Human solar panel: Man spend £10,000 on illegal injections to achieve the perfect tan

A man who calls himself a 'human solar panel' has spent a staggering £10,000 on illegal injections to achieve the perfect tan. Karl Dinis, 33, from Cardiff, Wales, is addicted to Melanotan - a drug which stimulates the production of the tanning pigment melanin in the body. Over the past seven years, he has spent thousands of pounds - including £2,500 last year alone - bulk buying the injections from China. Karl, who lives with his partner, Dru Maidment, 33, injects himself once a day in his leg and admits he feels much more confident with a glowing tan. Melanotan 2 is an untested synthetic drug which is not approved by the UK government's Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency However, tan-obsessed Karl says he is not concerned about the health risks.

The full-time nanny said: "I started using Melanotan seven years ago and ever since I have injected every single day.
"In the first four days of using it, I could already notice a difference.
"You only have to be in the sun for a short amount of time for it to take effect - it's like you become a solar panel.
"Over the years, I have spent roughly £10,000 on the injections, they're not cheap but definitely worth it."
He added: "Having a constant tan makes me feel so much more confident in myself, the tan never fades and I always feels healthier with a glow.

 "People ask me how dark I want to go, but I don't have an answer for that, I just want to keep going.
"I'm not concerned about the health warnings, I have used it for long enough now that I think I'd know if there were going to be any long terms effects.
"I'm definitely addicted and I would only stop using them when I am either broke or dead."
Karl's addiction to tanning began seven years ago after a friend suggested he try out the injections.
After trialling them for a week, the nanny was amazed with the results and ordered his first batch from China.
A bottle of Melanotan 2 contains ten injections that last the course of a month.

However, Karl now takes them continuously, meaning he has to fork out around £25 for a new bottle every 10 days.
"I started off using sunbeds but the results were never good enough for me," he said.
"I would always burn which would ruin my tan so I stopped using them and looked for alternative methods of tanning.
"After using Melanotan for less than a week I could already see a difference - the results were amazing.
"Ever since then I have never looked back and I inject once every day.
"I started off injecting into my stomach but it sometimes felt uncomfortable so I now inject into the top of my leg.
"There are no side effects or pain, and I always make sure I have my morning coffee at the same time.
"I wouldn't look at myself and say I am much darker than anyone else, I just think I look healthier with a glow.

"And having a tan makes me feel so much more confident."
Despite Karl's positive reaction to the injections, there have been a number of reports suggesting that the drug has affected people who use it differently - from heart issues to stomach problems, blood infections and eye irritation.
Melanotan 2 has not been given a licence in the UK and is therefore illegal to supply.
Karl said: "When doctors try and warn me about the dangers I'm not shocked, I have done all of the research and as far as I'm concerned I can't see that it is effecting my health in any way.
"I have been injecting for seven years now, and so far, my health is in great condition.
"I love the results to much to stop using Melanotan."