Abstract
While ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a major cause of skin ageing and carcinogenesis, public pursuit of a novel tanning strategy circumventing the need for UVR is increasingly reported in the media and scientific press. This involves the subcutaneous self-administration of unregulated products labelled as melanotan I and/or melanotanII, synthetic analogues of ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone (?-MSH), as obtained via the internet, tanning salons and gyms. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority has recently raised awareness of the public health risk of the potential impurity of products. Dermatologists should also be aware that these agents can complicate the clinical presentation of patients with pigmented lesions; their use may be suspected in unexpectedly tanned individuals with rapidly pigmenting naevi. The photo-protective and other biological effects of ?-MSH analogues await full determination.
Introduction
There has recently been widespread media coverage of the public's use of subcutaneously self-injected melanotropic peptides, labelled melanotan I and II, for the purpose of obtaining a tan. While the exact extent to which these products are used is unknown, there is growing concern regarding the health risks of these unregulated agents, including a recent alert from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority. This melanotan peptide article reviews the newly reported cases of cutaneous complications associated with use of sun-tan jabs, and also discusses the background and potential applications of the regulated ?-melanocyte stimulating hormone (?-MSH) analogue melanotan one (Australia), which is currently undergoing clinical trials as a protective agent in photo sensitivity disorders and as a prevention strategy in non-melanoma skin cancer.
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