraser M. · BMJ Case Rep (2019)

Case report: acute low-flow priapism after subcutaneous melanotan injection for artificial tanning
Managed with cavernosal aspiration, irrigation and intracavernosal phenylephrine; surgical shunting avoided
Patient had not recovered erectile function at 4-week follow-up

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12Case Studyn=1 · very small study2013

Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Kaski D, Stafford N, Mehta A, Jenkins IH, Malhotra P. · Ann Intern Med (2013)

Case report linking melanotan use to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)
PRES is a serious neurological syndrome (headache, visual disturbance, seizures, confusion) with characteristic brain imaging
Adds a central-nervous-system adverse-event signal to the grey-market melanotan harm literature

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View in Research Library

Melanotan-2 Research

Mostly mechanism / observational

Eruptive Melanocytic Nevi: A Review.

Insights into Tanning Biology and Tanning Products.

Identification and characterization by LC-UV-MS/MS of melanotan II skin-tanning products sold illegally on the Internet.

Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction.

Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study.

Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis.

Melanotan II: a possible cause of renal infarction: review of the literature and case report.

Melanotan II User Experience: A Qualitative Study of Online Discussion Forums.

Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study.

Melanoma associated with the use of melanotan-II.

Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan.

Melanotan and the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.