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

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