Tanning injections are currently illegal to buy in the United States. They can damage your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer.

In many Western cultures, tanned skin is often perceived as attractive. Millions of Americans use indoor tanning methods, such as tanning lamps or tanning beds, to darken their skin. Though many people like how their skin looks when it’s bronzed, tanning has no health benefits.

Overexposure to ultraviolet light, which is naturally found in sunlight and also used in indoor tanning methods, can damage your skin and increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, just one indoor tanning session can increase the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 58% and basal cell carcinoma by 24%.

As more people realize the potential dangers of tanning, they’ve started looking for alternatives, such as tanning injections. Tanning injections mimic a hormone in your body that causes your skin to produce a pigment called melanin.

But these injections are currently illegal to buy in the United States and are linked to potentially serious side effects.

Learn more about how tanning injections work and why you should avoid them to protect your health.

Tanning injections come in two forms: melanotan I and melanotan II.

Both types of injections work by replicating alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in your body. This hormone stimulates the production of the pigment melanin in your skin cells. The more melanin your skin cells produce, the darker your skin appears.

Melanotan I lasts longer in your body than melanotan II before being broken down by enzymes.

Melanotan II binds with a wider range of receptors than melanotan I and has a shorter life in your body. It can also cross your blood-brain barrier, which can cause side effects like appetite loss, sexual dysfunction, and fatigue.

Both melanotan I and melanotan II are unregulated and often sold illegally online. Online retailers aren’t monitored by any governing health organization, so there’s a high risk that products have been mislabeled or contain impurities.

One of the biggest concerns around tanning injections is that they’re unregulated. Without proper regulation, there’s no guarantee that the product you’re using has been properly labeled. Plus, the long-term effects of using melanotan I and melanotan II remain largely unknown.

The most common side effects of tanning injections can include:

Melanotan use has been linked to an increased risk of the following conditions.

Skin cancer

A 2025 review found that using Melanotan II could lead to the development of skin cancer, such as malignant melanoma.

However, more research needs to be done before scientists can confirm whether melanotan increases your risk of developing skin cancer. Still, this remains one of the biggest concerns around the use of tanning injections.

Kidney failure

According to a 2020 review, melanotan II has been linked to a potentially life threatening condition called renal infarction. Renal infarction develops when blood flow to your kidneys is blocked, which if not treated promptly can be fatal.

Injection risks

Tanning injections come with the same risks as other forms of injections if they’re not properly prepared, such as:

Melanotan I and melanotan II are illegal to purchase in the United States and the United Kingdom. Despite this, they are still widely sold on the internet or at health clubs and gyms.

All melanin injections are unsafe when used for the purpose of changing skin color. Melanin injections are unregulated and have the potential to cause life threatening side effects. Illegally purchased injections bought online may be mislabeled or contain impurities that could be seriously harmful to your health.

Tanned skin is considered attractive in many Western cultures. But most methods of darkening your skin increase your risk of skin cancer and offer no health benefits.

Tanning injections darken your skin by replicating a hormone in your body that stimulates the production of melanin in your skin. All forms of tanning injections are currently illegal to purchase in the United States.

Tanning injections aren’t regulated, and there’s little research on their long-term effects. Some research suggests that they may increase your risk of developing skin cancer.