Major Differences
I'm guessing by now the question on most people's mind would be which of the two is better? The short answer is Melanotan for the obvious reason that it facilitates tanning with limited side effects. It is for this reason that this analogue is being trialled with a view to bringing it to market by Clinuvel. They would be faced with an almost impossible mission had they chosen instead MT-II to develop and place before the regulatory authorities for approval. This is due to the host of extra side effects commonly encountered by users of this analogue, perhaps also coupled with the fact that the side effects that are shared with Melanotan appear more pronounced. However, in terms of monetary cost, and perhaps also a desire to experience and utilise the other side effects, most prospective users will choose Melanotan II.
Melanotan's peptide structure is very closely matched to that of our endogenously produced alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It is a specific agonist of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC-1R) which is primarily responsible for skin colour and is found on melanocyte cells.
Melanotan II on the other hand has a much shorter sequence of amino acids and because of this quite pronounced change in length and structure, is an agonist of the range of melanocortin receptors. Perhaps more importantly, binding at receptors other than MC-1R is far greater than that of Melanotan. This 'shotgun effect' agonism of the full spectrum of different melanocortin receptors results in some effects that are only witnessed from MT-II. Most notably, increases in sexual arousal are due to MT-II's activation of MC-3R and MC-4R.
Because the amino acid sequence is much shorter in the case of MT-II, there is therefore a much greater density of peptide chains than is present using MT within a given set weight. Although the receptor binding affinity of MT-II may not be quite as effective, there will be much more peptide chains than for MT on a mg for mg basis so effectively you require much less in terms of milligram weight of Melanotan II to achieve similar results. This accounts for the wide difference in suggested dosages for each peptide and of course, makes MT-II a much cheaper proposition.
Effects / Side Effects
Melanotan:
Skin pigmentation
Nausea
Appetite suppression
Flushing (esp. facial)
Headache
Lethargy
Itching
Dizziness
New mole appearance or darkening
Hyperpigmentation
White patches
Melanotan II:
Skin pigmentation
Nausea
Appetite suppression
Flushing (esp. facial)
Headache
Lethargy
Itching
Dizziness
New mole appearance or darkening
Hyperpigmentation
White patches
Increased libido
Physical sexual arousal
Anaphylactic shock?
Of the above listed effects/side effects, it is worth bearing in mind that the prevalence and severity are witnessed to a greater degree from Melanotan II. Indeed, most will find Melanotan very comfortable to use, typically only experiencing minor nausea, appetite suppression and flushing.
Although side effects do become less troublesome with each administration of MT or MT-II, most users will experience at least some of the side effect to varying degrees, most commonly nausea, appetite suppression, facial flushing and dull headaches. These will typically become apparent within a few minutes of administration but can last for many hours. In the case of MT-II, increases in libido are often seen in conjunction with outwardly physical signs of sexual arousal whereby the male user experiences prolonged periods of increased blood flow to the penis. This particular side effect does not diminish in severity over time and instances of occurrence are to be expected throughout the period of MT-II use. As I'm sure you can appreciate, this aspect may prove embarrassing and perhaps quite uncomfortable, so I must stress again the importance of building dosage up gradually to assess personal tolerance and susceptibility.
Some users will notice the new appearance of freckles as these particular areas of skin have increased melanin. The good news is that as the tan is developed, the visual appearance of them will diminish, probably completely. Moles commonly become darker too as these are actually highly concentrated clusters of melanocytes. Both of these occurrences will reverse some time after discontinuation of the peptide and suntanning is ceased.
In addition to freckles and mole changes, there are fairly rare reports of a phenomenon called hyperpigmentation. This is typified by blotches of darkened skin, normally much larger than regular moles. Not all incidences of hyperpigmentation are attributable to increased melanocyte activity even though their appearance may only become apparent during melanocortin receptor agonism by Melanotan I or II. This condition is specifically referred to as diffuse hyperpigmentation, with many possible underlying causes or disorders including Addison's disease, haemochromatosis, hyperthyroidism and certain medications which may induce phototoxic reactions.
Previously unseen white spots or white patches of skin may also become apparent as the tan deepens. Again, this is not thought to occur as a direct result of using Melanotan, rather it merely uncovers the underlying condition. There are a range of actual causes. White spots (typically 2-5mm in size) may be the result of Idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis where there are reductions in the number of melanocytes and melanin in those particular areas. Larger white areas of skin may be due to Tinea versicolor which is a fungal infection caused by the yeast Malassezia furfur which is found on the skin and is not normally troublesome. Treatment would normally include an oral or topical anti-fungal though it may take many weeks for the skin tone to become consistent with surrounding areas.
It has been suggested that due to the greater difference of MT-II to our own α-MSH, there is a greater chance of the body to view the peptide as a 'foreign body' and produce an allergic response. This could potentially trigger anaphylaxis, a potentially life threatening situation whereby large amounts of histamine are produced by the body which can lead to a host of effects including severe bronchoconstriction and rapid drops in blood pressure.
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