Source comparison
Melanotan-2 Dosing Tanning Loading Maintenance: Comparison Across Protocols
Conservative (0.25 mg) 0.25 mg/day 10 days 0.25 mg 2x/week Visible darkening by day 7–10; full pigmentation by week 3 Minimal nausea (5–10%); rare spontaneous erections Standard (0.5 mg loading) 0.5 mg/day 7 days 0.25–0.5 mg 2–3x/week Visible darkening by day
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- Conservative (0.25 mg)
- 0.25 mg/day
- 10 days
- 0.25 mg
- 2x/week
- Visible darkening by day 7–10; full pigmentation by week 3
- Minimal nausea (5–10%); rare spontaneous erections
- Standard (0.5 mg loading)
- 0.5 mg/day
- 7 days
- 0.25–0.5 mg
- 2–3x/week
- Visible darkening by day 5–7; full pigmentation by week 2
- Moderate nausea (20–30%); transient facial flushing; spontaneous erections in 15–25% of male subjects
- Accelerated (0.5 mg continuous)
- 0.5 mg
- 3x/week
- Visible darkening by day 4–6; full pigmentation by week 2
- Higher nausea incidence (30–40%); increased spontaneous erection frequency; possible appetite suppression
- Minimal (no loading)
- .
- 2x/week from day 1
- Patchy pigmentation by week 2; uneven tan common
- Low side effect burden but inconsistent melanogenesis
- The conservative protocol is ideal for first-time users or those with fair skin (Fitzpatrick I–II) who are highly sensitive to melanocortin receptor activation. The standard protocol represents the most common research dosing structure and balances speed of pigmentation with tolerability. The accelerated protocol is used in photoprotection studies where rapid melanin induction is required before planned UV exposure. The minimal protocol without a loading phase consistently produces suboptimal results. Pigmentation occurs but is uneven and takes significantly longer to develop.