melanotan II · MT-II
A synthetic substance sold for tanning. Not approved in the EU or US.
This site is for information and education only. It does not promote or encourage the use or purchase of the substances described and is not medical advice. Many are not authorised as medicines and their safety has not been established. We sell nothing and have no ties to sellers. For health decisions, consult a doctor.
Doping. It is not on the WADA list, but WADA also bans substances that no health authority has approved, so it may be banned.
Safety. Case reports describe melanoma, muscle breakdown with poisoning of the whole body, and moles appearing or darkening within a day. The Irish regulator warned of serious health risk. Sources: study 1, study 2, study 3, Irish regulator.
Risk of fakes. Vials from online sellers held 4.32 to 8.84 mg instead of the 10 mg claimed, some with unknown impurities. Sources: study 1, study 2.
| Where | Status | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL | No approval | The European medicines database (EMA) lists no such medicine in Poland (9 October 2026). The Polish register was down, so we could not check it directly. Source | Not yet |
| EU | No approval | The European medicines database (EMA), which covers EU and national approvals, lists no such medicine (9 October 2026). Source | Not yet |
| US | No approval | The FDA drug register has no such medicine. Source | Not yet |
Scientific papers per year 2015–2025
These are search results. A count shows how much exists, not how good the studies are. 1 Nov 2026.
What doctors, patients and companies reported to the US medicines agency (FDA), and single cases described in medical journals. A report says what happened to someone after taking the substance. It does not prove the substance caused it, and it does not say how often it happens. Reports do not change any grade.
| Most often reported | Reports |
|---|---|
| Blood clot in a kidney artery | 5 |
| Kidney tissue death from blocked blood | 3 |
| Melanoma (skin cancer) | 1 |
| Mole | 1 |
| Changed skin texture | 1 |
Serious means the person went to hospital, their life was in danger, they were left with lasting harm, or they died. One report can list several side effects.
FDA reports come from openFDA, cases from a PubMed search. The editors have not read these cases yet. Titles stay in the original language. As of 3 Nov 2026.
A dermatologist reacts to videos of people taking melanotan 2: nausea, flushing and new moles that appeared within days. He goes through case reports of melanoma and whether the spray is any less risky than injections.
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A report by Australia's ABC. Dermatologists say they are seeing patients who suddenly developed new, unusual and possibly dangerous moles while using melanotan 2. They advise anyone who used it to get a skin check.
Commentary on how melanotan 2 injections became a TikTok trend. According to the chapters: side effects, the case of a man whose skin colour changed a lot after six months, addiction and body image problems, and "tanmaxxing" culture.
We found these papers automatically in PubMed. The editors have not read them yet, and they do not affect any grade. Titles stay in the original language.
