Compare · Melanocortin
Melanotan II vs PT-141
Both are melanocortin compounds. Here's how they line up on the evidence — graded the same way.
| Melanotan II | PT-141 | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence | 6/10 | 10/10 |
| Class | Melanocortin | Melanocortin |
| Summary | A synthetic tanning peptide that does something, but is unapproved, unregulated, and tied to serious harms from priapism to melanoma case reports. | An FDA-approved melanocortin agonist for low sexual desire in premenopausal women. Two real Phase 3 trials show a small, genuine benefit for that one use; almost everything else people take it for is unstudied. |
| Full profile → | Full profile → |
Melanotan II
Melanotan II is a man-made peptide sold online to darken skin (people call it "the tan jab"), curb appetite, and boost sex drive. No country has approved it as a drug, and the way people actually use it has never been put through a proper, controlled study.
PT-141
PT-141 (bremelanotide) is unusual for this corner of the world: it's an actual FDA-approved drug, sold under the name Vyleesi. But that approval covers only one narrow situation, and most of the reasons people reach for PT-141 fall well outside it. The science behind the approved use is solid and…