Note: Most of the information contained within these facts can be found in much more detail in the Melanotan Articles section of this website. It is thoroughly recommended that you read and understand those articles before using Melanotan II. The following are a summary of the most frequently asked questions received by Melanotan Europe over the past 2 years, it will serve as a quick reference guide to the most important information:

I am very fair skinned; will Melanotan II work for me?

Melanotan II works for very well for all skin types and you can expect your tan to darken several shades regardless of how fair your skin is to begin with. Those with very pale skin have the most to gain from Melanotan II usage and usually end up seeing the most significant degree of change in their tan compared to those who have darker skin to begin with.

How many vials should I purchase to start with and when will I see results?

Generally most people will see excellent results by the end of 20mg (2 vials) of Melanotan II, although some see results from as little as 5-10mg, i.e. within 7-10 days of starting. Those with extremely fair skin will need more Melanotan II to see initial results and most likely won't see optimal results until 4-5 weeks of usage. The average time for great tanning results is 2-3 weeks assuming Melanotan II is combined with a sufficient amount of UV exposure.

Doses are weight dependant, so those who weigh less (particularly women) are able to purchase fewer vials than those who are heavier. Your first Melanotan II vial will usually only last 2-3 weeks as daily injections are required. For maintenance (i.e. once you have a tan you are happy with), vials should last longer at 4-8 weeks depending on your weight and tanning frequency.

What is the difference between Melanotan I & Melanotan II?

Although they both stimulate the release of melanin, their purposes and mode of action are vastly different. Melanotan I (Afamelanotide) is being clinically trialed for its therapeutic benefits in the treatment of rare skin conditions. It is not used to cosmetic purposes as a dose of 6-8 times more would be needed to achieve similar tanning results to Melanotan II - a product used solely to assist cosmetic skin tanning results.

Comparing these two products would be similar to comparing a prescription stimulant medication such as Ritalin to a Red Bull Energy drink. Both work as stimulants, but the prescription stimulant is used to treat medical conditions such as ADHD while Red Bull is a product used simply to assist in boosting energy.

How much Melanotan II do I need to take each time?

The Melanotan II dosage is 1mg per 100kg of bodyweight. Generally for females this equates to around 0.5-0.65mg of Melanotan II per injection (meaning 15-20 doses per vial) and for males 0.65mg-1mg per injection (10-15 doses per vial).

How often do I need to take Melanotan II?

It is recommended to take your Melanotan II dose each day initially and go tanning 1-2 times a week if you wish to see results quickly (within 2-3 weeks). When you're happy with your color you can cut back to injecting your dose to every 2nd or 3rd day and go tanning just once per week for maintenance. Basically, the darker your skin becomes the less Melanotan II and UV rays you will need to maintain the tan.

Why do I still need to get UV exposure on Melanotan II?

Clinical data indicates the tanning efficiency of Melanotan II without the need to combine it with any UV exposure, but results can achieved much faster, and usually with a nicer overall color, when you also incorporate 1-2 short tanning sessions per week with your Melanotan II usage.

The reason for this is that while Melanotan II does significantly raise levels of melanin in the body, UV rays play an important factor in the secretion of the your body's melanin in to surrounding skin tissue - melanin is of course being the brown pigment responsible for giving your skin its tanned appearance.

How much water should I mix into the vial?

The amount of water you use makes no difference, it just means you will have 10mg of Melanotan II diluted in however much water you have used. For ease of dosing we recommend using just 1ml (100 units) of water. Therefore every 0.1ml (10 units) will be 1mg of Melanotan II. 0.05ml (5 units) will be 0.5mg of Melanotan II etc. Our Mixing Melanotan II Video clearly shows the correct process.

How do I store Melanotan II?

The manufactuer advises that both mixed and unmixed vials of Melanotan II should be stored at refrigerator temperature at 2-8 degrees celcius. At this temperature mixed vials should be used within 2 months, while vials in powder form will remain stable for up to 1 year.

