There’s a new peptide on everyone’s mind called Melanotan, or the Barbie Peptide.
As you might be able to tell from its name, this peptide can actually make your skin look tanner without the risk of exposure to UV rays.
This peptide was developed in the 90s to treat skin conditions, but became well known because it binds to the melanocortin-1 receptor, which triggers the production of melanin to increase pigmentation.
Over the years, studies have also shown that this peptide binds to other receptors in the body that regulate appetite, metabolism, and libido.
While these combined effects sound like a miracle medication, there are several risks you need to consider before seeking out this peptide.
To start, Melanotan is not cleared by the FDA. Additionally, its possible to control how much melanin is produced, which can lead to overproduction and, ultimately, melanoma.
Many other peptides offer short-term effects, meaning that once you stop taking the peptides their benefits eventually taper off. This isn’t the case with Melanotan, whose effects are not necessarily reversible.
So while we don’t yet have a risk-free, FDA-cleared peptide for tanning, we do have other safe peptide options for weight loss, like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Interested in peptides? Learn more about Hudson’s peptide therapy program here.
