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 Melanotanassociated melanoma Paurobally 2011 British Journal of Dermatology Wiley Online Library Here's the part nobody explains when they're selling you the "Barbie drug.", , Melanotan 2 is a synthetic peptide that mimics alpha MSH a hormone your body already makes to tell your skin cells to Amazon.com: Radiant Chemistry : Unveiling the secrets of Melanotan II and it's Effects on Desire eBook : James, Nicolas : Kindle Store Man warns against 'dangerous' tanning injections after turning so dark he 'looked like Madge from Benidorm' and now has the freckled skin of a 60 year old