Teen's tan trend leads to alarming mole development, doctors warn

A dermatologist was deeply concerned after a teenage boy presented with nearly 40 abnormal moles covering his back, a consequence of injecting an unregulated peptide to achieve a tan.

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I did tear up. I just thought, 'what has this young person done?'

Dr. Lisa Byrom described the moles as "atypical" and "worrying," expressing distress over the potential long-term health implications for the young patient. "At such a young age, what does this mean for the future?" she questioned. While the moles were not cancerous, the teenager now faces a lifelong increased risk of melanoma.

The boy had used Melanotan-II (MT-II), a synthetic peptide not approved for human use or sale in Australia. This substance is reportedly gaining popularity, particularly among young people, due to social media promotion of its supposed health and beauty benefits. MT-II works by stimulating pigment production, accelerating skin darkening.

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At such a young age, what does this mean for the future?

Senior skin doctors in Australia have observed a rise in patients experiencing adverse effects from MT-II, including numerous atypical moles. Dermatologist Leona Yip emphasized that MT-II is not a harmless cosmetic product. "It's not just a wellness or cosmetic product that you use and it's banal and it's harmless … it's not," she stated.

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They are now at an increased risk of melanoma… for the rest of their lives.

Despite warnings from doctors and Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) about the significant public health risks, instructions for obtaining and using MT-II remain prevalent online. Doctors are calling for increased regulation and collaboration between agencies, health professionals, and influencers to educate vulnerable youth about the dangers of such substances and skin cancer.

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It's essentially tricking our skin cells to believing that it needs to produce more pigment, so it fast tracks skin darkening.