Australia’s medicine regulator has issued a fresh warning over a nasal spray that gives people a fake tan after testing found wildly different doses in products carrying the same label.
The warning comes amid deeply tanned influencers showing off their skin to their followers across TikTok and Instagram, crediting the unregulated peptide for their new look.
MT2, short for Melanotan II and dubbed the “Barbie drug” online, has become a fixture of the fitness and looksmaxxing world, with influencers documenting dramatic before-and-after transformations, sharing progress photos and dosing routines, and posting links to products as they promote the peptide as a shortcut to a darker tan.
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But recent Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) testing found a popular MT2 product sold online contained vastly different amounts of the peptide.
The TGA tested five bottles of a nasal spray labelled “Pure Tans Triple Strength 30 MG” and found the estimated amount of Melanotan II varied from 22mg to 54mg.
In other words, bottles carrying the same label could contain more than twice the amount of the peptide.
The TGA said the inconsistent dosing further increases the chance of adverse events and warned consumers they cannot be certain what they are actually getting when buying the products online.
While fake tan works by colouring the skin’s surface, Melanotan products are taken into the body and can be sold as nasal sprays, injections or tablets.
The synthetic peptide stimulates the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour, effectively tricking the body into tanning itself.
Cancer Council Australia says tanning accelerators stimulating melanin production are not recommended, noting several cases of abnormal moles and melanoma have been associated with Melanotan injections, although a causal link has not been yet established.
There are currently no Melanotan II products included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and it has not been approved as a tanning agent.
The TGA said the products have not been assessed for quality, safety or effectiveness, meaning consumers cannot be sure of the ingredients, strength or quality of what they are buying.
The warning comes amid influencers pushing the product to their followers.
In a recent video, looksmaxxing influencer Clavicular weighed in on MT2 asking his followers: “Should you take MT2?” before answering: “Absolutely.”
One influencer, RytBlueprintlab, has documented the facial flushing he experienced, joking he had reached “tomato status” as his face turned bright red.
TikTok creator Nick Calabrese has documented his MT2 use online, warning followers about the risk of developing new or changing moles while showing new spots on his forehead, nose and chest.
“Use at your own risk,” another influencer warns.
The regulator has previously warned of side effects including headache, nausea, vomiting and facial redness, while reports associated with Melanotan II have included increased moles and freckles, kidney dysfunction and swelling of the brain.
As part of the latest investigation, a NSW individual was hit with 27 infringement notices totalling $101,412 over the alleged unlawful supply of Melanotan II products to Australian consumers with the notices paid in May.
The fresh warning comes amid growing concern over the booming peptide trend, following the death of 33-year-old Australian Alex Boutin after years of using performance-enhancing drugs including unregulated peptides, and revelations children as young as 12 are accessing the products online.
Consumers who have been using tanning products containing Melanotan II have been urged to stop and speak to a health professional.
