Beauty mustn’t be pain and it definitely shouldn’t be dangerous. Whether it’s a “slim thick” hourglass figure or sun-kissed glowing skin, the pressure on us to suit beauty ideals is limitless and pushing people to go to extreme, harmful lengths to attain them. 

First there was Apetamin, the unlicensed complement which promised perfect curves but as a substitute caused every thing from extreme fatigue to liver failure and even comas. Now it’s melanotan, a “quick fix” solution to tanning, that’s making the headlines.  

Often coming in the shape of injections or nasal spray, melanotan is an unlicensed drug and illegal to sell within the UK. Despite this, it’s widely available online, in addition to from gyms and wonder salons who sell it under the counter. It’s also turn out to be a well-liked product on social media, where it has been propelled into the mainstream because of an increasing variety of influencers promoting it to their followers as a strategy to fast track their tan.

The issue, nonetheless, is that folks using these melanotan products are increasingly reporting negative side-effects starting from lesions and throat infections to kidney damage and even skin cancer.   

But what actually is melanotan? How does it work and is it really dangerous? Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, helps explain.

What’s Melanotan and the way does it work?

Melanotan is a man-made type of a natural hormone in our bodies called “melanocyte-stimulating hormone” which stimulates production of pigment (melanin). When injected into the body, melanotan can stimulate the pigment cells to provide more melanin, which in turn can speed up tanning.

There are two types of melanotan that are often known as melanotan I and melanotan II. Originally a brand name used to explain medical research into alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analogues, the term “melanotan” was then adopted by black market sellers in an try to legitimise the illegal tanning injections they’re selling. The term isn’t any longer related to any pharmaceutical product in development or approved to be used by any regulatory body worldwide.

Melanotan II was originally being researched as a drug for erectile dysfunction and feminine sexual dysfunction but development ceased in 2003. As a tanning drug it may possibly give quicker results than melanotan I, nonetheless it needs exposure to UV light to assist “activate” the consequences. Melanotan II is unregulated and illegal to sell, and various countries including Australia and the UK have issued warnings against using it.

“Because these products are being distributed illegally, they are usually not subject to the identical regulations as normal medicines” – Dr Wedgeworth

What are the unintended effects of Melanotan?

In response to Dr Wedgeworth the unintended effects of melanotan II can include: nausea, abdominal pain, anxiety, flushing, dizziness, headaches and stomach pain. “Serious unintended effects akin to kidney damage have also been seen and there’s concern that use could increase the chance of skin cancer,” she says. 

A recent BBC investigation reported on one 27-year-old woman who was diagnosed with stage-one melanoma, a skin cancer that will be life-threatening, after having injected herself with melanotan II for 2 months.

“Melanotan II stimulates pigment cells, often known as melanocytes, to provide more pigment. Melanocytes are the cells that serious skin cancers melanomas develop from,” explains Dr Wedgeworth. “The priority is that for those who overstimulate melanocytes, particularly in someone who has an underlying tendency to skin cancer, you can increase the chance of melanoma developing.”  

As well as, melanotan II often goes together with other dangerous sun-seeking behaviour akin to sunbed usage, Dr Wedgeworth says. In response to the American Academy of Dermatology, only one sunbed session can increase the chance of developing skin cancer by as much as 67 per cent. 

What are the opposite dangers?

Quite a few other complications from using melanotan II have been reported, including lesions, fungal infections and abscesses which will be related to dirty needles or sharing needles. One woman, aged 19, needed hospital treatment after being diagnosed with a serious throat and sinus infection. Doctors told her inhaling the tanning product was the cause, the BBC reports, and so they had seen other patients develop similar symptoms after using it. 

“Because these products are being distributed illegally, they are usually not subject to the identical regulations as normal medicines,” explains Dr Wedgeworth. “It’s difficult to know exactly what ingredients are in them.” In 2015, one small study found that melanotan II bought from two different vendors contained between 4.1 to five.9 percent impurities.

“The actual problem is that we simply don’t know what effects melanotan II usage could have and since that is being distributed illegally, it is just not regulated and monitored by the same old stringent medical regulations,” as Dr Wedgeworth says.

“Whilst chances are you’ll be pleased with the temporary effect, you can be exposing yourself to long run health problems” – Dr Wedgeworth

Is there a secure strategy to tan?

With the pressures we’re under to live as much as beauty standards, it’s not surprising that folks get tempted by quick fixes and miracle solutions. But, as Dr Wedgeworth says, it’s just not definitely worth the risk. “Whilst chances are you’ll be pleased with the temporary effect, you can be exposing yourself to long run health problems.”

Everyone knows that sunbathing isn’t good on your health because of the UVA and UVB rays which wreak havoc on our skin cells and result in an increased risk of skin cancer alongside aesthetic side-effects akin to decreased collagen and elasticity, high-quality lines, age spots and pigmentation. So what’s one of the best thing to do for those who are searching for the bronzed, sun-kissed look? 

Dr Wedgeworth’s suggestion: fake it with self-tan products, the one truly secure strategy to tan.

Correction, April 05, 2022:

A previous version of this text incorrectly stated that Melanotan-I used to be also often known as afamelanotide. This is just not the case. “Melanotan” isn’t any longer used to explain any pharmaceutical product in development or approved to be used by any regulatory body worldwide.

Afamelanotide is a treatment for a rare condition called erythropoietic protoporphyria which causes severe pain on sun exposure. It was approved by the EU in 2014 and by the FDA in 2019 for this purpose.