Cosmetic & Skin

Melanotan I

Also known as Melanotan-1 · MT-1 · MT-I · Afamelanotide · Scenesse

Clinically studiedSubcutaneous bioresorbable implant (approved Scenesse formulation)Subcutaneous injection (non-approved/compounded use)FDA-approved as Scenesse (afamelanotide) since October 2019 for increasing pain-free light exposure in adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria; also approved by the EMA (2014). It is a prescription drug supplied as a clinician-administered implant rather than a routine compounding-pharmacy product; non-EPP "tanning" peptide products sold online are unapproved and not legally marketed for human use in the US, and unregulated injectable forms have prompted regulatory safety warnings in several countries. Afamelanotide/Melanotan-1 is not explicitly named on the current WADA Prohibited List and is not generally classified as prohibited in sport; current status can be confirmed via official anti-doping resources such as GlobalDRO.

Melanotan I (afamelanotide) is a synthetic 13-amino-acid peptide analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) that acts as a selective agonist at the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes, stimulating eumelanin production and skin darkening independent of UV exposure. Unlike the related cyclic peptide Melanotan II, it binds MC1R selectively rather than the broader panel of melanocortin receptors, and it is not associated with the libido-related effects more often linked to the less-selective Melanotan II. It is the only melanocortin analog of its class to reach formal drug approval: under the brand name Scenesse it is approved (EMA 2014, US FDA October 2019) to increase pain-free light exposure in adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare light-sensitivity disorder. Outside that approved indication it has been investigated in a range of photodermatoses and pigmentary conditions, but evidence for non-EPP uses remains limited and exploratory.

Studied / used for

Studied as an approved treatment to increase pain-free light exposure in erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP)
Investigated for repigmentation in vitiligo
Investigated for polymorphous light eruption and solar urticaria
Investigated for actinic keratosis prevention in organ-transplant recipients
Investigated historically as a UV-sparing skin-pigmentation (sunless tanning) agent

Commonly reported side effects

Nausea commonly reported
Headache commonly reported
Facial flushing commonly reported
Injection-site or implant-site reactions commonly reported
Localized hyperpigmentation and changes in moles/nevi commonly reported

Clinically studied. Supported by human clinical trials. This reflects the strength of the research base, not effectiveness or a recommendation.

Not medical advice.

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