Reminder of Serious Health Risks with Melanotan 2 Self-Tan Products
Low Confidence Case ReportOutcomes summary
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) safety notice warning the public about unregulated Melanotan 2 products sold as self-tanning aids; products commonly available as injectable powder, drops, and nasal sprays; serious side effects include development of new moles, darkening of existing moles, potential vision loss, muscle tremors, stroke, and anaphylaxis; between July 2022 and June 2023, HPRA removed over 500 social media or e-commerce listings for Melanotan 2.
Limitations
Regulatory safety notice based on case reports and surveillance data; incidence rates cannot be calculated from passive reporting systems; causality attribution can be challenging; findings may not reflect the full spectrum of possible adverse events.
Notes
Primary source: HPRA Safety Notice (August 2023).