Short answer: The Scenesse label dose is a single 16 mg afamelanotide implant placed under the skin above the front of the hip bone (the anterior supra-iliac crest) every 2 months. It is placed by a healthcare professional trained in the procedure, using the SFM Implantation Cannula, and the person is watched for 30 minutes afterwards. Sun and light protection continues during treatment. The label has no missed-dose rule.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What Scenesse is approved for: Scenesse is a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1-R) agonist approved to increase pain-free light exposure in adults with a history of phototoxic reactions (painful reactions to light) from erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) (Indications and Usage).
Source
SCENESSE (afamelanotide) implant, for subcutaneous use, prescribing information. CLINUVEL. DailyMed, version published May 13, 2026. DailyMed setid 94f53286-11dd-7fbb-e053-2a95a90a7c48
A trained healthcare professional places one implant under the skin 3 to 4 cm above the front of the hip bone, with the person lying back. Local anesthetic is optional. The dressing stays on for 24 hours, and the person is monitored for 30 minutes (Dosage and Administration).
The implant is a solid white to off-white rod about 1.7 cm long and 1.45 mm wide that dissolves in the body. It is not supplied with an implantation device; the label names the SFM Implantation Cannula (Dosage Forms and Strengths; How Supplied).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Item | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Dose | A single SCENESSE implant (containing 16 mg of afamelanotide) |
| How often | Every 2 months |
| Where | Subcutaneously above the anterior supra-iliac crest |
| Who gives it | A health care professional proficient in the subcutaneous implantation procedure who has completed the training program provided by CLINUVEL |
| Device | SFM Implantation Cannula |
| After insertion | Leave dressing in place for 24 hours; monitor the patient for 30 minutes |
If removal is clinically needed, the implant is pushed out through a small puncture under local anesthetic. The label notes it may not be found from 10 days after insertion because it dissolves; if surgery were needed, ultrasound can locate it.
Scenesse is stored in a refrigerator at 2 C to 8 C (36 F to 46 F), protected from light, and warmed to room temperature before insertion.
Safety and effectiveness have not been established in children.
The Scenesse label gives no missed-dose instruction. The implant is placed every 2 months by a healthcare professional, so a late implant is a question for the prescriber.
In Dose Track you set up Scenesse as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.