No, you don't need the 'Barbie drug' to tan, whatever TikTok says. Here's why melanotan II is so risky 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 Melanotan Tanning Peptides: Safe Use, Side Effects & How It Works Scientifically Maintaining Tan with Melanotan 1: Dosage, Results, and Differences from Melanotan 2