Creators have been going viral on TikTok for promoting nasal sprays that claim to help your skin tan effortlessly, however, experts are warning people about the potentially “dangerous” effects the products could have.
The beauty community is one of the biggest on TikTok, with thousands of popular creators making videos about makeup tips and tricks, recommending products, and sharing tutorials with their millions of viewers.
In recent months, some creators have been going viral by promoting the use of special nasal spray products that claim to enhance your ability to tan, either outside or in a tanning bed.
Some of these products reportedly claim to include Melanotan or Melanotan 2, which according to pediatrician Dr. Tanya R. Altmann “are synthetic chemicals that act like hormones the body makes naturally.”
She went on to say that the idea of the product is supposedly meant to be that “increasing activity of this hormone may increase the number of the body’s own melanocytes and ability to produce pigment.”
This TikTok trend is going viral among young teens, and I want to make all parents aware of it.
This nasal spray that claims to tan your skin is dangerous and not FDA approved.#pediatrician #pediatrics #tiktoktrend pic.twitter.com/kR64v0V0DD
— Dr. Tanya R. Altmann (@DrTanyaAltmann) April 13, 2022
Experts warn against viral TikTok tanning spray
However, Dr. Altmann is one of several experts who are warning of the potential consequences of using these kinds of products, claiming that it is “unproven, has serious side effects, is very dangerous, and is not regulated.”
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It has also reportedly been linked to increasing cases of melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe also warned against the use of the products in January 2022. “Red flag number one is that the way this medication is absorbed is that it actually gets absorbed through your mucus membranes in your nasal airway, and that’s basically like a straight shot right to your bloodstream. So that’s going to increase your risk for systemic side effects.”
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The side effects reported with one particular product reportedly include: “Nausea, allergic reactions, hives,” and a “fluctuating libido.”
This is far from the only dangerous TikTok trend to become popular on TikTok, with things like Sleepy Chicken and Orbeez shooting being warned against by experts.
