14 DAY TRIAL // The annual Druglink Street Trends report is out and, aside from showing that dealers are now offering illicit substances at discount prices because of recession, it also reveals use of Melanotan is on the rise.
As we also informed you early last year, Melanotan is an injectable drug that tricks the skin into producing melanin, the pigment needed for a tan.
Because of its many side effects and risks, tests for Melanotan have been stopped in most territories, which means it’s illegal to purchase and use.
Still, as the report cited by the Daily Mail reveals, that’s not really stopping more and more women from buying it, especially since they can do so easily off the Internet.
Melanotan costs about £250 for a course. It comes either as a powder that is mixed with sterile water, or already mixed and takes about one week for the first jab to work.
Also called the “Barbie Drug” or the “jabbatan,” Melanotan is extremely dangerous and has not been approved for use in any country – which is why it’s even more shocking to see more women turn to it for a tan.
“Medical experts say Melanotan can lead to the shape and appearance of skin moles changing rapidly, which could cause skin cancer to be wrongly diagnosed or even missed,” the Daily Mail writes.
Still, women toss all caution out the window, especially since those who sell the drug promise it improves the user’s love life, leads to decreased appetite and, therefore, some weight loss.
They also use vague terms to describe side effects and risks, thus putting all emphasis on the so-called benefits, as we also informed you a while back.
“Minimal or no undesirable side effects. Decrease body fat mass and reduce food intake. Induces skin tanning at low doses. Potent self-tanner applications,” they say.
Among the so-called “minimal” side-effects, scientists include depression, nausea, high blood pressure, flushed face, dizziness and panic attacks, aside from the aforementioned alteration of the appearance of moles.
And the above are just the KNOWN side effects, since Melanotan has not been put through the proper paces in any territory because of safety concerns.
“Trials of Melanotan in the US were halted amid concerns the drug was causing dangerous increases in blood pressure. Lack of testing means the drug has never been licensed for use in Britain or any other country,” the Mail also notes.