anywhere in what the original authors wrote. Where did you read this "cause" idea? Source?
I wonder why they do not mention if the moles are malignant or not!This is the point, which is interesting for the readers!
So I infer from the spelling style that they are benign.
Because such information does not correspond well to the scare mongering angle that reporters writing this want to project.
The main point to take home on this report is that such darkening can be confusing for dermatologists not familiar with how the melanotan peptides work when evaluating moles to determine if they have become cancerous (melanoma). This mole darkening aspect of using the melanotan peptides is covered in the
thread.
The BMJ authors want dermatologists to know that if potential patients present with moles that have rapidly pigmented and their skin has a "conspicuous" tan that they should be aware that such patients may be experiencing this rapid mole pigmenting from melanotan peptide usage.
Sun tan jab and changing moles 20 January 2009
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Ewan A Langan,
Walport Dermatology Academic Clinical Fellow
Dermatological Sciences, University of Manchester, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust,Salford M6 8HD,
Denise Ramlogan, Lynne A Jamieson, Lesley E Rhodes
Send response to journal:
Re: Sun tan jab and changing moles
Thirlwell and Nathan indicate the difficulties in diagnosing melanoma.[1] We draw attention to a new factor complicating presentation and diagnosis of pigmented lesions; unlicensed use of melanotropic peptides offered online as melanotan (melanotan) I and II. Two patients presented to the dermatology clinic with rapidly changing moles and a conspicuous tan, despite their sun reactive skin type I/II (sunburns easily, suntans poorly). They were both sunbed users. A 42 year old lady reported two moles on her sole which had increased in size and darkened over a few weeks, their histology locally reported as atypical acral naevi and
later reviewed to be benign. A second, 30 year old, lady reported recent darkening of several moles on her back, and histology of a suspicious mole revealed a severely dysplastic compound naevus.
Curious features in both cases were the rapidly pigmenting naevi and intense tan. It transpired the patients had used internet-sourced self-administered subcutaneously injected chemical substances marketed as melanotan-1 and melanotan II, shortly before the moles changed (figure 1). Ultraviolet radiation is carcinogenic, and there is increasing public interest in alternative tanning methods.
Superpotent alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) analogues have photoprotective properties, and are being trialled worldwide under the auspices of the regulatory agencies.[2-4] However, untested chemicals labelled melanotan-1 are offered for commercial tanning purposes and melanotan II is also used for its other effects i.e. satiety and penile erections, the complex of features resulting in the latter’s nickname “Barbie drug!”
The MHRA recently broadcast concerns regarding health risks of these counterfeit drugs, particularly drug contamination and infection hazards, including virus transmission from needle-sharing.5 Our cases highlight a further area of concern; change in appearance of pre-existing melanocytic naevi. The relative contributions of the individuals’ sun seeking behaviour and use of drugs offered as melanotan are unknown, but unregulated use of melanotan-1 and –II may confuse clinical presentation by promoting naevus pigmentation. Since use of these internet-sourced chemicals is growing, patients with altering moles will increasingly present to healthcare professionals, with unexpected tanning providing a clue to their use.
References
1. Thirwell C, Nathan P. Melanoma-Part 2: management. BMJ 2008; 337: a2488
2. Dorr RT, Ertl G, Levine N. Brooks C, Bangert JL, Powell MB, Humphrey S, Alberts DS. Effects of a superpotent melanotropic peptide in combination with solar UV radiation on tanning of the skin in human volunteers. Arch Dermatol 2004; 140(7): 827-35
3. Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, Brooks C, Xiang L, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME. Evaluation of melanotan II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-1 clinical trial. Life Sci 1996; 58(20): 1777-84
4. Barnetson RS, Ooi TK, Zhuang L, Halliday GM, Reid CM, Walker PC, Humphrey SM, Kleinig MJ. [Nle4-D-Phe7]-alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone significantly increased pigmentation and decreased UV damage in fair-skinned Caucasian volunteers. J Invest Dermatol 2006; 126(8):1869-78
5.
www.mhra.gov.uk “Tan-jab” is an unlicenced medicine and may not be safe. Accessed November 25th 2008
Authors:
Ewan A Langan, Walport Academic Clinical Fellow in Dermatology,1 Denise Ramlogan, Consultant Dermatologist,2 Lynne A Jamieson, Consultant Dermatopathologist,3 Lesley E Rhodes, Professor of Experimental Dermatology.1
1. Dermatological Sciences, University of Manchester, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford M6 8HD
2. Dermatology Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford M6 8HD
3. Department of Cellular Pathology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford M6 8HD
Editorial note:
The patients whose cases are described have given their signed informed consent to publication.
Conflict of Interest: LER has conducted clinical trials to evaluate photoprotection by alpha-MSH analogues. 
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"'Tan Jab' Linked To Rapidly Changing Moles" (Read 1726 times)
