Melanotan I (Afamelanotide)
Melanotan I is the research name for afamelanotide, an alpha-MSH analog that is FDA-approved under the brand name Scenesse — but only as a subcutaneous implant for preventing phototoxic reactions in adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), not as an injectable tanning product, which remains an unapproved off-label use.
This page is a research-orientation summary, not a dosing guide. For anything beyond general background, read the primary literature or talk to a qualified clinician — specifics like amount, frequency, or administration aren't something we publish here.
What it does & how it works
Afamelanotide (Melanotan I) is a synthetic linear analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) that acts as a potent, longer-acting agonist at the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) on epidermal melanocytes. MC1R activation stimulates the cAMP/PKA pathway, upregulating tyrosinase and driving melanocytes to synthesize increased amounts of eumelanin (protective brown-black pigment) relative to pheomelanin. This heightened, more UV-resistant pigmentation is the basis for its approved use in reducing phototoxic skin reactions in EPP, a disease in which porphyrin accumulation causes severe light sensitivity.
Typical results seen in research
In its approved implant form, afamelanotide has been shown in randomized trials to significantly increase pain-free time in direct sunlight and reduce the frequency and severity of phototoxic reactions in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. Because it is selective for MC1R, its dominant physiologic effect is skin pigmentation (tanning) with comparatively fewer of the appetite, sexual-desire, and cardiovascular effects associated with less-selective melanocortin agonists. Effects on skin pigmentation begin gradually over repeated dosing and fade over weeks after treatment stops.
How it’s commonly used
The FDA-approved product is administered as a slow-release implant inserted subcutaneously by a healthcare provider. Unapproved 'Melanotan I' products sold for tanning purposes are instead typically self-injected subcutaneously, a route and use not covered by the drug's FDA approval.
- New England Journal of Medicine · 2015 Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria
Curated from published literature for research orientation. Not an exhaustive review, and not a substitute for reading primary sources.