Frankly speaking, we all believed in the past that sun exposure was the only way to go ahead if we needed our body skin to be perfectly tanned and intensely golden-looking.
We would plan our weekends on beaches, apply a mild natural sunscreen, unfold our beach chairs, and lay on them for hours, hoping the natural tanning process miraculously transforms our skin color. But really, at what cost?
Chronic sun exposure implies that harmful UV radiation in the sunlight makes you more prone to health risks, such as suppressed immune systems, eye injuries, and aging effects. Perhaps there is strong evidence that more UV exposure makes you more susceptible to developing skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma (1).
You don’t want that, right?
This is where peptides like Melanotan I and Melanotan II come into play!
This article is dedicated to everything you need to know about sunless tanning and peptides that induce the most natural skin tanning process with minimal or no adverse effects on health.
Let’s dive straight into it!
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Key Takeaways
- Melanotan II offers the most diverse benefits, such as melanogenesis, enhanced libido, and increased fat loss.
- Melanotan I is rather a weak stimulator of melanogenesis. However, it also acts as a potential treatment for phototoxicity.
- Make sure not to use these tanning peptides excessively because they are known to cause some adverse effects, including spontaneous erections, new moles and facial flushing, etc.
What are Tanning Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that make up proteins. These peptides are based on the unique arrangement and sequencing of different amino acids which is responsible for many unique functional properties.
Tanning peptides like Melanotan I and Melanotan II act as a synthetic analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), which is produced by the hypothalamus, pituitary gland as well as skin cells.
Melanotan I
Melanotan I, more commonly known as Afamelanotide, is often available in the markets under the brand name Scenesse.
Looking at it biochemically, this peptide comprises 13 amino acids and is very similar structurally to an endogenous peptide released by the pituitary gland called alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH).
Our body constitutes 5 different kinds of melanocortin receptors located at various places. These receptors are also often abbreviated as MC-1R, MC-2R, MC-3R, MC-4R, and MC-5R.
The pharmacodynamics of Melanotan I suggest that it has a stronger affinity for MC-1R and MC-3R. The subsequent binding with MC-1R primarily drives the process of melanogenesis by stimulating melanin production by the melanocytes, thus causing skin pigmentation and darker skin (2).
This means that with adequate dosage, one can get perfectly tanned skin without really worrying about UV exposure and skin cancer.
Melanotan I is also advocated to prevent phototoxicity in patients diagnosed with erythropoietic protoporphyria (3). People with erythropoietic protoporphyria experience acute and sharp when exposed to sunlight.
Because the hormones of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland all work in coordination, there is some evidence that the binding of Melanotan I with MC-3R also regulates appetite and hunger. This is achieved by regulating fat metabolism inside the body.
Besides acting as a sunless tanning agent, Melanotan I offers some minor benefits, such as improving cardiovascular parameters and neuroprotective effects, as reported by clinical trials involving rats.
Melanotan II
Now that we have talked about Melanotan I, it’s time to talk about a more potent tanning peptide, Melanotan II.
To be honest, Melanotan II is probably on the top when it comes to effectiveness in skin tanning. Perhaps it gives amazing tanning results because of its more systemic binding with melanocortin receptors.
Melanotan II binds non-selectively with MC-1R, which upregulates the process of melanogenesis and stimulates melanin production by the melanocytes (4).
Again with the right dosage of Melanotan II peptide, your melanin levels can go up within no time you can just manifest your desirable tanned skin!
Melanotan II also acts as an agonist of MC-4R and MC-5R. The subsequent binding with both these receptors regulates some of the metabolic homeostatic mechanisms within your body, such as appetite suppression. This also implies a loss of stored fat which results in weight loss. All of this accounts for a healthier metabolic profile!
What’s prolific about this peptide is its ability to increase libido and sexual desire in individuals. Not only this, but a handful of clinical trials suggest Melanotan II’s effectiveness in treating erectile dysfunction in males (5).
The multi-dimensional benefits that Melanotan II has to offer are what separates it from the other tanning agents.
Melanotan II
Sexual function of most men begin to dwindle past the age of 30. This is also the time when most men begin to carry a bit of extra weight.
Amazingly enough, you can kill two birds with one stone with the Peptide known as Melanotan II. Yes, the Peptide that makes you very tan.
Melanotan is known to help with sexual function (increases libido) by being an agonist for penile tissue, and being a somewhat effective treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Melanotan is also known to have a negative effect on hunger, which in turn can actually lead to the person eating less, meaning weight loss. This is still a Peptide that needs to be researched, and as the Peptide sciences increase, this might be more common in the ED treatment world.
Melanotan II Overview
⭐️ Top Benefits: Skin tanning, Energy homeostasis, Treats ED
🧪 Form: Injectable peptides, Nasal sprays
💉 Typical Dosage: 0.1 mg to 1 mg
⌛️ Typical cycle duration: Variable
💰 Average Cost: $41
✅ Availability: Easily available
❤️🩹 Side Effects and Dangers: Spontaneous erections, systemic toxicity
📚 Best Peptide Stack: Melanotan 1 / Melanotan 2
➡️ Go to the Full review
- Darkening of skin
- Fat Loss
- Improved libido
- Kidney damage
- Diarrhea
- Priapism
How Do Tanning Peptides Work?
All of the tanning peptides to exist in the market work more or less in the same way.
They imitate the action of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and act as an agonist of melanocortin receptors, such as Mc-1R, MC-2R, MC-3R, MC-4R, and MC-5R, which are found at various locations inside the body.
One of the major effects is that it drives the process of melanogenesis by primarily stimulating the melanocytes to upregulate melanin production and its subsequent release.
Benefits of Tanning Peptides
Now, of course, tanning peptides induce natural tan by elevating the skin’s melanin levels. Tanning peptides like Melanotan I and Melanotan II ensure that you are kept at bay from any of the adverse effects caused by UV rays and still get perfectly tanned golden skin.
Peptides like Melanotan I are also one of the treatment options for the phototoxicity caused due to erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Tanning peptides also have to offer a lot of other supplementary benefits, such as regulating hunger/appetite cycles by triggering appetite loss and helping you in weight loss.
Tanning peptides are also pretty famous for their effects on enhancing sexual desire and increasing libido.
Other minor benefits include an improvement in cardiovascular parameters such as blood pressure as well as some of the neuroprotective effects.
Are Tanning Peptides Legal?
Oops, no!
Tanning peptides are illegal in both the United States and the United Kingdom. However, they are still widely available and sold at different places such as gyms and recreational stores.
Who Should Use Tanning Peptide?
Anyone looking for sunless tanning and your desirable skin type can opt for tanning peptides without worrying at all.
Plus, if you want to have an amazing sex experience by improving your libido, then tanning peptides are really for you.
Some of the tanning peptides are also approved as orphan drugs and have shown great potential in clinical trials to treat medical conditions.
Forms of Tanning Peptide
The good news is that due to increased customer demand, peptides are available in various forms.
You can find injectable peptides, tablets/capsules, and even in the form of patches.
How to Use Tanning Peptide
This depends on your preferred form of intake. To know the correct usage of peptides, read more by following the link.
Where To Buy Peptides?
While there are different online and offline stores where you can buy peptides, Muscle and Brawn always makes sure to give our readers the right options.
Are Tanning Peptides Legit?
For sure! Some peptides surely have a great tanning potential as suggested by clinical trials. While they may not be legally available, one can still not take the credit away from them for giving you darker skin.u003cbru003eAlthough more research is needed to have a solid fact that can state that tanning peptides are safe for human consumption, you can still use them in limited dosages and get the perfect results.
