Melanotan-1 Dosage Chart: Loading + Maintenance (2026)

Melanotan-1 (afamelanotide) is a synthetic analog of alpha-MSH that stimulates melanin production for photoprotection. FDA-approved for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) as a subcutaneous implant. Community protocols extrapolate from this clinical data. This is not medical advice.

Research-context information only. Melanotan-1 (afamelanotide) is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved product for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP); research-peptide and injectable forms are not FDA-approved and are sold for research purposes only. Protocols, doses, and reactions reported below come from clinical trials and community sources. This article reports what has been documented, not what should be done. Consult a licensed physician for personal medical decisions.

Melanotan-1 Dosing Table

Match your vial size below — reconstitution and dose math update automatically.

250 mcg

5 units

0.05 mL

2x/week SubQStandard tanning protocol

500 mcg

10 units

0.1 mL

2x/week SubQAdvanced loading

Math assumes U-100 insulin syringes (1 mL = 100 units). Verify your syringe matches before injecting. Round half-units to the nearest visible mark.

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Quick Reference: Loading + Maintenance

Dose

~50 mcg (1 unit)

250 mcg (5 units)

Frequency

Once daily, ~7 days or until color

2×/week, or 1×/week by sun exposure

Route / timing

Subcutaneous, AM

Vial size

10 mg

Reconstitution

2 mL BAC water (5,000 mcg/mL)

Storage

Refrigerate, use within 28 days

These figures reflect community-reported protocols, not a recommended schedule. Units assume the standard 10 mg / 2 mL reconstitution (5,000 mcg/mL), where 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe = 50 mcg and 250 mcg = 5 units.

UV stimulation — Community protocols and clinical data describe 15–30 minutes of daily UV exposure during loading as necessary for melanin response. MT-1 amplifies UV response rather than independently darkening skin.

Cycling Details

Community protocols have shifted toward starting low and building up rather than front-loading a full dose. The pattern most often described now has two phases:

Loading / tolerance phase: roughly 50 mcg — 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe at the standard 10 mg / 2 mL reconstitution — subcutaneously once daily for about 7 days in a row, or until noticeable color begins to appear. Community sources describe this low daily dose as a way to assess tolerance first and build eumelanin gradually, paired with short, gradually increasing daily UV exposure (15-30 minutes).

Maintenance phase: once color develops, protocols describe dropping to 250 mcg (5 units) twice per week — or once per week depending on sun exposure, with more sun meaning less frequent dosing — while continuing regular UV to hold the tan.

This ramp mirrors the natural tanning curve, where melanin density builds over the first couple of weeks before plateauing (Langendonk et al., 2015). Users commonly self-report running it seasonally: several weeks before summer, or a few weeks pre-vacation.

Routes of Administration

Subcutaneous (standard): abdomen or love handle area. Community sources describe rotating sites and using a 29-31 gauge insulin syringe. Volume is typically 0.05 mL per injection, with morning injections most commonly reported.

Subcutaneous implant (clinical only): FDA-approved 16 mg biodegradable implant every 60 days for EPP patients. Not available for community use.

Not effective: Oral (degraded by stomach acid), nasal (no protocols), topical (molecule too large).

Reconstitution Quick Reference

2 mL

5,000 mcg/mL

Math: 10,000 mcg / 2 mL = 5,000 mcg/mL. 250 mcg / 5,000 = 0.05 mL = 5 units. Swirl gently, refrigerate, protect from light, use within 28 days.

For step-by-step mixing instructions, the full dilution chart, and storage rules, see the Melanotan-1 reconstitution guide.

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