What are 'melanotan' injections? Explaining the controversial tanning drug Dazed Melanotan II (Tan Jabs): Why They're Not Worth The Risk 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 Melanotan peptide might seem like the cool thing to doit makes you look tan., But these unregulated injections come with real risks., They can cause unpredictable skin changes, including darkening of