In December 2020, while using sunbeds, Amy Murphy started taking Melanotan – also referred to as the “Barbie drug” – to give her skin a deeper tan but suffered a cancer scare.
Amy Murphy is warning others of the dangers of tanning treatments
A woman who used sunbeds for tanning for years before using an unregulated “Barbie drug” to boost her glow has been left with a facial scar after a terrifying cancer scare.
Amy Murphy, 24 years old, purchased her first sunbed in 2016 and used them for five more years.
She began using sunbeds in 2020 and started Melanotan in December 2020 to give her skin a darker colour, similar to Barbie’s doll.
Daily Record reports that Melanotan, which is unregulated in the UK, is only available to buy on the black market.
Amy, a Barrhead resident in East Renfrewshire, is pleading for others to use tanning products to care for her scarred face.
Amy used her first sunbed in 2016
Amy used Melanotan twice for five months in the form of a £25 nasal spray she purchased through “word of mouth.”
Her mole was discovered by family members and friends in June 2021.
After visiting her doctor, she has referred to the Queen Elizabeth University hospital dermatology unit. In the weeks that followed, she was admitted to the hospital for surgery to remove the mole.
Amy’s biopsy results revealed that Amy had melanoma. This is where cancer cells are found in the top layers of the skin but have not yet reached the deeper layers.
The young dog groomer was then required to undergo a second surgery to remove additional skin.
With scarring on her face that measures three inches in length, Amy describes how she felt after the experience. Amy said she was shaken and grateful that the growth was quickly treated.
She said: “Doctors say that if I had left it any longer, it could have turned to a worse stage of melanoma which is so scary.
“Hearing the surgeons snip away at my face was horrible, and it was so close to my ear. But I’m glad it has been removed.
Now Amy is pleading with others to stop using Melanotan and sunbeds after her ordeal.
She added: “I’m sticking to fake tan for the rest of my life. I don’t care if my sheets are stained.
“I’m ditching sunbeds and sprays for safe, regulated rub-on fake tan going forward.
“I worry about the impression that young people who do these things will think they are okay. I do not want anyone to go through what I went through.”
Leigh Smith, Chair of Melanoma Action and Support Scotland (MASScot), said: “Melanotan, which is unlicensed but available on the internet, has been associated with skin cancer.
“This medication and any other unlicensed medications should not be used.
“Amy is not the first frightened young person who will need help as a result of using this. It can often lead to surgery as it causes changes in moles that could need to be removed if they are cancerous.
“The NHS is under tremendous pressure just now. Please don’t risk your health by using any non-prescribed drug.
“If you want a tan, use a rub-on product.
“There are several that have been around for many years and have not caused any problems.”
Dr. Rachel Orritt, Cancer Research UK health information manager, said: “Unlicensed and unregulated Melanotan products may not have been tested for safety, quality or effectiveness, so we don’t know how serious the side effects could be.
“We encourage everyone to own their natural skin tone, but if you want a tan, it’s safer to use fake tan.”