Tanning, fake tan and Melanotan Cancer Research UK Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B in metabolic diseases and drug development Nature Reviews Endocrinology Hannah Tittensor and her boyfriend Ben Dunlop have been injecting themselves with an illegal tanning drug called Melanotan for three years. On top of that, they use sunbeds regularly and slather themselves Nasal tanners claim to work by using Melanotan II, a chemical that darkens skin pigmentation. It is illegal to sell medicinal products containing Melanotan II in the UK but since the tanners are sold Insights into Tanning Biology and Tanning Products JCAD The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology