ACTH-like skin darkening drug?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/nov/18/health-medical-research-tanning-drug

This substance is a synthetic melanocortin. Could it behave like ACTH? It would explain effects like hypertension as well as darkening the skin. (I seem to remember that high levels of ACTH darken the skin.)

 

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I think it's kind of funny, the lengths fashion victims will go to, to fit some idealised, false vision of attractiveness. I hope they all die from the side effects.

 

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Meh, it's not so different from body modification, though admittedly facial piercings and tattoos don't require lasting maintenance or have side effects.

Seriously though, was I right in assuming that the drug behaves like ACTH?

 

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Body modification is an interesting psychology. Tattooing and piercing is now quite mainstream, in fact, it's passé, saying nothing about the individual now, other than they are a follower.

I was a headbanger, part of a subculture where tattoos and piercings were quite prevalent when they were still seen as rebellious. I never got one, because I'm an individual, even as part of a subculture.

Tanning is now just more following. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against real tanning (I'm a surfer), but fake tans are some aspirational BS. Same as a large number of tattoos or piercings let you know the individual is unsatisfied with their lot in life. The question is, 'when will they be happy?' When they can tan no more/look no more like the celeb they idolise, or have no skin left unetched, in the case of body modders? (do you think this guy is happy? http://www.lyzyrdgyzyrd.com/images/piercings.jpg )

On ACTH, a quick google looks like there could be some similar reactions taking place, yes. As this stuff is a hormone, people have to be rather dense, or optimistic to go injecting it. Upsetting hormone balance is bound to have side effects.

 

this is the exact thing and immorality that I have been talking all along, the western immorality that seems to have overtaken this civilization at large...like a grip. First they colored their hair, than they made their nails long, than they started wearing "emo" clothes...and now...now...they are darkening their skin with dangerous cancerogens! This sort of immorality will not stand!

 

Self righteous bullshit.

When I was doing a year long art course everyone tried to discourage me from getting mouth piercings because they would make me look 'gay'. Then when I got one, guess what they all wanted.

Yet according to you, it was me who was being a sheep and blindly following the group?

It is not about being a follower. It is about expressing yourself whether that happens to go with or against your culture.

Your assertion that you are not an individual if you have them is ludicrous. A piece of metal or an injection of ink does not make you not an individual. A lot of people choose tattoos because they mean something to them personally. Following? I don't think so.

You are equally not an individual if you deny yourself something because others have it and you wish to be different. It' still creating an identity based on others rather than on what you wish to be.

I believe I have made this point before, but you are still insisting that modifications are nothing more than following. Congratulations, your mind is closed.

Your assertion that a large number of tattoos or piercings means unhappiness is equally ridiculous. Expressing your individuality/identity does not mean you are unhappy. So is equating all people with modifications to one person who took it to the extreme.

It is telling that you devoted much of your post to ranting about how people with mods are unsatisfied idiots. This is a thread about Melanotan and its similarity to ACTH.

 

I agree with phlogistician.

sheep following the stock.
Inflicting damage on self and making others do the same disgraceful acts on their own bodies as well.

 

Wow, raw nerve. Seems you leap to the defense rather too quickly.

Piercing and tattoing is passé, deal with it. If it's about individuality, how come we see so many people with the same tired old tattoos? 'Tribal' tattoos (claiming membership to a tribe that doesn't exist is individual, when the whole concept of a tribe is being part of something? Wow, I think you may be a little confused!) Celtic knotwork armbands, and circles. How many girls have celtic knotwork at the base of their spine (the so called 'Tramp Stamp')? That's original? Expressing something other than a fashion fad? Kanji? FFS, a name, written in a language they don't understand, transcribed phonetically, is expression?

No, it's a fashion fad, nothing more. It's a bit sad if you think it's expression. It's external, superficial, hence my likening of body mods to fashion victims who want a tan like Paris Hilton. It's all the same, just some people think they are being edgy, when they are just being sheep.

