New here, week one, curious about melanotan and skin cancer?

2026-09-30 12:36

Hi everyone, I’m brand new here — just took my first GLP-1 shot 6 days ago and I’m still figuring out how to talk in these threads. I’ve got a lot of skin cancer in my family (mom had basal cell, uncle melanoma), so I slather on SPF 50 and wear a hat even on cloudy days.

I used to use tanning beds in college, which I regret.

Lately I keep seeing people online claim melanotan might actually protect against skin cancer, and I can’t tell if that’s real or just something people repeat to feel better about tanning. I’m not asking for dosing or anything like that — just curious if anyone here has come across actual info or asked a dermatologist.

Does it ever come up with your doctors? Thanks for being gentle with a week-one newbie.

2026-10-01 13:50

Tbh Welcome — and good on you for leading with the family history instead of burying it. I'm a few weeks in myself.

No melanoma in my family, but I do have a couple of atypical moles, and that was enough to file melanotan under "not worth it" for me — I'd spend the rest of my life eyeballing every freckle, and honestly I already do that.

What actually helps is a monthly mole photo set with a coin in frame for scale, plus I jot sun-exposure days next to my shot day in the same notes app. Curious — is it the tan you miss, or just feeling better in your own skin?

2026-10-05 17:20

Empty-nester here too, and my reset has been morning walks + actually cooking instead of grazing. I check the UV index before I head out, keep SPF 50 in the car cup holder, and have a wide-brim hat on the hook by the door.

I’ve seen melanotan mentioned in old bodybuilding circles, and it always made me side-eye it. With your family history, I’d be curious: what does your dermatologist say about how often you should be checked? That feels like the real starting point, not forum rabbit holes.

Also, how are you tracking water and protein while you figure out the GLP-1 stuff? I’m still learning what keeps me full on walk days.

2026-10-07 20:02

Night shift here. I used to tan too. Melanotan? Hard pass for me — with your family history it’s not a risk I’d take.

The hype ignores the boring stuff: sunscreen stick in my work locker, reapply before the drive home, hats in the car. Week one, I wouldn’t add any extra “research” stuff. I just track protein, water, sleep. Nights already mess with cravings and skin. Are you on nights too, or is the shot just wrecking your sleep?

2026-10-12 01:15

Not a derm, and I’m not going near melanotan — with your family history that seems like a wild gamble. But here’s my spreadsheet nerd take: I started logging UV index, minutes outside, SPF reapplication, and hat use.

My “burn risk” line had almost nothing to do with SPF number and everything to do with missing the 2pm reapply. Cloudy days fooled me too; UV was still 6 here.

I also take a monthly phone photo of my back/shoulders in the same light. Curious — do you track UV index where you live, or just go by feel/SPF?

I’m only a few weeks ahead on the shot and still figuring out what habits survive week one.