Increased rate of skin tanning: Melanotan II is known to stimulate the production of melanin, the substance in the skin that determines the rate of tanning and helps prevent sunburn. A review of melanotan use and associated clinical outcomes identified eighteen clinical trials and twenty-one clinical case presentations demonstrating melanotan IIs action as a synthetic tanning agent [4].
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For instance, in a pilot phase-I clinical study by Dorr et al., three subjects were subcutaneously administered a starting dose of 0.01 mg/kg of MT-II, followed by daily injections of MT-II or placebo for two consecutive weeks. The observed effects included increased tanning, supporting the effectiveness of MT-II as a sunless tanning agent, administered at low doses every other day [5].
Potential treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED): In a seminal study on the effects of MT-II on sexual function by Wessells H et al., the peptide was administered to 20 men with erectile dysfunction. The study measured penile rigidity and levels of sexual desire, while side effects were self-reported. According to the authors, 17 out of 20 men experienced the desired outcome of penile erection [6].
A study by Giuliano et al. found that injections of melanotan 2 (0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/kg) elicited erectile events in anesthetized rats. Researchers noted that MT-2 also shortened the latency of the first erectile event to occur, concluding that the peptide recruited the central and peripheral melanocortin pathways to achieve this effect [7].
However, as noted by Mahiques-Santos, while melanotan II has been investigated as a potential ED treatment, it has been largely superseded by a nasally administered molecule (PT-141, Palatin Technologies), an active metabolite of the molecule [1]. There is nonetheless strong research interest in MT-2 as a potential treatment of erectile dysfunction.
Potential autism treatment: A study by Minakova et al. found that melanotan II reversed autistic features in a maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model of autism. Researchers continuously administered melanotan II to male MIA mice for seven days and observed a rescue of social behavioral metrics.'' The authors concluded that MT-II was an effective agent for improving autism-like behavioral deficits in the MIA mouse model of autism, suggesting that further research in this area is warranted [8].
Tanning nasal spray contains a hormone called melanotan, which is not FDA-approved. It may cause side effects like nausea, prolonged erections, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
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RealPeopleGroup/Getty ImagesAs you might already know, getting a tan the old-fashioned way via exposure to real or artificial UV rays can lead to sun spots, wrinkles, and other signs of premature skin aging. It can also raise your risk of developing skin cancer.
Enter a vast array of sunless tanning products, from self-tanning lotions to serums to nasal spray. Wait nasal spray?
If that made you do a double-take, youre not alone. But tanning nasal spray does, in fact, exist.
Tanning nasal spray, which contains a hormone called melanotan II, has received plenty of airtime on TikTok recently. Influencers and online retailers who sell this product illegally promote it as a way to get a safe and natural tan.
But melanotan has the potential to cause several health concerns, including:
Some dermatologists have even taken to social media to urge people to avoid using tanning nasal spray.
Contrary to what some influencers on TikTok and Instagram might suggest, you dont simply inhale a squirt of tanning spray before bed and poof! wake up with a perfect tan. Sprays also dont give you a perma-tan, either.
The melanotan in tanning nasal spray replicates alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormones in your body. When you inhale melanotan through your nose, it enters your bloodstream by way of your mucus membranes. It then binds to your melanocortin receptors and stimulates the production of melanin, a pigment in your skin cells.
The more melanin your body produces, the darker your skin (temporarily) becomes. But again, this tan doesnt last forever. When you stop using the spray, your bodys production of melanin will slow, and your tan will fade.
Melanotan I and II, found in tanning nasal sprays and tanning injections, arent approved or regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You cant purchase melanotan legally in a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Since the FDA doesnt regulate these products, you have no way to know for sure if the composition of the product you purchase actually matches the ingredients on the label no matter what the retailer says.
So, even if youre willing to take a chance on the potential health risks involved with using melanotan, you could end up with a product that contains impurities or unsafe additives.
One study examined products sold as melanotan-II from several online vendors. The researchers found that these products contained between 4.1 and 5.9 percent impurities. Whats more, even though the vials were advertised as containing 10 mg of melanotan-II, the actual amount of melanotan-II in the vials varied from 4.3 mg to 8.8 mg.
Contaminants and mislabeling aside, very little research has explored the long-term effects of tanning nasal spray. Experts dont know enough about melanotans potential side effects to determine whether people can use it safely.
In other words, any claims influencers or online retailers have made about the safety of tanning nasal spray are untrue. No scientific evidence supports the safety of these products.
When using an unregulated product, you run the risk of inhaling and absorbing too much of the drug and introducing contaminants and impurities into your body.
Plenty remains unknown about the long-term effects of melanotan. But experts have identified a number of short-term side effects associated with tanning nasal spray, including:
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Melanotan may also contribute to more serious effects, including:
If you use a tanning nasal spray, anything more than mild side effects warrants a visit to a healthcare professional.
ImportantIf you develop severe symptoms, visit an urgent care center or your nearest emergency room right away. Let your care team know you used tanning nasal spray so they can better identify and treat any adverse reactions to melanotan.
You can get a beachy bronzed glow without overexposing yourself to damaging UV rays or injecting (or inhaling) melatonin and other untested, unregulated products.
Safe options for tanning include:
Bronzers work like much makeup. You apply these products to your skin to get the look you want, then wash it off at the end of the day.
You can find bronzer in different forms, including cream, stick, powder, and spray.
Self-tanners come in the form of creams, lotions, and serums. They contain ingredients that darken the skin without exposure to UV light.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), an ingredient used in many sunless tanning products, darkens the skin by reacting with amino acids on the skins surface.
The FDA allows DHA in sunless tanning products, but this ingredient is considered safe only when applied externally. That means your self-tanner shouldnt make any contact with your:
You can find self-tanners with and without DHA. Some self-tanners also contain bronzers to give you an instant glow-up while you wait for the color additives to kick in and darken your skin.
Results typically last 7 to 10 days, though this timeframe can vary between products.
A spray tan is exactly what the name suggests: a tan you get from a spray, typically at a spa or salon.
A technician will spray a sunless tanning product containing DHA onto your skin, to the depth and tone of your choice. Depending on how dark you want your tan, your results can last anywhere from 7 to 10 days.
If you spend any time reading forum threads on tanning nasal sprays and injections, you might have come across a few mentions of afamelanotide (Sceneness), an implant prescription drug approved by the FDA.
Though afamelanotide is similar to melanotan, the FDA has not approved it for use as a self-tanner. The FDA approved this drug in as a treatment for adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP).
People with EPP experience severe pain and other skin reactions when exposing their skin to any type of light. Afamelanotide helps increase the amount of pain-free time a person with EPP can spend in artificial light or sunlight.
This drug should only be used in a clinical setting, and only healthcare professionals who have completed training in the subcutaneous implantation procedure can safely insert it under your skin.
In short, you cant self-tan with afamelanotide. Doing so could lead to serious injury and infections.
Was this helpful?
Tanning nasal spray simply isnt a good option for tanning.
Even setting aside the lack of research into melanotans long-term effects, these products remain unregulated. Theres no guarantee your spray actually contains the ingredients printed on the label. It could even contain contaminants as an unwelcome bonus.
Your safest bet is to stick with approved alternatives to tanning, like bronzer, self-tanner, and spray tan.
Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. When shes not holed-up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddle board.
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