# Melanotan II

An unlicensed injection or nasal spray that darkens skin by switching on pigment cells. It also acts on receptors for appetite and sexual arousal. Regulators in several countries have warned against it for more than fifteen years.

Also called: MT-II, Tanning injection, Nasal tanner
Source page: https://peplogue.com/peptides/melanotan-ii/
Updated: 2026-10-22. Not medical advice.

## How it works

- Where it acts: Several melanocortin receptors: MC1 in skin, and MC3 and MC4 in the brain.
- What it changes: Darker skin, plus effects on appetite and sexual arousal.
- What people notice: Tanning, nausea, flushing, unwanted erections, and new or darkening moles.

## What the evidence shows

- **Tanning**: Early. Early studies showed a tan within about five doses.
- **Erections**: Early. Seen in small early studies in men. That work led to bremelanotide, which was later licensed for low desire in women, not for erections.
- **Appetite suppression**: Lab only. No controlled trials.

## Side effects and risks

- serious: New and darker moles, and case reports of melanoma. A causal link is unproven, partly because users also seek more sun.
- serious: Case reports of prolonged painful erections, muscle breakdown, kidney damage and brain swelling.
- common: Nausea, flushing, loss of appetite and spontaneous erections.
- serious: Unregulated products. Nasal sprays are often sold as cosmetics to dodge medicines law.

Who should avoid it: Everyone, above all people with many moles, fair skin that burns, or a personal or family history of melanoma.

## How it has been given

No established dose. Users inject it under the skin or use nasal sprays. No trial data support the doses sold.

## Legal status

- United States: undefined. Unapproved. FDA safety notes cite melanoma case reports.
- European Union: undefined. National medicines agencies in several EU countries have warned against it since 2008.
- Spain: undefined. Not approved by AEMPS. Melanotan tanning sprays circulate on social media and are sold illegally; nurses warned of risks in May 2026.
- Germany: undefined. Not approved. BfArM strongly advises against internet products (cited Dec 2022); selling or importing it is punishable under the AMG.
- France: undefined. No French authorisation found. Sold online as a 'research' tanning injection; no French ANSM notice found, but its peptide alert applies.
- Italy: undefined. No Italian authorisation found. Sold online as a tanning injection; unlicensed. We found no AIFA warning on it specifically.
- Netherlands: undefined. Not authorised; offering an unlicensed medicine is illegal per IGJ. I found no Dutch-specific IGJ page on melanotan. Not on the sport list.
- United Kingdom: undefined. Selling medicines containing melanotan is illegal. Trading Standards warned about nasal tanners in May 2025.
- Canada: undefined. Named in a 2025 Health Canada advisory on unauthorized injectable peptides.
- Australia: undefined. The TGA treats it as prescription-only.

## Questions people ask

**Is Melanotan II safe?**

It is unlicensed and carries serious risks: new and darker moles, case reports of melanoma, prolonged painful erections, muscle breakdown, kidney damage and brain swelling. A causal link to melanoma is unproven, partly because users also seek more sun.

**What are the side effects of Melanotan II?**

Nausea, flushing, loss of appetite and spontaneous erections are common. Users also report new freckles, darker moles and patchy color.

**Are tanning nasal sprays the same as Melanotan?**

Melanotan II is sold both as an injection and as a nasal spray. Nasal sprays are often sold as cosmetics to dodge medicines law, and the products are unregulated.

**Is Melanotan legal in the UK?**

Selling medicines containing melanotan is illegal in the UK, and Trading Standards warned about nasal tanners in May 2025.

**Is Melanotan legal in Australia?**

The TGA treats it as prescription-only, and a supplier in New South Wales was fined over A$101,000 in August 2026.

## Sources

- DermNet: Melanotan II: https://dermnetnz.org/topics/melanotan-ii
- FDA: bulk substances that may present significant safety risks: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- ITV News: Trading Standards warning on nasal tanning sprays (16 May 2025): https://www.itv.com/news/2025-05-16/nasal-tanning-sprays-linked-to-cancer-sold-online-what-are-they
- Pharmacy Daily: TGA peptide and melanotan raids (18 Aug 2026): https://pharmacydaily.com.au/news/tga-in-peptide-melanotan-raids/122100
- Health Canada: unauthorized injectable peptides (1 Aug 2025): https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/unauthorized-injectable-peptide-drugs-seized-and-sold-canada-peptide-may-pose-serious