What is Melanotan II
Melanotan II is a cosmetic product that stimulates a natural increase in melanin production. Melanin is the main determinant of skin color in humans, a brown pigment which causes skin to become darker in appearance, instead of red, when exposed to UV rays. Users of Melanotan II develop a gradual, natural looking tan with minimal sun exposure. It is particularly useful for fair-skinned individuals who find that they cannot tan by spending time in the sun; however, excellent cosmetic tanning results are achieved by all skin types.

What Melanotan II is not
Melanotan II is not a treatment or cure for any disease, nor should it be used with the aim of preventing skin cancer. While melanin is known to have excellent photo protectant properties, no clinical studies have ever indicated the efficiency of Melanotan II specifically in reducing UV damage, therefore the product should not be used solely as a replacement for sunscreen or other appropriate UV protection.

Melanotan II Chemistry

Peptide structure]-NH2
Molecular formula]
Melanotan I (MT1) vs Melanotan II (MT2)
It is estimated that more than 90% of people who use some form of Melanotan are using the injectable form of Melanotan II (MT2). Melanotan I (MT1) is usually only preferred by a small amount of long-term users who feel that Melanotan II makes them too dark, too quickly, or those who find the aphrodisiac side effect of Melanotan II (which gives spontaneous erections in males) to be a nuisance. These problems can both be avoided by taking Melanotan II directly before bed and reducing your injection frequency and tanning to allow your color to slowly get darker.
Since Melanotan I has a large body of clinical evidence supporting its safety and efficacy, new users in particular often feel that it would be the better and safer option for usage. Unfortunately this is not the case when it comes to skin darkening and most new users who choose Melanotan I find themselves very disappointed at lack of tanning results since Melanotan I is not intended to be used for this purpose. To achieve similar cosmetic tanning results as seen with Melanotan II, a dose of 10x more per injection is required. Since the prices for both are the same, this makes Melanotan I more expensive.

Melanotan II Storage
How to Store Melanotan II Vials

In powder (lyophilized) form vials should be stored at refrigerator temperature (2-8 degrees Celsius) where they will remain stable for up to 12 months. Reconstituted (mixed) vials should also be stored in the refrigerator, but used within 8 weeks or they may begin to degrade. They will still be safe to use after this time, but they may not be as effective as new vials.
Both mixed and unmixed vials should be stored in sealed plastic satchels or containers and kept away from food in the refrigerator.

Example]
When to take Melanotan II
The frequency of Melanotan II injections will depend largely on your skin type to begin with, therefore you should identify with which Fitzpatrick skin type you are

Type 1]Type 2: Fair skin, few freckles, blue/hazel eyes, blonde/sandy hair, tans poorly, usually burns
Type 3]Type 4: Light brown skin, darker brown hair/eyes, tans easily, burns minimally

Frequency of Injections

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Maintenance]
Cessation]
MT-II Results
Assuming the right amount of UV exposure (sun or sun bed) is combined with your Melanotan II usage, then the amount of time it takes to achieve your desired tan (i.e. the loading phase) will usually take 4-8 weeks for skin types 1 & 2 and as little as 2-3 weeks for skin types 3 &4.

Melanotan II & UV Exposure
How often to Tan on Melanotan II

The tanning activity of Melanotan II without the need for UV exposure has been proven by clinical trial; however, the majority of users report that results are achieved much quicker, and that the tan is a more natural color, when Melanotan II is combined with a small amount of UV exposure.


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Maintenance]
Things to remember]If you are not seeing results then you need to increase the frequency of your outdoor or indoor UV exposure (especially if you are skin types 1 or 2). Never increase your recommended Melanotan II dose.
Tanning sessions should be short, 5-10 minutes in a sun bed or 30-40 minutes in the sun on a warm day is sufficient each time. DO NOT overexpose yourself to UV rays.
When starting out always use 30+ sunscreen on sensitive areas such as the face and neck. Because these areas are frequently exposed to UV rays they are more responsive to the melanin producing effects of Melanotan II and therefore will become darker quicker than the rest of the body. Covering these areas initially will allow other parts of the body to tan first, ensuring you achieve a well balanced tan.
Melanotan II and UV exposure complement each other, so if you spend a lot of time tanning you will need less frequent injections of Melanotan II to obtain and maintain your tan. If you don't spend much time in the sun or sun beds then you will need more frequent dosages of Melanotan II to develop and keep your tan

Melanotan II & UV Exposure
Scientific trial of Melanotan II in humans

Up until now the following study is the only scientific data available about Melanotan II used in human subjects for tanning. It indicates that the only side effects experienced after 2 weeks of daily usage were mild nausea, mild fatigue and spontaneous erections (the subjects were male). Baring in mind the dose they used was 3-4 times higher than what is now recommended for most people.
The positive effects documented in the trial were increased tanning of the face and body noticed by visual perception. This means the tanning was evident just by looking at their skin, despite the subjects not being exposed to any UV rays.