At Anxious, The "Barbie drug" is back.
The big picture: Melanotan II — nicknamed the "Barbie drug" because it can also suppress appetite — mimics a hormone that tells the body to make more melanin. It can be found as a nasal spray or shot, but it's not approved by the FDA or any other major regulator. Case studies suggest it could lead to the development of skin cancer. What we're hearing: "People who inject melanotan, their moles start to change," says Anthony Rossi, a dermatologic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He's removed atypical moles from a patient who used it.But he's seeing it taken at the gym as part of a "beautification stack" — and he's worried. "I don't really see a medical benefit of it at all," Rossi says.
At least with a nasal spray, there's no risk of hidden cameras.
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