Getty Images
In some countries and cultures, people value pale skin and go to great lengths to get it, while in other countries, achieving a deep tan is still the ultimate beauty goal. Both can be hazardous to your health, and here’s why.
By Krista Bennett DeMaio
There is no such thing as a healthy tan. We know that a tan represents DNA damage in skin cells that can lead to skin cancer. “And yet,” says Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, president of The Skin Cancer Foundation, “in the U.S. and many other countries, people still think a tan is the epitome of health and beauty.”
While tan skin is an ideal for some men and women, lightening skin and fading dark spots have been a major focus for others, especially in Asian-Pacific countries, where many people believe pale skin is the ultimate standard of beauty. Whether the goal is tan or pale skin, there are sketchy, dangerous and downright life-threatening ways to achieve it.
Going Lighter
Topical skin lightening treatments in Asian-Pacific countries have been known to include potentially harmful ingredients such as arsenic, lead and mercury. Some people get intravenous (IV) infusions of the antioxidant glutathione, which deactivates tyrosinase, a key enzyme involved in the production of pigment. “While it’s promoted as a safe alternative to topical bleaching agents, there have been reports of thyroid function impairment, kidney dysfunction and long-term risk of cancer,” says Dr. Sarnoff.
Going Darker
It’s not just lightening treatments that are dangerous. There are also drugs to promote a deeper tan that can have deadly effects, such as the popular peptide Melanotan II, which has been been buzzy on TikTok. Dubbed the “Barbie Drug,” Melanotan II is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which spurs your pigment-producing cells to pump out more melanin. People are using this drug’s injectable version as well as a nasal spray form. While it can create tan skin without UV exposure, it must be activated first by ultraviolet light.
Sounds safer than tanning the “natural” way, right? Not at all. “It has the potential to turn benign moles into dysplastic nevi (atypical moles) and even melanomas. Furthermore, it has been documented to cause muscle damage and even systemic toxicity,” Dr. Sarnoff says. It’s banned in many countries, including the U.S. and Australia, but it’s often sold illegally or available through a labeling loophole. Peptides labeled “for research” or “not for human use” can be legally sold in the U.S. for laboratory purposes.
The bottom line: Products like Melanotan II are illegal for good reasons. Dr. Sarnoff strongly cautions that whether you’re wishing for lighter or darker skin tones, “None of this is worth the risks!”
Krista Bennett DeMaio is a writer, editor and content strategist who covers beauty, health and wellness. Her work has appeared in publications such as Allure, New York, O, the Oprah Magazine, Women’s Health, and websites such as HealthCentral.com, Prevention.com and bhg.com.
