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 Warning issued over increased use of 'Barbie drug' Dying for a Tan: The Rise in Sunbed Use with Melanotan @caitrionaryandermatology was featured in the @independent.ie today , Sunbed usage remains popular among young people in Ireland despite Tanning peptides like melanotan are trending online, but theyre not approved, not regulated, and illegal to advertise in Australia. When products havent been properly tested, theres no way to know