To ensure no cross-contamination vials should always be stored away from food in an enclosed plastic satchel or container.

Are there any initial side effects?

For most users who take the appropriate dosage Melanotan II does not present any adverse side effects. Of those who do experience side effects they are generally those documented in the original clinical study of Melanotan II in humans, namely: flushing of the face, nausea and spontaneous erections in males. These side effects usually only last for 1-2 hours after the injection and usually only occur after the first 1-3 injections, after which they do not occur again unless a long break is taken between usage.

To reduce the occurrence of Melanotan II side effects its recommended to take your dose just before going to sleep at night and preferably having eaten 1-2 hours before (i.e. not on an empty stomach). If you are sensitive you should also take an anti-histamine 2 hours before injection.

Are there any long term side effects of Melanotan II?

While Melanotan II was developed by scientists in the 1980's its usage in the general population is relatively new, with the earliest reports dating back to 2003. Unfortunately it's impossible to know for certain the long term side effects of any product until it has been used by many individuals for a long period of time. Pleasingly though, reports and detailed logs from people using the product consistently for the past 5-6 years indicate that there are no documented long term side effects of Melanotan II usage.

This is not to say that we can guarantee the safety of Melanotan II, the information we present should not be mistaken as medical fact. As with any product (even licensed over the counter products) the safety and reaction of each individual cannot be 100% assured. So far though, no serious negative consequences have been reported by users. Furthermore, no hypothetical side effects or warnings reported in the media have been proven or substantiated with scientific fact - they are merely attempts not to get consumers to use an unlicensed product.

Does your product contain fillers such as Mannitol?

Unfortunately the idea that the volume of the Melanotan II vials equates to fillers is a misconception started by persons on popular message board who have never been involved in the manufacturing or sale of this product.

Melanotan II vials which appear to be larger in volume DO NOT contain fillers; they have simply undergone a manufacturing process known as freeze-drying (also called lypholization). Freeze-drying is an expensive process done only by world-renowned pharmaceutical laboratories and is responsible for giving peptides such as Melanotan II a fluffy/solid appearance. This process is very beneficial and results in a final product which is more stable during transport and able to be stored for longer without degrading. Fillers of any kind (especially mannitol) DO NOT play any role in this.

You should be extremely wary of any website providing vials which contain a small amount of powder (10-15% of the vial), this shows the vials have not been freeze-dried, are most likely unsterilized and contain fillers. A small/loose powder appearance indicates that Melanotan II has been weighed out into each vial individually (usually in an unsterilized home setup by suppliers who have ordered bulk powder from china) and fillers have been required to make the appearance seem larger. These kinds of vials can still produce good results, but they are lacking in sterility and can cause some people to react to the filler.

Since Melanotan II is a generic peptide, it does not have any branding like a typical commercial product would. Unlike other sites, we have only ever distributed Melanotan II obtained from the same single European manufacturer since 2007.

With many other online distributors of Melanotan II you will find the appearance of their product and vials change on a regular basis. This unfortunately indicates that they jump from manufacturer to manufacturer in search for the lowest price without any regard for quality.

All vials shipped by Melanotan Europe are always 100% Melanotan II certified product with the same appearance - 3ml sterile pharmaceutical grade vials with grey flip-tops.

Do you sell water and syringes?

Yes, we usually have sterile water, syringes and alcohol wipes in stock for shipping to customers in the UK, EU, USA and Australia. Unfortunately at this time we cannot offer bulk supplies of these products or offer them in any quantity to customers from Norway.

Will the order be shipped with a cold pack?

Due to the way Melanotan II is now manufactured it is not necessary to ship orders with cold packs. In two years of operation we have never received Melanotan II cooled from the manufacturer nor have we shipped packages with cold packs to our customers.

The manufacturing lab has done extensive testing on the product at various temperatures and they advise that at room temperature (up to 35 degrees celcius) the Melanotan II is stable in powder form for up to 45 days. Of course, for long term storage, and once the vials been mixed, they should be stored at refrigerator temperature (2-8 degs celcius).