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Melanotan 2 - the science.

Melanotan 2  tanning products (otherwise known as MT2) were first synthesised at the University of Arizona.  Researchers knew that one of the best defences against skin cancer was melanin activated in the skin, a tan.  They hypothesised that an effective way to reduce skin cancer rates in people would be to induce the body’s natural pigmentary system to produce a protective tan prior to UV exposure.  The body’s naturally occurring hormone MSH causes melanogenesis, a process by which the skin’s pigment cells (melanocytes) produce the skin’s pigment (melanin).  They tested to see if administering this endogenous hormone to the body directly could be an effective method to cause sunless tanning.  What they found was that while it appeared to work, natural MSH had too short a half life in the body to be practical as a therapeutic drug.  So they decided to find a more potent and stable alternative, one that would be more practical.

After synthesising and screening hundreds of molecules, the researchers headed by Victor J. Hruby and Mac E. Hadley, found a peptide, [Nle4, D-Phe7] MSH, that was approximately 1,000 times more potent than the natural MSH.  They dubbed this new peptide molecule, “Melanotan” (later Melanotan-1, now know as afamelanotide).  They subsequently developed another analogue, Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2), which they called “Melanotan” Tanning Injections.  The scientists hoped to use these peptides to combat melanoma by stimulating the body’s natural pigmentary mechanism to create a tan without first needing exposure to harmful levels of UV radiation.  This in turn, they hypothesised, could reduce the potential for skin damage that can eventually lead to skin cancer.

A pilot phase I clinical trial conducted on three males by the College of Medicine, Pharmacology Department, University of Arizona in Tuscon, Arizona published in 1996 reported that, “Melanotan” Tanning Injections has tanning activity in humans given only 5 low doses every other day by subcutaneous injection.”  The side effects reported were mild nausea and a “stretching and yawning complex” that correlated with spontaneous penile erections.

The Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona College of Medicine published a paper in 1998 that involved 10 men who suffered from psychogenic erectile dysfunction.  Their trial concluded that, “Melanotan” Tanning Injections is a potent initiator of erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction and has manageable side effects at a dose of 0.025mg/kg.

A further  clinical study published in 2000 of 20 men with psychogenic and organic erectile dysfunction conducted at the Section of Urology of The University of Arizona College of Medicine concluded, “Melanotan II Tanning Injections is a potent initiator of penile erection in men with erectile dysfunction”.

More About Melanotan

Melanotan is a peptide which enables your skin to have natural protection against UV Rays. Skin is the largest human organ and protects us against the environment around us including damage and hurt from exposure to ultra violet light. Melanin,  the pigment that colours our skin,  acts as a light filter reflecting and refracting ultra violet light and preventing it from damaging the skin.

The darker Melanin (new Melanin) is present in the skin and helps prevent the damage from ultra violet light.

Melanotan 2 helps increase the body’s natural Melanin which in turn gives the skin a greater ability to tan.

It’s very important to understand  – MT2 itself won’t protect skin from burning, the tan you achieve will protect your skin. Until your base tan is achieved you should still take care not to over-expose skin to uv rays.

Your Questions

Over the years we have had a number of questions about our products. Here are a few.  If you have one of your own just click the button below  – remember we are UK based and are famous for our friendly customer service.

How many times will I need to take it before I see the difference?

This is all down to your skin type and how well you normally tan; this is measured on something called the Fitzpatrick scale,  which ranges from 1-6 (1 being the lightest of skins), lighter skins have less Melanin and therefore you would need a greater loading phase (the initial period where you would take the tanning injections daily) for the Melanotan 2 to show results.

What's the difference between Melanotan 1 and Melanotan 2 ?

In general both Melanotan injections are extremely similar however, results have shown using Melanotan 2 gives results quicker and are longer lasting. The side effect are slightly different too, with Melanotan 2 for the first few time you may feel slight nausea, head flushes, headache and in males erections. We suggest during the loading phase you take the Melanotan II just before you go to bed, this helps you sleep through any side effects.

What's the difference between IU's and ml's ?

The syringes we supply are in ml’s however, we understand some people already have syringes  at home which they would use which are in IU’s. 1 full syringe is 1ml which equates to 100IU, we suggest a maximum dosage of 0.1ml which equates to 10IU.

100 IU = 1 ML

10 IU = 0.1 ML

Do I still need sun when using Melanotan?

Melanotan 2 will not work without some form of UV exposure this could be either a sunbed or natural, however, with minimal exposure you will get a tan after a few session rather than baking in the sun all day.

Are there any side effects ?

With any health supplement side effects are always a possibility in some cases, such as :-

  • Nausea
  • Facial Flushes
  • Increased Libido
  • Spontaneous Erections (in rare cases)
And ALWAYS use a new needle and observe basic hygiene.

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