 

Ya YOU can talk about a raw nerve. This is a thread about melanin. Almost all of your post was an anti-body mods rant with what was practically a FOOTNOTE about melanin and ACTH at the end. And you have the nerve to subtly accuse me of having issues?

No - I am just sick of all the closed mindedness. I am sick to death of hearing how I must be unhappy and how I am an idiot conformist because I got some bits of metal in my face because I thought they looked good.

No, YOU deal with the fact that not everyone who has mods does it because they're idiot followers. Not all people who have them are doing it for those reasons or have those exact mods you are talking about.

Let me guess, I'm not supposed to get something in my lower back even if it's original and I want one, because that would automatically make me an idiot follower? Grow a fucking mind.

You didn't actually answer a lot of my points. Nice tactic.

If it's a fashion fad and never anything else, regardless of what anyone says because you're God and you're right about everything, why is it I'm getting one I designed myself based on something I saw while under REM sleep??!!!! Why is it that people get symbols that are personal to them? Something I thought of myself is a fashion fad just because you say so?

Why the fuck did you have to start up your self righteous rant in a melanin/ACTH thread in the first place?

Please either quit pushing your narrow minded opinions or go away and stop messing with my ACTH levels.

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Here's a thought. Do you consider pierced ears on women to be 'following'?

If not, you're a hypocrite.

Also, anything you do could be considered to be following a trend. Nothing is entirely unique. Do you wear blue jeans? Do you wear anything that someone else does, for that matter? You pitiful trend follower.

 

We need a moderator in here to cesspool this garbage.

I guarantee you know one in Biology and Genetics cares about your tattoos or what you think about them. Stick to your own topic, please.

To answer your question, no, it does not mimic ACTH. Melanotan is an analog of alpha-MSH (which is derived from the same peptide as ACTH).

 

Hey Visceral, you linked to an article, and I first discussed some of the contents of the link you provided, which dealt with the possible side effects of injecting a hormone.

You then brought up body modification.

You then accuse me of having a rant, when I'm calmly discussing the trends in BM, but it's you showing emotion here. Maybe you are proving a point about people who get pierced etc being emotionally unstable. You certainly aren't disproving it.

 

No you didn't, you just went on about how pathetic they were. That does not constitute 'discussing the side effects.'

And why did I mention it at all? Because YOU were ranting about people using Melanotan.

You were not 'calmly discussing trends.' You were ranting about how people with mods are nothing more than followers.

I'm showing emotion because I'm countering your points? Wow, I can't win. Either I agree with you or I'm nothing more than an unstable follower.

I agree with you Idle Mind, I wish people wouldn't piss all over threads like that...

 

I agree with you Phlogistician, this sort of incompetence is not to be tolerated, especially facts of reason speak that people who pierce themselves are indeed problematic to say the least...I mean from a psychological point of view is it customary and morally sound to have someone be accused of having a rant when you are indeed calmly discussing the issue at stake...

 

"companies selling Melanotan suggests that negative effects could include high blood pressure, hyperpigmentation, such as new or darker freckles and moles, and panic attacks."

 

Yes, you are being emotional. I never used the word pathetic. I have not ranted. Yes, people with mods are followers. That seems to be a hot button of yours. Tough.

Now, listen, I responded to the content of an article you linked to. I wasn't 'pissing all over' you thread, at that point, I was the sole person to have taken an interest, and I responded to material you, that's you, linked to.

Seems you are trying to narrow the field of discussion now from topics you, that's you, raised. Ha ha.

Carry on displaying emotion however, it makes your pov look so well reasoned, NOT. Ha ha.

 

The majority of people(over 18) who don't tattoos are for that reason. Individuality my ass. Get over yourself

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Also, I want my skin to be darker too.. Does that include me in your group of people who will do anything just to be like everyone else?

 

no ur in the group of *ss kissers to the girls around town. You know VI is a gal, ur just doing the macho man scene here, protecting the poor lil thing from us wolves of cynicism.

 

You're what, 14? So how would you know what 18 yo's think?

Also, that sentence rather lacked structure, care to try and say something intelligible?