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So-called Barbie peptides are unregulated drugs that target pathways involved in producing melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Experts say these medications may be the riskiest tanning trend of the bunch.

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Melanotan II

Melanotan II is a synthetic peptide sold as nasal sprays or injections that stimulates melanin production, which can darken the skin without sun exposure. It’s not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Friedman says products purchased online pose additional risks because buyers can’t reliably know what they’re getting in terms of ingredients or potential contaminants.

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Reported side effects include nausea, flushing, headache, and appetite changes. Case reports have also described atypical moles and melanoma (a type of skin cancer) after Melanotan II exposure, although that doesn’t establish that the drug caused the cancers.

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“My concern with Melanotan II is twofold: You are manipulating a biologically consequential pathway [that controls skin pigmentation], and you are often doing it with a product whose actual contents are not quality assured,” Friedman says. “That is not a beauty hack. It’s an uncontrolled, mad scientist experiment.”

Afamelanotide (Scenesse)

Afamelanotide, sold under the brand name Scenesse, is FDA-approved to treat adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare condition that causes extreme light sensitivity, says Michael Christopher, MD, a Tucson, Arizona–based dermatologist specializing in melanoma and cutaneous oncology. The drug stimulates skin pigment production and must be administered by a healthcare professional.

The peptide is not approved for cosmetic tanning. Patients receiving afamelanotide must be closely monitored and undergo regular skin exams, as existing moles and freckles may darken.

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The drug comes with risks even for people who need it for legitimate medical purposes, Christopher says. “However, because these patients suffer debilitating sun sensitivity, the risk of the medication is weighed with its benefit.” Afamelanotide is not safe to take outside of these circumstances, he says. Plus, if purchased online, it carries the same risks of potential contamination and unlisted ingredients.