28/01/2009 - Illegal tan linked to mole changes
Skin experts have warned that an injectable tan is being sold illegally that has been linked to the changes in the appearance of moles.
The unlicensed medicine is called Melanotan, also known as the tan jab. Featured in the British Medical Journal, dermatology experts in Salford described two patients who attended a clinic with a deep tan and changing moles, despite their fair skin type.
Although they admitted to using sunbeds they had both bought Melanotan I and II on the internet and injected the drug shortly before their moles changed.
The tan is achieved by increasing levels of melanin, which is the body's natural pigment to protect the skin from the sun.
The medicines regulator has not tested the jab but it is available illegally on the internet and from some tanning shops and body building gyms.
A group of academics and consultants at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust warned unregulated use of Melanotan could lead to a surge in problems.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last month warned people not to use the product because it not been tested for safety, quality or effectiveness and that its side-effects were unknown.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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