The medicines and healthcare regulatory agency in the UK (MHRA) have warned that a sunless tanning treatment, marketed as Ubertan, is in fact an unlicensed medicine. This means that it contains substances that have not been properly tested so there is no evidence of safety, quality or that it works and its potential side effects are unknown.
The treatment is being advertised and sold illegally in gyms and beauty salons, as well as online and is used in the form of a nasal spray.
One version of Ubertan contains melanotan II and another claims to contain an extract from the Indian plant ‘coleus forksohill’. There are no licensed or registered medicines that contain melanotan or this herbal extract in the UK.
Speaking today, Liam Molone, Product Liability Solicitor, warned about the use of Ubertan and said, “putting your health at risk in order to get a tan is just really not worth the risk. Any consumers who have purchased this product should dispose of it immediately and anyone who has concerns should speak to their doctor”.
