Side by side
Afamelanotide vs Argireline
Both are discussed for skin & hair. What this site records about each, side by side. Every figure is on the compound's own page with the source it came from.
| Afamelanotide | Argireline | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The approved member of the melanotan family. Same idea as melanotan II, taken through a full regulatory process, and the contrast between them is instructive. | A topical peptide marketed as a needle-free alternative to botulinum toxin. It has real published studies, small effects, and essentially no risk. |
| EvidenceHow much human evidence exists, not how well it works. | Approved | Early human trials |
| Regulatory statusReviewed 2026-08-16 | Approved by the FDA (2019) and the EMA (2014) as Scenesse, a 16 mg subcutaneous implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria, inserted by a trained clinician every two months. Not approved for cosmetic tanning anywhere. Injectable powder sold as melanotan 1 is a research chemical — not the approved product — and does not share its delivery method, purity controls or supervision. | Sold as a cosmetic ingredient, not a drug, in the United States, the European Union and elsewhere. Cosmetics are not assessed for efficacy before sale, and claims must stay within cosmetic language. That is why products describe the appearance of wrinkles instead of treating them. |
| Routes | Subcutaneous | Topical |
| Half-life | 24 hours | Not recorded |
| Cheapest per mgVials only, read from vendors' own listings and dated on the price index. | $1.76/mg | $0.49/mg |
| Median per mg | $3.80/mg | $1.09/mg |
| Vendors with a price | 23 | 4 |
| Storage once mixed | Refrigerated at 2–8 °C. Do not freeze once mixed. | A finished cosmetic contains a preservative system and typically lasts 6 to 12 months after opening. A serum mixed at home from raw powder does not have that protection and will grow bacteria. That is the practical risk with this compound, and it is microbiological rather than pharmacological. |
Compare two other compounds · The full price index
This page is educational. It describes what published research reports, not what you should do. Peptides discussed here are largely not approved for human use, and nothing on BioAlmanac is medical advice. Nothing here ranks these two against each other. A table can show that one has more human evidence behind it or costs less per milligram; neither of those is a recommendation, and the right comparison for any person is one their doctor makes with them.