No, you don't need the 'Barbie drug' to tan, whatever TikTok says. Here's why melanotan II is so risky Melanotan is trending again. As a dermatologist, I strongly need to tell you , Its an unapproved injectable peptide, and were seeing:, nausea and flushing, darkening of existing moles, An FDA Reversal on Peptides Could Open the Market to Unsafe Drugs ProPublica Lets look at sunless tanning, ., Firstly theres the injections and nasal sprays which typically have an active ingredient called melanotan. This is a synthetic compound that stimulates the Insights into Tanning Biology and Tanning Products JCAD The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology