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 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 II: Benefits and Side Effects_Chemicalbook The Science Behind Melanotan II Benefits Exploring Peptides