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 Fresh warning for 'Barbie drug' Medical Republic Risks of Melanotan: TGA to issue fresh warning against 'Barbie drug' The Australian 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