Melanotan & Tanning Injections: Safe or Risky? Viral 'Barbie drug' for tanning can cause brain swelling and even cancer, experts warn View of Association of tanning injection with hypercortisolism, hyperglycaemia and ketosis in type 1 diabetes mellitus British Journal of Diabetes 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 What are the mechanism of action and side effects of Melanotan 2 (afamelanotide)?