They call it the “Barbie Drug” thanks to its pink packaging and promises of delivering a golden, sunkissed tan. But Melanotan II is a trending beauty product that could actually be deadly—and it has health experts around the world issuing warnings urging people to avoid it.
The synthetic, lab-made tanning agent, which mimics the effects of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), a naturally occurring hormone that increases the skin’s melanin production, has been making the rounds on TikTok in sneaky ways. Influencers are irresponsibly touting its benefits as a UV-free way to get a deep, long-lasting, and #bronzed tan. However, they fail to mention any of its side effects or the fact that Melanotan II is not approved by the FDA or any other regulatory agency for use.
In fact, it’s illegal to sell in many countries.
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What is Melanotan II?
“Melanotan II was initially developed and touted as a cancer preventative but has since been the subject of bans, warning letters, and even criminal prosecution in multiple jurisdictions,” according to LegitScript. “The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the drug for any indication, and regulatory agencies of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, among others, have also deemed it illegal to sell.”
Despite this, Melanotan II products are trending, leading consumers to buy dangerous nasal sprays, injectables, tablets, and creams directly off of social media that are untested, unregulated, and sold by black market suppliers, the New York Postreports.
Unfortunately, the consequences of using these “Barbie drugs,” doctors and health officials warn, can be dire.
For starters, they may contain undeclared ingredients, inconsistent dosages, and even microbial contamination. One investigation commissioned by BBC News found as many as 100 unidentified ingredients in the products. More alarming, though, are the direct side effects of Melanotan II.
Side effects of Melanotan II include:
- headaches
- dizziness
- loss of appetite
- panic attacks
- nausea
- vomiting
- facial flushing
- mole changes
- skin cancer, such as melanoma 3, 4, 6, 8
- chest pain
- abdominal cramps
- brain swelling
- priapism, or painful sustained erections
- rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle tissue that can lead to kidney failure
TikTok and other social media platforms say that selling the drug on their platforms isn’t allowed and they have banned posts using the hashtags #tanningnasalspray, #melanotan, and #melanotan2.
TikTok
By doing so, unsuspecting customers are ending up in the hospital.
One user, Edith Eagle, told the BBC she experienced a terrifying allergic reaction after using the product. “It felt like I was drowning from the inside,” she said.
Others have reported not being able to breathe and the development of cancerous moles.
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Look for clues to avoid these products:
LegitScript suggests looking for the following clues that a product contains Melanotan II:
- It has pink, Barbie-like, or unprofessional packaging
- There are no safety seals or ingredients list
- The description is thin and may mention “nasal” application, or tanning “strengths”
- The social media posts will likely contain deeply tanned skin, defined tan lines, or before-and-after images of tans
- The marketing may use terms like “MT2” or “2”
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.