Melanotan 2. What dose is right for you?

Melanotan is a drug most of us reading have heard about more than once. For those of you who have not heard of this popular tanning agent, let’s briefly recap. Wikipedia for the most part, is actually a valuable and credible source of information these days. Wikipedia has provided us with a brief and accurate summary of Melanotans’s mechanisms of action in the body:

Melanotan II acts as a non-selective agonist of the melanocortin receptors, MC₁, MC₃, MC₄, MC₅.^[4]

To the extent that melanotan II produces melanogenesis, this is thought to be caused by activation of the MC₁ receptor, whereas its clinically documented sexual effects are thought to be related to its ability to activate the MC₄ receptor (though the MC₃ is thought to possibly also be involved).^[5][6]

Other effects of melanotan II, mostly regarded as adverse effects, include flushing, nausea, vomiting, stretching, yawning, and loss of appetite (the last via activation of MC₄).^[7][8]

In short, Melanotan changes your skin type by increasing the amount of melanin you produce, but can also make you pretty aroused as a side effect. Many will argue whether or not that added side effect is unwanted or not. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the dose typically required for increasing libido is on the higher end (greater than 1000 mcg or more per dose). Fortunately, the unwanted side effects as described above, are also often only seen with the higher doses too. If you are patient, there is usually a safe and comfortable way of dosing your Melanotan 2 without feeling like crap. So, just how much Melanotan 2 does one take in order to achieve their desired skin colour? Firstly, a couple of things before I get into the heterogeneity (individual differences) of the potential dosing schedules of Melanotan 2.

1.) Melanotan 2 is a poor sunless tanner. You still require UVA/UVB exposure in order for Melanotan 2 to work properly. Whether from the sun or a tanning bed, you will still require UV exposure. The more sun you get, the further your Melanotan 2 dose will go and vice versa.

2.) Regardless of your skin type, the more Melantoan 2 you use, the faster you will tan. Keep in mind, the higher the dose, the greater the chance of adverse effects also.

Okay, now we know what Melanotan 2 does, how it does it and a couple of basic rules of thumb when using Melanotan 2. Is there a difference in the Melanotan 2 dose Jimmy “white paper” Sweeny from Scotland needs versus the dose Esteban Reyes from Mexico needs? Yes, there is and the dose you require is gauged based on your skin type. Let’s breifly cover skin types first:

Skin type is a classification based on the skin’s reaction to exposure to the sun’s UV radiation, after a period of non-exposure (e.g. sun exposure at the beginning of summer, when the skin has not been exposed during winter). The skin’s reaction is measured in terms of burning and tanning.

The Fitzpatrick system of classifying skin type is most commonly used in the assessment of skin cancer risk. The Fitzpatrick skin types are:

Type I	Extremely fair skin, always burns, never tans.
Type II	Fair skin, always burns, sometimes tans.
Type III	Medium skin, sometimes burns, always tans.
Type IV	Olive skin, rarely burns, always tans.
Type V	Moderately pigmented brown skin, never burns, always tans.
Type VI	Markedly pigmented black skin, never burns, always tans.

If you are type 1, you are Jimmy “white paper” Sweeny from Scotland and if you are Type 4 or 5 you are Esteban Reyes from Mexico. As you may have guessed, the higher your skin type score, the less Melanotan 2 you will require. Thankfully for you all reading, I have devised what I believe is a sensible dosing schedule for each skin type:

Type 1: 1000 mcg of Melanotan 2 twice daily until desired colour is achieved, then 500 mcg daily for colour maintenance. Increase sun or UV exposure very gradually. As your body loads Melanotan 2, your body will be able to tolerate more UV exposure.

Type 2: 750 mcg of Melanotan 2 twice daily until desired colour is achieved, then 500 mcg daily or every other day for colour maintenance. Increase sun or UV exposure gradually. As your body loads Melanotan 2, your body will be able to tolerate more UV exposure.

Type 3: 500 mcg of Melanotan 2 twice daily until desired colour is achieved, then 500 mcg every other day or twice weekly for colour maintenance. Increase sun or UV exposure as you feel comfortable, without burning.

Type 4: 500 mcg of Melanotan 2 daily until desired colour is achieved, then 500 mcg once or twice weekly for colour maintenance. Increase sun or UV exposure as you feel comfortable, without burning.

Type 5: 250 mcg of Melanotan 2 daily until desired colour is achieved, then 250 mcg once or twice weekly for colour maintenance. Increase sun or UV exposure as you feel comfortable, without burning. Some may require as little as 50-100 mcg daily for the same effects. If you are patient, use the lower doses first.

Type 6: Seek psyochological help. You have met diagnostic criteria for tanorexia and Jimmy Sweeny is jealous of your ability to withstand the Summer sun.

Some other helpful hints:

1.) Some of the common adverse reactions to Melanotan 2 are caused by a mild allergic response. Dosing an over the counter H1 antagonist, which is an antihistamine such as Fexofenadine 180 mg (Allegra) or Loratadine 10 mg (Clarytin), 45 minutes before you dose your Melanotan 2 can mitigate some (or all) of the adverse reactions commonly experienced shortly after Melanotan 2 use. This intervention is particularly helpful when using higher doses of Melanotan 2. Jimmy Sweeny, take note.

2.) You can find reconstitution (mixing your Melanotan 2) information within an article I wrote here.

3.) You can find information regarding what solvent (which water) to mix your Melanotan 2 vial with here.

That just about sums Melanotan 2 up. Let me know if this article was helpful for you.