Rise in use of 'dangerous' tanning injection Channel 4 News PDF) Increasing illegal use of Melanotan: The Barbie drug hype Background Your body already makes a hormone that tells your skin to tan. Melanotan 2 is a synthetic peptide engineered to mimic that hormone but in a version that's more potent and Your body already makes a hormone that tells your skin to tan. Melanotan 2 is a synthetic peptide engineered to mimic that hormone but in a version that's more potent and longer lasting than Melanotan is not a tan. It's an unregulated peptide with real risk. As a dermatologist, here's the reality: It has been linked to new and changing moles including cases of