Viral 'Barbie drug' for tanning can cause brain swelling and even cancer, experts warn Therapeutic Goods Administration cracks down on banned 'Barbie drug' Melanotan II Herald Sun It doesn't take much to fall down the Barbie Drug rabbit hole. In self tanner subreddits and on TikTok Shop, the tanning injectionaka Melanotan IIis marketed as a self tanner alternative that works by Melanotan is trending again. As a dermatologist, I strongly need to tell you , Its an unapproved injectable peptide, and were seeing:, nausea and flushing, darkening of existing moles,