What are 'melanotan' injections? Explaining the controversial tanning drug Dazed No, you don't need the 'Barbie drug' to tan, whatever TikTok says. Here's why melanotan II is so risky View of Association of tanning injection with hypercortisolism, hyperglycaemia and ketosis in type 1 diabetes mellitus British Journal of Diabetes 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, Tanning from the inside out = Highly Dangerous and Illegal! Many products advertised on social media platforms promising a tan from the inside out or a tan without sun such Figure 1 from Changes of melanocytic lesions inducedby Melanotan injections and sun bed use ina teenage patient with FAMMM syndrome Semantic Scholar