Everything You Need to Know About Tanning Injections

Usually, people sunbathe to get a bronzed effect, but there’s a new trend on the market that can help get you darker: tanning injections. Tanning injections have been referred to as the “Barbie drug.”

You might have heard about these injections from the tabloids, including the ridiculous story of Martina Big, who claims to be African American after getting a hefty amount of these injections. The story left viewers speechless or laughing, but what they didn’t know about was the life-threatening results that this “tanning treatment” can cause.

What are tanning injections?

Tanning injections, otherwise known as Melanotan II, are essentially a synthetic hormone injected into the skin, which then stimulates pigment cells within the skin. As a result, melanin is produced. Although we often hear about the dangerous nature of tanning beds or sunbathing without SPF, tanning injections pose a more dangerous threat to human beings. In theory, a shot to make you more tan sounds like a dream come true, and is less annoying than applying self tanner to hard to reach spots on the back. But in reality, it puts you at risk for deadly diseases.

Tanning injections usually come as part of a kit. The substance comes in a powder form, leaving the consumer to mix with water. Creating this powder to water ratio on your own is risky by itself, as is using water that hasn’t been sterilized first. After all, it is going directly into your blood stream, and self injection sounds painful and perilous. All over the world, tanning injections are illegal to sell.