Doctor's warning over worrying Melanotan II side effect ‘that can cause 30-hour erections'

Pumping unregulated tanning drugs like Melanotan II into your body can have quite the knock-on effect on a bloke's penis.

Doctors and dermatologists have been warning of the dangers that come with using products like these, but tons of people still take their chances anyway.

Melanotan II claims to help users achieve their desired level of tan in a short amount of time, as this bloke's shocking before-and-after pictures show. But it also has another interesting side-effect on fellas.

Given that the summer season is almost upon us, more and more people will be in the market for sun-kissed skin.

According to Cancer Research UK, 'there’s no such thing as safe UV tanning' and if you're desperate to look bronzed, your best bet is getting it out of a bottle.

The charity then goes on to warn people that using 'artificial substances' such as Melanotan II to speed up the time it takes to achieve their perfect shade of tan is 'not safe'.

Experts say fake tan if the safest way to look bronzed (Getty Stock Image)

Explaining what the synthetic hormone-like peptide does, Cancer Research UK states: "It stimulates the pigment cells in your skin to produce more melanin, and this makes the skin look darker.

"Melanotan II is made in different forms, including as a nasal spray and as an injection (sometimes called ‘tan jab’ or ‘tanning injections’). It is illegal to sell and supply Melanotan injections in the UK.

"Melanotan nasal sprays and injections are not safe to use. Melanotan products have not been tested for safety, quality or effectiveness. So it is not known if using them causes side effects and how serious they are."

Although the full extent of the damage that taking these tanning products causes is unclear, doctors have documented some unusual impacts the so-called 'Barbie drug' has had on users.

One poor fella ended up experiencing priapism - AKA, a long-lasting, painful erection which can cause permanent damage if left untreated - for more than 30 hours after taking Melanotan II.

According to the NHS, priapism commonly impacts people with sickle cell disease, but taking certain medications or illegal substances can also trigger it.

To help ease this unwavering erection, doctors have to drain blood from the penis - either with needles or by making a small cut.

Melanotan II also works as a 'sexual stimulant' on men, the case study explained (Getty Stock Image)

A case study published in the journal Sexual Medicine in January 2021 by doctors in Miami explained they treated a patient who had 'acute ischemic priapism' after injecting Melanotan II.

It explained that as well as 'generating a sunless tan through melanocyte induction', the tanning drug can 'also be used as a sexual stimulant' and 'has been investigated as a possible treatment agent in erectile dysfunction'.

The 55-year-old patient rocked up to hospital complaining of a 'painful, sustained penile erection' which had been going strong for 30 hours by the time he arrived.

He told medics that he had been using Melanotan II for more than six years to darken his skin and that after injecting it into his body, he would often experience an erection that 'lasted a few minutes'.

"He also reported severe nausea with its use, and so each year he injected once before bedtime," it explained. "He reports no prior history of priapism or erectile dysfunction."

Doctors reported that his erection started to 'visibly decrease' after they began treating the man, but said it would then rear its head again 'within a couple of minutes'.

One bloke previously shared pictures showing the drastic results that taking Melanotan II had on his skin (Reddit/n3glv)

Surgical intervention was ultimately required to get rid of the guy's hard-on. At a follow-up appointment 15-weeks later, 'he reported a degree of new onset erectile dysfunction'.

Another case study also discussed how Melanotan II caused 'clinically apparent erections' in 8 out of 10 blokes with erectile dysfunction who consumed it.

"Transient side effects of nausea, stretching and yawning, and decreased appetite were reported more frequently after injections of Melanotan II than placebo but none required treatment," it added.

Health experts including Dr Sobia Kauser have said that more studies urgently need to be conducted into how the long-term use of the tanning drug can impact a person.

She warned people often experience side effects such as 'appetite loss, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues and a potential increased risk of developing skin cancers'.

The assistant professor at the University of Bradford told Metro: "You are essentially injecting a chemical into your body with unknown impurities. Is this the price you are willing to pay to look more attractive?"

What other side effects does Melanotan II have?

A study of 28 people aged 18 to 64 by the British Journal of Dermatology details some of the side effects they commonly experienced. These included:

• Nausea
• Reversible darkening of moles
• An increase in libido or erections

The study also noted two much more serious potential side effects associated with Melanotan II.

These were dysplastic naevi, which is an odd-looking, often large mole that is thankfully non-cancerous. And renal infarction, which is the interruption of normal blood flow to the kidneys. That's a medical emergency which requires urgent hospital treatment.

Other side effects listed on WebMD include:

• Uneven skin tone
• Facial redness or flushing
• Headaches
• Reduced appetite
• Painful, prolonged erections, which can permanently damage the penis
• Melanoma (skin cancer)