Melanotan 1
afamelanotide · Scenesse
Afamelanotide is approved only as the Scenesse implant, for a rare condition that makes skin react badly to light. Products sold as Melanotan 1 are not this medicine.
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.
- Type
- Acts on skin colour and libido
- Stage
- Approved medicine
- Safety
- Well known
- Risk of fakes
- Not known
- Checked
- Not yet
Safety. The US label covers only the Scenesse implant: severe allergic reactions and regular skin checks. It says nothing about vials sold as Melanotan 1. Sources: US drug label.
Risk of fakes. Tests cover Melanotan 2. We found none for this substance outside the approved implant.
Is it legal
| Where | Status | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL | Prescription only | Afamelanotide is approved only as the Scenesse implant, across the EU. This does not cover vials sold as Melanotan 1. Source | Not yet |
| EU | Prescription only | Approved across the EU as Scenesse. This covers that medicine only, not products sold outside pharmacies. Source | Not yet |
| US | Prescription only | Prescription medicine (Scenesse). Source | Not yet |
How much research exists
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.
Reported side effects
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.
Reports to the FDA (USA)
- Reports
- 21
- Of these, serious
- 17
| Most often reported | Reports |
|---|---|
| Severe allergic reaction | 4 |
| Immediate allergic reaction | 3 |
| Allergic reaction where the implant went in | 2 |
| Itching where the implant went in | 2 |
| Hives where the implant went in | 2 |
| Melanoma (skin cancer) | 2 |
| Vomiting | 2 |
| Sudden kidney damage | 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. Most of these reports come from medical treatment, often of people who are ill, not from use outside medicine.
Cases described in medical journals
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.
More papers we found
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.
Short answers
- Does Melanotan 1 work?
- Afamelanotide is approved only as the Scenesse implant, for a rare condition that makes skin react badly to light. Products sold as Melanotan 1 are not this medicine. We have not graded the studies yet. The number of papers in the databases is shown on the page.
- Is Melanotan 1 legal?
- PL: Prescription only. Afamelanotide is approved only as the Scenesse implant, across the EU. This does not cover vials sold as Melanotan 1. EU: Prescription only. Approved across the EU as Scenesse. This covers that medicine only, not products sold outside pharmacies. US: Prescription only. Prescription medicine (Scenesse).
- Is Melanotan 1 banned in sport?
- Not on the list, WADA 2026.
- Is Melanotan 1 safe?
- Well known. The US label covers only the Scenesse implant: severe allergic reactions and regular skin checks. It says nothing about vials sold as Melanotan 1.