In this article:
What are nasal tanning sprays?
How do nasal tanning sprays work?
Is nasal tanning safe?
Melanotan risks
Safe self-tanning alternatives
Decades of research demonstrate that getting a “natural tan” from exposing skin to sunlight is dangerous. This is because tans only appear after skin is at the receiving end of some degree of sunburn and damage via UV radiation. Think of tans as a visible signal that your skin is under environmental attack, as skin produces extra melanin not for the purposes of “tanning” but to protect from additional damage (1).
Tanning beds are no better – research shows using tanning beds increases the chances of developing both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers (2). And, unlike the sun, the UV bulbs used in tanning beds and booths are up close and personal, mere inches from skin.
Since the pitfalls of UV-fueled tanning are widely known, the search for ways to safely tan is always on - but doctors are sounding the alarm about a new trend going viral on TikTok and other social media platforms: tanning injections and nasal tanning sprays.
Here we have the research-vetted answers to this online phenomenon, including what it is, how it works – and what’s at stake for those who want to try it.
What are nasal tanning sprays?
Nasal tanning sprays and tanning injections are products that rely on an ingredient known as melanotan II to get skin to darken as if you got a suntan.
So, what is melanotan II? Melanotan II is a synthetic analog of a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates the formation of eumelanin, the specific pigment that provides skin its pigmentation, or colour (3). Nasal tanning sprays and injections use this analog (which is a synthetic peptide) to encourage skin darkening.
Melanotan II is not to be confused with melanotan I, also called afamelanotide. Afamelanotide is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approved for implants used to encourage melanin production in people with a rare disorder that causes sun sensitivity (4).
How do nasal tanning sprays work?
Nasal tanning sprays work by delivering melanotan II to the mucus membranes inside the nasal cavity, where it is then absorbed into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, it acts on melanocortin receptors (receptors in cells that play a role in pigmentation, among other functions), resulting in enhanced skin pigmentation or “tanning” (3).
The path of injected melanotan II is much the same, only instead of acting through the mucus membranes of the nose, it is more directly injected into the bloodstream.
Is nasal tanning safe?
In a word? No. Nasal tanning is not a safe practice.
Melanotan II is not U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved. This means that there is zero regulation, proven usage recommendations, quality assurance or safety testing.
The chances that what you get when you buy a spray claiming to contain melanotan not even being the real thing are high. The result? You wind up spraying unknown chemicals into your nose, exposing your system to who knows what.
The website Cancer Research UK notes that in the United Kingdom, melanotan II products have also “not been tested for safety, quality or effectiveness” adding that it “is not known if using them causes side effects and how serious they are” (5).
It should be noted that the former president of one company that manufactured melanotan II, Melanocorp, Inc., was legally prevented from making drug application submissions due to violations of the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (6). That company president, Edward Manookian, was permanently debarred from participating in the FDA drug approval process and convicted of felonies regarding his sale and advertisement of melanotan II. Still interested in nasal tanning? Stay with us as we reveal the known risks...
Melanotan risks
While the risks of using a spray that doesn’t contain real melanotan II or contains it alongside harmful, unknown chemicals are great, finding a trustworthy product that has the real deal doesn’t mean you’re any safer.
Since melanotan II is untested and unregulated, there just isn’t much reliable information about what the impact of using it – especially long-term – might be on a person.
The side effects documented so far are troubling (7). On the milder side, they include nausea, vomiting, facial flushing and some sexual side effects related to increased blood flow. Nasal tanners and tanning injections also make skin more sun-sensitive, increasing risk of sunburn and overall sun damage.
Intermediate issues include the darkening of existing moles on the skin and an increase in the development of new moles. While long-term studies do not currently exist, there is concern among health professionals that this increase in moles and the darkening of moles could eventually lead to a higher risk of developing melanoma – exactly the opposite of what you want if you’re looking for a sunless, safer tan (8).
There is even one documented case – though at this point it’s isolated – of someone developing a tumor, diagnosed by their medical team as mucosal melanoma, in the front portion of their upper jawbone after using a nasal spray containing melanotan II (9). Long story short, there are just too many risks and unknowns to make using melanotan II in any form a viable option for tanning.
Safe self-tanning alternatives
So, what do you do if you want a safe, sun-kissed glow? Thankfully, there are ways to acquire sunless tans that are proven effective and don’t carry the same serious risks as sun exposure or melanotan II.
Self-tanners and spray tans have come a long way since the days of uneven, orange or streaky formulas that make it obvious your tan is a fake bake. New, sophisticated formulas – whether it’s a body self-tanner, a face self-tanner, or just a bronzer – do a fantastic job mimicking the look of a day spent at the beach without any adverse side effects.
If you’ve never tried a self-tanner before, or just haven’t had much luck in the past, don’t worry, we have an easy guide on how to apply self-tanner and how to find the right formula for you. It might take a little more effort than just a simple spray into the nose, but both the payoff and the protection for your health make it worth it.
Of course, even if you do have a fake tan, it is critical to keep using sun protection measures every single day, rain or shine! Using sunscreen is the #1 way to defend skin against premature signs of aging (think: wrinkles and sun damage), which can show up no matter how fair or deep your natural skin tone might be. There’s a sunscreen formula out there that’s perfect for you. We encourage you to find it and apply it frequently!
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References for this information:
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Website, Accessed June 2025
- Cancers, November 2021, pages 1-11
- Cutis, January 2024, pages E3-E4
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Website, Accessed June 2025
- Cancer Research UK, Website, Accessed June 2025
- Federal Register, Website, Accessed June 2025
- Dermatology and Dermatitis, May 2024, pages 1-4
- Medical and Clinical Research, September 2024, pages 1-8
- International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, April 2025, ePublication
