Melanotan-2 for pigmentation and arousal
Melanotan-2 is a melanocortin-receptor agonist. Researchers study it for two effects, skin pigmentation through MC1R and sexual arousal through MC4R. It runs loading then maintenance.
Loading 1–2 weeks → maintenance · 4–6-week breaks
Why this protocol
Melanotan-2 activates the melanocortin receptors. Through MC1R it drives melanin production, the pigmentation effect. Through MC4R it influences sexual arousal pathways, the same route bremelanotide (PT-141) uses.
It runs loading then maintenance, a short daily loading phase to build the effect, then infrequent maintenance. Because melanocortin agonism desensitizes, it is pulsed with breaks rather than run continuously.
The regimen
Melanotan 2
Melanocortin agonist- Dose
- 0.25–0.5 mg (loading) → 0.5–1 mg (maintenance)
- Schedule
- Daily 1–2 wk (loading) → 1–2× weekly (maintenance) · subcutaneous
- Timing
- Evening; nausea/flushing are common early and ease with the lower maintenance dose
Reconstitution calculator
Reconstitution calculator
Calculated for a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe (100 units/mL).
Units per dose
5 units
Draw this many units on a U-100 syringe
Each unit holds 50 mcg
- Volume per dose
- 0.05 mL
- Doses per vial
- 40
- Concentration
- 5 mg/mL
One vial lasts
- Daily
- 40 days
- Every other day
- 80 days
- 5×/week
- 56 days
Research use only. Not for human consumption. Outputs are reference values based on research literature. Verify all measurements independently.
Cycle & schedule
- Loading (1–2 weeks)~0.25–0.5 mg once daily to build the effect. Start at the low end. Early nausea, flushing, and appetite changes are the common reasons people abandon it, and they ease at lower doses.
- Maintenance~0.5–1 mg once or twice weekly to hold the effect, rather than continued daily dosing.
- BreaksA minimum 4–6-week break comes before any subsequent cycle. MT-2 can darken existing moles and freckles. Anything that changes warrants a dermatologist's review.
Studies behind this protocol
This protocol composes the cited evidence on each peptide's page. See the full bibliography on: Melanotan 2.
Research use only · Not medical advice · Updated 2026-09-24