How to Properly Use a Tanning Bed? | Safe Session Basics

Tanning beds are not considered safe by the FDA, but if you choose to use one, start with short exposures, follow the machine’s posted schedule, and always wear UV-protective goggles.

The honest answer on how to properly use a tanning bed is that you’re managing risk, not eliminating it. The FDA regulates indoor tanning equipment and warns that beds can burn users, with burns thought to be linked to melanoma risk. Its rules require salons to post a Recommended Exposure Schedule on each bed. Before anything else, read that label, know your skin type, and treat the schedule as a ceiling, not a suggestion.

Check The Machine’s Exposure Schedule First

Every FDA-regulated tanning bed must display a Recommended Exposure Schedule tied to the lamp type certified for that unit, also found in the owner’s manual. The FDA is explicit: do not use the maximum exposure time on your first session. Start with the shortest interval for your skin type and work up gradually across visits.

Salon equipment is a Class II medical device under FDA rules (21 CFR 1040.20), meaning manufacturers have legal obligations around warnings and labeling. If a bed has no posted schedule or the label is missing, walk out. Exposure times vary by lamp type, so a time that worked on one bed means nothing on another.

What To Do Before, During, And After A Session

Practical steps for a tanning session break into three phases. Follow them in order to avoid the most common beginner mistakes.

Before: Exfoliate your skin and remove makeup, jewelry, perfumes, and oils, since these can interfere with tanning or irritate skin under UV light. Sanitize the acrylic with the salon’s disinfectant, and put on the supplied goggles. Check they fit snugly with no cracks; the FDA notes regular sunglasses are not adequate protection.

During: Lie flat with arms slightly away from your body and knees slightly bent, then reposition your arms and legs partway through for even exposure. Uneven positioning is a common mistake that leaves pale patches.

After: Moisturize and hydrate. Many salon guides recommend waiting several hours before showering, especially with bronzing lotion. Your skin will keep developing color for hours after you leave.

How Often Is It Safe To Tan Indoors?

More frequent tanning increases burn risk without meaningfully deepening a plateaued tan.

If you’re considering tanning-bed bulbs, our tested roundup of bulbs for tanning bed use breaks down differences. That said, no bulb upgrade changes the safety picture: the FDA and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) both recommend against sunbed use for tanning entirely, especially for minors.

Who Should Never Use A Tanning Bed

The FDA says don’t use indoor tanning equipment if you’re under 18—it requires black-box warnings stating exactly that.

Beyond age, avoid beds if you sunburn easily and don’t tan, have a personal or family history of skin cancer, have skin lesions or open wounds, get frequent cold sores, or take medicines that increase UV sensitivity. Check with a doctor or pharmacist about daily medications; photosensitizing drugs include certain antibiotics, acne treatments, and NSAIDs.

If any of these apply, indoor tanning is not for you—no exposure time makes it safe. The ICNIRP specifically flags fair-skinned people prone to sunburn or with many moles as high-risk.

Common Beginner Mistakes To Avoid

• Maxing out on visit one. The first session should be the shortest, not the longest.
• Skipping goggles. Sunglasses are not UV-protective eyewear; eye damage is central in FDA and ICNIRP guidance.
• Tanning too frequently. Stick to the posted schedule and the weekly-or-less maintenance rule.
• Ignoring sensitivity signs. Sunburn tendency, family history, and open wounds all mean no session.
• Staying still. Reposition your arms and legs mid-session for even coverage.

The takeaway: start short, follow the machine’s posted schedule exactly, wear snug UV goggles, keep sessions a week apart or more, and skip the bed entirely if any FDA exclusion applies. Those steps won’t make tanning safe, but they represent the safest possible way to do something the FDA advises against.