Social media influencers have been promoting illegal and 'dangerous' tanning products to millions of people online, an investigation has found.
It is currently illegal to sell unlicensed melanotan in the UK, an artificial hormone that stimulates the pigment cells in your skin to produce melanin (the substance that makes skin look darker). It is sold in different forms, such as a tanning nasal spray, but it is most commonly used as an injection.
The unlicensed and non-regulated drug is dangerous, dermatologists say, emphasising that users should stop immediately. There is evidence the untested products may be linked to skin cancer, reports the BBC.
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"I didn't know they were illegal or dangerous, it all looked so legitimate and safe. You just think 'I won't get any side effects, I won't get skin cancer, it won't affect me' - and then it did," ex-melanontan user Liv said on BBC Breakfast.
She discovered a strange mole eight months after she first started using tanning injections. Shortly after she was diagnosed with stage one melanoma where an area of her thigh had to be removed, with doctors informing her that the injections were the likely cause.
Dermatologists say that they're seeing a rise in patients with the warning signs of unusual orange tan and disordered moles, saying they have evidence the tanning chemicals are potentially dangerous.
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Some sellers claim their products are safe - but Dr Catherine Borysiewicz, from the association, says the only safe tan is fake tan in an interview with the broadcaster. "We have evidence these products are potentially dangerous and can potentially lead to cancer," she explained.
"We have cases which have shown melanoma developing after trying them. ! talk about skin risks - but who knows what else it might be doing?"
Social media influencers have propelled the sales of melanotan-2's popularity. A newer form of ingesting the chemical - through a nasal spray - is making them seem more appealing to consumers. But as it stands, it's not illegal to promote these products online despite the health risks.
The most high-profile celebrity identified by the BBC to be promoting these products was reality-TV star Charlotte Crosby, who on one occasion told her followers to "check out" Real Tan. A representative for Ms Crosby, who has amassed 7.6 million Instagram followers, says she "would never knowingly promote a company illegally selling unlicensed products".
Cancer Research does not condone the use of unlicensed melanotan, advising people to see their GP if they start to notice anything unusual or if they may be at risk from using or sharing needles. For more advice visit the Cancer Research website.
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