You Should Avoid Using Nasal Tanning Sprays 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 What It Is and Its Relation to Skin Cancer Viral 'Barbie drug' for tanning can cause brain swelling and even cancer, experts warn Is this injectable tanning drug safe to use? Melanotan & Tanning Injections: Safe or Risky?