Melanotan II vs Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Side-by-side comparison of Melanotan II and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
Melanotan II
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Melanotan II
Melanotan-II (MT-II) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) engineered in the late 1980s by researchers at the University of Arizona, most prominently Mac Hadley and…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 5 listings
Full Melanotan II profileAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-3 in older nomenclature, commercially known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide designed as a competitive inhibitor of the SNARE complex at the neuromuscular junction.…
Lowest listed price: $129.00 across 1 listing
Full Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | Melanotan II | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Skin, Hair & Aesthetics | Skin & Hair |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | Marketed topical cosmetic ingredient (INCI: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 / Argireline). Supported by small human anti-wrinkle studies, including one randomized, placebo-controlled trial; no systemic or injectable clinical development. Not an FDA-approved drug. |
| Mechanism of Action | Melanotan-II works by binding to and activating all four G-protein-coupled melanocortin receptors expressed in mammalian tissue (MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, MC5R - MC2R responds only to ACTH), with particularly high affinity at MC1R, MC3R, and MC4R. Melanocortin… | Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) is patterned after the N-terminal domain of SNAP-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during SNARE complex assembly. The SNARE complex (SNAP-25 + Syntaxin-1 + VAMP/synaptobrevin) is required for… |
| Half-Life | Approximately 30-60 minutes (subcutaneous; limited published human pharmacokinetic data). Peak plasma levels occur ~1-2 hours after injection, and subjective effects typically persist 4-8 hours. | Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses) |
| Typical Dose Range | — | — |
| Dosing Frequency | — | twice_daily |
| Administration | — | Topical |
| Side Effects | The side-effect profile of MT-II is dose-dependent and largely driven by pan-melanocortin receptor activation. Many users experience the acute side effects as more limiting than the tanning benefit. Very Common (50% of users): - Nausea — the single most common… | — |
| Molecular Weight | ~1024.2 g/mol (average molecular weight; monoisotopic mass ~1023.5 Da). Molecular formula C50H69N15O9 (PubChem CID 92432). | 888.99 g/mol (average); molecular formula C34H60N14O12S |
| Common Vial Sizes | — | — |
Price History
3 data points- Half Nattys
- Ion Peptide
- Disguised Alpha
Price tracking
Melanotan II: potential benefits
- Tanning without UV
- Appetite suppression
- Sexual arousal
- Photoprotection
- Fat loss
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: potential benefits
- Targets dynamic expression wrinkles - forehead, glabellar, and periorbital (crow's feet) lines
- Proposed to reduce facial neuromuscular signaling by destabilizing the ternary SNARE complex (acts as a SNAP-25 N-terminal mimic)
- A randomized, placebo-controlled human study reported ~49% subjective improvement in periorbital wrinkles vs 0% for placebo over 4 weeks (small evidence base) [PMID: 23417317]
- Marketed as a topical 'Botox alternative' - reversible mechanism, not a neurotoxin, with no botulinum-type systemic risk
- Supplied as a raw cosmetic-compounding powder for research/formulation use (verify purity via HPLC COA)
- Commonly combined with related peptides (e.g., Acetyl Octapeptide-3 / Snap-8) in anti-wrinkle formulations
Frequently asked
What's the difference between Melanotan II and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Melanotan II is a skin, hair & aesthetics that melanotan-ii works by binding to and activating all four g-protein-coupled melanocortin receptors expressed in mammalian tissue (mc1r, mc3r, mc4r, mc5r - mc2r responds only to…. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a skin & hair that acetyl hexapeptide-8 (argireline) is patterned after the n-terminal domain of snap-25 and behaves as a competitive mimic of that protein during snare complex assembly. the snare…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Approximately 30-60 minutes (subcutaneous; limited published human pharmacokinetic data). Peak plasma levels occur ~1-2 hours after injection, and subjective effects typically persist 4-8 hours. vs Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses)), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, Melanotan II or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Melanotan II has a half-life of Approximately 30-60 minutes (subcutaneous; limited published human pharmacokinetic data). Peak plasma levels occur ~1-2 hours after injection, and subjective effects typically persist 4-8 hours.. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a half-life of Short (topical application, no systemic absorption at cosmetic doses). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, Melanotan II or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: Melanotan II from $34.99, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 from $129.00. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack Melanotan II and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. Melanotan II and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
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Before you buy Melanotan II or Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
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Research use only. BodyHackGuide is a research and price-comparison reference. The compounds discussed on this page are not approved by the FDA for human consumption and are sold strictly for laboratory research. Prices shown are pulled from vendor listings tracked on BHG and are subject to change. Every vendor is ranked on the same public, reproducible methodology. See editorial standards and affiliate disclosure.