The short answer
Tanning beds and sun lamps give off ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the same kind of energy that makes the sun risky for skin. Indoor tanning raises the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, and the risk is higher for people who start young. There is no safe way to get a tan from UV.
Tanning beds and sun lamps emit UV radiation that damages skin cells.
Indoor tanning raises the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers.
The risk is higher for people who start tanning indoors before age 35.
A tan from any UV source is a sign of skin damage, not health.
Watch: Tanning beds and skin cancer
49 sec · Captioned · Tanning beds raise melanoma risk — a tan is skin damage, not health.
Educational only — this video explains general report language and is not medical advice. Only your care team can say what a result means for you.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
Tanning beds, tanning booths, and sun lamps all give off ultraviolet (UV) radiation — the same kind of energy that makes too much sun risky for your skin.
Using these devices raises the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, one of the most serious types. And the risk is higher for people who start when they are young.
There is no safe tan from UV, whether it comes from the sun or a machine.
What indoor tanning does to skin
When UV from a tanning bed reaches your skin, it damages the DNA inside your skin cells. That is the same process that happens with sun exposure.
Your skin responds by making more pigment, which is the tan you see. But that color is a sign of damage, not a sign of health. The DNA damage stays in the cells even after the tan fades.
Over time, this damage can build up and lead to skin cancer.
A tan is your skin reacting to injury — not evidence that the exposure was safe.
The link to skin cancer
Research from health organizations shows that indoor tanning raises the risk of:
- Melanoma, the most serious common skin cancer
- Squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers, the more common non-melanoma types
The more a person uses tanning devices, the higher the risk tends to be. This is why major health groups advise against indoor tanning.
Younger users face higher risk
Starting indoor tanning at a younger age is especially concerning. Beginning before about age 35 is linked to a higher risk of melanoma.
Because of this, many states and countries have laws restricting tanning bed use by minors. The goal is to prevent UV damage during the years when it appears to matter most.
Protecting young skin from tanning-bed UV is one of the clearest ways to lower future melanoma risk.
Common myths worth clearing up
- "A base tan protects me." It does not. A base tan gives very little protection and adds to your total UV damage.
- "Tanning beds are a safe source of vitamin D." They are not recommended for this. You can get vitamin D from food and supplements without the cancer risk.
- "Indoor tanning is controlled, so it's safer than the sun." The UV dose can still be strong, and it still damages skin.
Safer ways to get color
If you like the look of a tan, there are options that do not use UV:
- Spray tans and self-tanning lotions color the skin with a dye-like ingredient, not UV, so they do not carry the skin cancer risk of tanning beds.
One reminder: a color from these products does not protect your skin from the sun. You still need shade, clothing, and sunscreen when you are outdoors.
Why the "healthy glow" idea took hold
For a long time, tanned skin was marketed as a sign of health, beauty, and time spent outdoors. That image is powerful, and it is part of why tanning beds became popular.
But the science tells a different story. A tan is the skin's response to UV injury, not a marker of health. Understanding this can make it easier to let go of the idea that a tan is something to chase.
If the look is what appeals to you, remember that spray tans and self-tanning lotions can give a similar color without the UV damage.
The glow people admire is really a sign of damage — and you can get the look without the risk.
If you have tanned indoors before
If you have used tanning beds, stopping now still helps. UV damage adds up over a lifetime, so cutting future exposure reduces how much more builds up.
It is also worth talking with your care team about checking your skin and learning what changes to watch for, since finding skin cancer early makes it easier to treat. Noticing a new spot, a mole that changes, or a sore that does not heal, and reporting it, is a simple and powerful habit.
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Words to know
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Common questions
Are tanning beds really as risky as the sun?
Yes. Tanning beds give off UV radiation, the same type of energy that damages skin from the sun. Using indoor tanning devices raises the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, which is one of the most serious types.
Is indoor tanning more dangerous for young people?
The evidence points that way. Starting indoor tanning at a younger age, especially before about age 35, is linked to a higher risk of melanoma. Because of this, many places have laws that restrict tanning bed use by minors.
Isn't a base tan a good way to prevent sunburn?
No. A base tan offers very little protection and is itself a sign of skin damage. Building one adds to your total UV exposure and your skin cancer risk rather than protecting you.
What about tanning to boost vitamin D?
Indoor tanning is not a recommended way to get vitamin D. The UV exposure raises skin cancer risk, and you can get vitamin D more safely from food and supplements. Talk with your care team if you are concerned about your vitamin D level.
Are spray tans and self-tanning lotions safe?
Spray tans and self-tanning lotions color the skin without UV radiation, so they do not carry the skin cancer risk of tanning beds. Keep in mind that a color from these products does not protect you from the sun, so you still need sun protection.
I've used tanning beds for years — is it too late to help myself?
Stopping now still matters. UV damage adds up over a lifetime, so reducing future exposure lowers how much more damage occurs. It is also a good idea to talk with your care team about checking your skin.
Questions to ask your doctor
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Last updated: 2026-08-18Next planned review: 2027-07-04
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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