Melanotan-1

Overview

Melanotan-1 is a synthetic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) that stimulates melanocortin-1 receptors (MC1R) to increase eumelanin production in the skin. It is chemically the same molecule as afamelanotide — which IS FDA-approved as the regulated drug Scenesse (2019) for a narrow medical indication (erythropoietic protoporphyria), delivered as a physician-administered implant. Critically, the 'Melanotan-1' sold online as an injectable research chemical for cosmetic tanning is NOT FDA-approved and is not the approved product; it is sold as an unlicensed research chemical and multiple health agencies have warned against it. So the molecule has real Phase 3 human data in its approved medical form, but the marketed cosmetic-tanning use is unapproved and essentially unstudied for safety. Compared with Melanotan-2 it is more MC1R-preferring and generally reported to cause fewer melanocortin side effects (less nausea, less libido effect). Any non-medical 'tanning' use should be treated as unproven and unapproved — see the separate afamelanotide entry for the approved drug.

Commonly Reported Uses

These are uses commonly discussed or marketed by users and vendors — not a list of proven or approved benefits, and not a recommendation.

• Skin tanning / increased pigmentation (marketed claim for the research-chemical form; NOT an approved use)
• Reducing phototoxicity in erythropoietic protoporphyria (this IS the FDA-approved use — but only as the regulated drug Scenesse/afamelanotide, not as online 'Melanotan-1')
• Photoprotection / 'sunburn reduction' — marketed claim for cosmetic use, not validated or approved

What to Track

Data points you and your clinician might monitor. For observation only — not a diagnostic protocol.

• Skin — daily check-ins on pigmentation/tanning response and, importantly, any new or changing moles or pigmented lesions (melanocortin pathway drives pigmentation); dermatologic review is commonly advised
• Subjective — nausea, flushing, appetite changes (melanocortin-mediated, typically milder than Melanotan-2)
• Skin — full-skin self-checks given melanoma surveillance considerations with melanocortin agonists
• Labs — no specific monitoring biomarker is established for cosmetic use; a clinician may individualize

Sources & References

1. [1]Scenesse (afamelanotide) — European Medicines Agency EPAR overview
2. [2]Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (Langendonk et al., NEJM 2015) — PubMed
3. [3]Melanotan II — Wikipedia (covers melanotan I/II background and regulatory warnings)