Melanotan is a synthetic hormone that can be used to tan the skin without sun exposure. It works by stimulating melanocytes to produce more melanin, resulting in a darker skin tone within 8-12 weeks. Potential benefits include a natural-looking tan and good UV protection, but it may also cause side effects by affecting other cells and hormones. Overall, while melanotan provides tanning effects like sun exposure, it remains an experimental product with uncertain long term safety.

1. Melanotan
I might try
I wonder
that!
n! how it
oo
I always burn
works?
s
in the
g
in
sun.......and
m
Co
that's risky.
Tan fast!
No sun required!
I'm lucky!
My extra melanin absorbs
UV. I'm less likely to get skin
cancer ... and I'll have fewer
wrinkles when I'm older.
© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk

2. BODY TALK Dr Kay answers your
burning questions.
Question Question Question
I can use the I've got a date I read about
sun bed in my this weekend, melanotan.
but I look so
aunt's salon. They reckon you'll
But I hear it's drab. be able to buy it on
dangerous. the internet soon.
What's the best
way to get an
Should Is it worth
I go? instant tan? trying?
Usher fan Roxy Good
Charlotte fan
I need you to draft some answers to these readers' letters.
You'll need to know how skin tans.
Use my notes as a guide.
© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk

3. How skin tans Fake tan lotions
Sunbathing and
colour dead cells
sun beds colour live
Packages
skin cells Bronzer stains them instantly
of but washes off. DHA reacts
UV rays damage their melanin with their protein (in 2-3 hrs)
DNA and release signal are passed to give a brown product. It
to all the
molecules. Melanocytes Dead skin takes 5-7 days to wear off.
other skin
respond by making more cells
cells
Good: Instant colour
melanin. UV
Good: for healthy bones Live skin
Bad: Messy, unnatural,
UV lets skin make
cells
vitamin D
and gives no UV protection
Bad: Increased risk of
skin cancer
Melanotan Spray
Packages of
colours live skin cells
melanin give
Pills colour fat cells Cells pushed It contains synthetic
skin colour
up as dead
below the skin hormone that seeps through
ones rub off the skin and gets carried in the
They contain dyes, like and new ones blood to every cell.
Melanocyte
Melanocytes respond by
form below
those in carrots, which get
– your genes making 50% more melanin.
stored in fat. control the type
Good: weeks and gives
of melanin
Good: Simple to use Natural-looking,
produced. The lasts 8-12
Bad:gives no UV orange Nucleus amount good UV protection
Unnatural Most harmful UV containing DNA increases when
colour
Bad:byMay causeother cells
light is absorbed
skin is damaged side
protection by melanin effects affecting
© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk

4. Style secrets Dr Kay investigates tanning
otan
lan
Melanotan
Me
Choose one tanning method. I'd like to tell readers more
about tanning.
Decide what you'd like to know
Mel
But what would interest them?
about it? ano
tan
Help me plan the feature.
Write a scientific question I
I
Follow these guidelines.
could research.
Decide which type of Fact Box
I
investigation I should do.
Types of investigation
Explain how I could
I
Carry out a fair test
find the answer.
Conduct a survey
Tell me what evidence Test an explanation
I
I need to collect. Look up information
Observe something
How big a sample will I need?
I
© Science Upd8 at www.upd8.org.uk