9 Tanning Bed Myths Debunked, According to Dermatologists

Myth: You Get Vitamin D From Tanning Beds

Perhaps you’ve heard that tanning beds are a terrific solution for obtaining optimal vitamin D levels in the middle of winter. As warm and cozy as a tanning bed may feel, Green says that a tanning bed is incapable of providing the healthy required amount of vitamin D needed.

Instead: Take a Vitamin D Supplement

One of the best ways to boost vitamin D levels is to be aware of what you’re consuming. While plenty of vitamin D-rich foods exist—like oily fish, red meat, and egg yolks—it’s oftentimes healthier to add a supplement to your lineup. We like HUM's Here Comes the Sun ($12) supplement as it's made with high-potency, plant-based vitamin D and is designed to be taken once a day.

Myth: Tanning Beds Whiten Your Teeth If You Smile in Them

Another reason some folks like to hop in tanning beds is due to the idea that their high-powered light can whiten teeth. In reality, Creaven says that tanning beds will not impact the color of your teeth in any way. “UV light is sometimes used as an accelerator for some whitening procedures, but only to specifically accelerate the chemical reaction of an active whitening gel on the teeth,” she explains. “The UV light, used in this way, is a focused approach used in combination with an active ingredient to whiten teeth. However, lying in a tanning bed and smiling is not going to whiten your teeth in any way as there is nothing on your teeth to actually whiten them.”

Instead: Use Research-Backed Whitening Strips

If your whole reason to book a tanning appointment is to improve the appearance of your teeth, you’ll be better off reaching for whitening strips instead. The Crest 3D Whitestrips ($30) are a tried-and-true whitening winner.

Myth: Tanning Beds Will Fry Your Internal Organs

Most of us have heard the urban legend of a woman who cooked her organs by going to several back-to-back tanning bed sessions ahead of a big event. While the story is certainly scary, it's not actually true. UV rays emitted from tanning beds only penetrate the top layers of the skin. While they can certainly contribute to exacerbated signs of aging and skin cancer, tanning beds won't fry your internal organs. However—aside from your skin—tanning beds can also cause a burn or damage to the eyes.

Myth: Tanning Beds Are Less Harmful Than the Sun

Just because tanning beds don’t provide ample vitamin D doesn’t mean they don’t provide more than enough UV light. In fact, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, “frequent tanners using high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure. It’s estimated that 10 minutes in a tanning bed matches the cancer-causing effects of 10 minutes in the Mediterranean summer sun.”

Instead: Stay Out of the Sun and the Tanning Bed

Tanning beds are not less dangerous than being in the sun. Both are bad for your skin cosmetically, but what's most important is that both of these activities significantly increases your risk for life-threatening skin cancers.

Myth: Tanning is Safe as Long as You Don't Burn

You don't need to burn and peel for sun exposure to be considered dangerous. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), “just one indoor tanning session can increase the risk of developing skin cancer (melanoma by 20%, squamous cell carcinoma by 67%, and basal cell carcinoma by 29%)."

Instead: Use a Self-Tanner

If you really want to look tan, opt for getting a professional spray tan or use a self-tanner at home. This will give you a summer-worthy glow sans the harmful effects of the sun. We recommend the St. Tropez Self Tan Purity Gel ($44) as it absorbs quickly into the skin, isn't sticky post-application, doesn't transfer, and doesn't streak.

Myth: A Base Tan Is Protective and Safe

We all know that one person who says that they just need to get a base tan each year and then the rest of summer will be smooth, sunburn-free sailing. While some folks aim to achieve their base tan in nature, others opt for a tanning bed—especially during winter. Unfortunately, according to Kikam, especially for those of color, there is no such thing as a safe base tan, and getting one most definitely doesn’t offer full protection from future sunburns. “It may give you a modest SPF of 3 to 4 which is certainly not the recommended SPF of at least 30 by the American Academy of Dermatology for adequate UVR protection,” she says. “A tan is your body’s response to UV radiation injury and an indication of skin cellular damage. It’s your body’s attempt to protect itself from further injury but it’s not usually enough to shield you from further damage.”

Instead: Skip the Base Tan (and Any Tan For That Matter)

Commit this phrase to memory: there is no such thing as a healthy tan. Getting a "base tan" doesn't prevent your risk of sunburn in later tanning sessions, nor does it improve your ability to tan. Again, laying out in the sun (or in a tanning bed) to get a base tan is inherently horrible for your skin and can lead to life-threatening consequences (skin cancer).

Myth: Tanning Beds Help With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Thanks to the bright light tanning beds emit, some people believe that they can assist with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). On the converse, Kikam says that there’s no definitive evidence that UV (invisible light) rays have the same benefit as bright light (visible light). “It’s a known fact that lamps designed to treat seasonal affective disorder filter out most UV light or emit as little UV light as possible,” she adds, noting that tanning beds don’t qualify as such. 

Instead: Try Light Therapy

The Verilux HappyLight Lucent ($40) provides ultra-bright (read: visible) 10,000 lux full-spectrum LED light for when your lifestyle, or the weather, can't provide enough natural sunshine. It's an instant mood boost without putting your skin in harm’s way. 

Myth: Tanning Helps Treat Acne

There are rumors that frequently using tanning beds helps keep breakouts at bay. In reality, Green says that tanning dehydrates the skin which can actually exacerbate acne and lead to permanent hyperpigmentation. Yikes.

Instead: Use Proven Topical Treatments

Before hopping in a tanning bed in hopes of getting rid of breakouts, consider dabbing on a topical treatment, like this drying lotion. It’s made with salicylic acid, sulfur, and calamine meant to absorb excess oil, buff away whatever’s clogging your pores, and soothe your skin in the process. Just remember: While it looks separated, this pink and clear lotion should NOT be shaken up. Instead, dip a cotton swab into the formula, reaching all the way down to the pink sediment at the bottom, and dab it on your zit. By morning you’ll notice that your breakout has pretty much disappeared. No wonder so many shoppers consider it skincare magic.

Myth: Tanning Beds Provide LED Light Therapy

In a similar vein to that of tanning beds being an effective acne treatment, some people believe that the blue lights commonly used in tanning beds are equivalent to blue light therapy. However, in tanning beds a blue bulb is used versus in LED light therapy the actual color of the light is bulb. This distinction makes all the difference, as blue LED reaches the top layer of the dermis and is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory whereas the blue bulbs in tanning beds emit UV rays to increase skin pigmentation.

Instead: Use LED Tools

If you want a full-body LED treatment, look for a spa or dermatology office that has LED beds. Some places have beds that you can lay on, like LightStim's LED Bed (price available upon request), whereas others have saunas with interchanging LED lights. If you want to bring the treatment to your home, we recommend Heat Healer's Energy Sauna ($2,000) which uses red and infrared LED.