Man who's injected Melanotan II for years issues warning to people trying it
A bloke who has drastically altered his complexion through injectable self-tanners has revealed the major mistake most people make when using the product.
With the risks of sunbathing and prolonged UV exposure being more apparent, people are turning to alternative methods to achieve the bronzed, sunkissed look they crave.
For most people, this involves using a variety of fake tans, but for a dedicated minority, this includes using illegal, unregulated and untested supplements.
This includes a peptide known as Melanotan II, a synthetic drug which stimulates the body's ability to produce melanin. Nicknamed the 'Barbie drug' or 'Vacation peptide' online, Melanotan II can either be injected into the body or inhaled through a nasal spray.
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As of 2026, the drug is untested, unregulated and therefore illegal to sell in most countries.
Despite the restrictions, Melanotan II users remain active across corners of the internet – including one man on Reddit who claims to have been injecting himself with the stuff for nearly two decades.
Referring to himself as n3glv, the man has been active across various threads to share the details of his extreme transformation, which you can see below:
After using the drug for 'roughly 17 years', n3glv appears to consider himself to be a sort of expert on Melanotan, warning other users about what to avoid when starting their injectable tanning journey.
Replying to a question from another user asking how to avoid developing new moles while using Melanotan, n3glv revealed the biggest mistake he often saw people make was people exposing themselves to UV rays too soon after taking the drug.
"Biggest issue I have seen is people thinking [Melanotan] is instant UV protection and jumping into UV already," he wrote. "Don't make that mistake."
How does UV exposure impact Melanotan II?
While your skin will darken through the use of Melanotan on its own, UV exposure is the primary catalyst for deepening complexion.
But like all drugs, Melanotan needs time to build up in a person's system, with n3glv saying it took him two weeks of 'loading' before he saw results.
He also noted that the peptide did not protect the skin from the dangers of UV rays, adding in a separate thread: "It doesn't do anything to protect you [from the sun], what it does is trigger your body to make more melanin.
"So be careful with sun exposure in the beginning. It will take around two weeks before you can take ANY sun."
What are the health risks associated with using Melanotan II?
As we mentioned above, Melanotan has not undergone thorough medical testing and is illegal to sell in the UK.
There are also a number of severe side effects associated with using the peptide, with the NHS reporting that users often experience:
- nausea
- drowsiness
- vomiting
- loss of appetite
In extreme cases, users can increase their likelihood of developing skin cancer, kidney infection and renal failure.
One case study also saw a 55-year-old man who had been using Melanotan for six years complain of a 30-hour erection, with certain formulations of the drug investigated as treatments for erectile dysfunction. So think on that before you try it, gents.
As Melanotan is not regulated, the drug can also contain numerous chemicals which can be damaging for the body.
"Unlike regulated medicines, these products have not been properly tested for safety, quality or effectiveness, and people often don’t know exactly what they are putting into their bodies," Dr Donald Grant, a GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, said of Melanotan.
Brenna Cooper