Melanotan is trending again. As a dermatologist, I strongly need to tell you It's an unapproved injectable peptide, and we're seeing: nausea and flushing darkening of existing moles The Tanning Drug What Patients Should Know 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 To tan or not to tan Atlantic Dermatology & Laser An overview of benefits and risks of chronic melanocortin1 receptor activation Bhm 2025 Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Wiley Online Library Is this injectable tanning drug safe to use?