Curious about the emerging trend of sunbed sessions for a wellness boost? Or just really want a quick base tan pre-holiday? Read this before you decide to go ahead.
I have a friend who recently admitted to me that she still uses sunbeds. Firstly, ‘just’ for a pre-holiday glow, she said. Although, it turns out, she is just as excited about ‘the new ones’ that can supposedly help boost your skin’s collagen levels and lift your mood.
It turns out, sunbeds have had a bit of a wellness rebrand. Everywhere you look, there are corners of the internet advocating for the serotonin (happy hormone) boost you can get from sunbeds. Others wouldn’t be without them, because they swear it is the ‘only solution’ for chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Some tanning brands are even adding red light therapy bulbs to their beds, capitalising on the light therapy mask trend, and advertising that you can get skin firming benefits, alongside your ‘perfect tan’.
It took me back a bit, I’ll admit. I thought we had left sunbed use in the noughties, before their link with skin cancer and premature ageing were properly understood. PSA: in 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) went as far as to classify sunbeds as carcinogenic – aka cancer-causing – and they are even banned in Brazil and Australia for this reason.
But look at the statistics and, in Europe and the USA especially, a definite shift has occurred. Sunbed use is skyrocketing again.
In fact, a survey by the charity Melanoma Focus found that 43 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds surveyed were using sun beds – making them the fastest-growing group of sunbed aficionados, despite their reputation as a generation known for championing wellness and skin savviness.
So, what is the truth behind a sunbed’s golden glow? Here’s what you need to know.
How sunbeds got a rebrand
Sunbed use has never completely disappeared in the UK (despite campaigns to ban them, the biggest sunbed companies have actually registered growth in the years since Covid-19), and social media has definitely helped power the boom in their usage. On TikTok especially, where the trend has been dubbed ‘tanning Tok’, women (and a growing proportion of men) are increasingly showcasing their bronzed limbs and even giving ‘secret tips’ on how to get the perfect colour as quickly and ‘easily’ as possible.
With instant gratification, no lobster burn risk, and no self-tan streaks in sight (which is particularly appealing for men who don’t want to ‘use beauty products’), you can almost understand their popularity, especially for the younger generation who are discovering these ‘benefits’ for the first time. After all, in a space where anything can go viral at any time given the algorithms, social media has a way of making the old appear ‘new’ to the freshly initiated.
Then there’s that ‘wellness rebrand’ we mentioned. The most popular videos on social media aren’t just about showcasing a deeper tan in minutes anymore (although there are still plenty of those around). Just as many are showing sunbeds as part of people’s wellness routines, helping them feel happier through ‘light therapy’ – and the fact that, rightly or wrongly, a tan can make a lot of people ‘feel more confident’. It doesn’t hurt that the close-up of a UV bulb-ridden tanning bed lid closing can look quite eye-catching on camera. Even more staunch perhaps are the camp that advocate for sunbed use for psoriasis and eczema – ‘it’s the only thing that works for me’, is the common comment and video headline. This claim is based on the suggestion that light can potentially slow down the overproduction of skin cells, helping soothe chronic skin conditions.
But, while that might sound perfect for before your next holiday, if you are struggling with your skin, or when you are feeling a little low – there’s something really important that’s missing from the renewed sunbed conversation. And that is the real danger that continues to exist from sunbed usage and the myths that continue to muddy the (tanning) waters…
Don’t believe these tanning and sunbed myths
Myth 1: A base tan protects me from burning
The most commonly repeated refrain from anyone who loves a sunbed session before a holiday is: “it gives me a base tan so I won’t burn in the sun”. Unfortunately, while you might not get that tell-tale redness, that doesn’t mean your tan is safe. In fact, not only does a base tan from a sunbed hardly provide any further protection against future sun exposure (while potentially encouraging you to spend longer in the sun without SPF), but it is itself a sign of sun damage.
A tan occurs as your body’s natural defence against UV rays, meaning any darkening is a sign of potential UV damage. That’s why even one sunbed session has been found to increase your risk of developing squamous cell skin cancer by 67 per cent and basal cell skin cancer by 29 per cent. Plus, this skin damage also contributes to the breakdown of your skin’s collagen and elastin over time, causing deep lines and skin sagging, as well as triggering stubborn pigmentation.
Myth 2: A sunbed is safer than the real sun
If you really love how a ‘healthy glow’ looks, you might think 10 minutes on a sunbed is a better way to get it than toasting in the sun on a lounger all day, especially because it is ‘controlled’ exposure. Unfortunately, that isn’t true. Sunbeds actually deliver up to 15 times the amount of UV radiation than the midday tropical sunlight. That means faster DNA damage, premature ageing, and far greater skin cancer risk.
Plus, those ‘only 10 minutes’ really mount up, especially if you are using a sunbed before every holiday, or even more frequently than that. Many people also find that they don’t even get an instant glow from sunbed use as a first-time user. That’s because, especially for very light skin tones, it can take time for your skin to build up the melanin (pigment) needed to give you a full tan. So, you might think it is a ‘quick fix’ before a big event, but then still walk away without the colour you want, now with the dangerous invisible skin damage to boot.
Myth 3: I’m young, I don’t need to worry about skin cancer / the damage is already done
With the promise of sun-kissed limbs and some wellness time on offer, it can be easy to push aside cancer concerns by thinking that – especially as a young person – ‘skin cancer won’t happen to me’. But, while sun damage may sit invisibly under your skin for years, it is still there and will rear its ugly head at some point. That’s why melanoma is now one of the most common cancers in women aged 20-30 years of age, and indoor tanning before you are 35 increases your risk of getting it by up to 75 per cent. That’s a statistic worth thinking about.
Equally, if you loved a sunbed (or were a bit of a lounger-based sun worshipper) when you were younger, you might think it is ‘too late’ to break the habit. Yet, your risk of skin cancer increases with each sunbed session, so getting into sun-safe habits – staying off the sunbeds, wearing SPF and having a yearly mole check – will not only protect your health, but keep premature ageing signs, such as wrinkles and dark spots, at bay for longer.
Myth 4: Tanning helps my skin (and my mental health)
But what about the videos on social media showing before-and-after pictures of someone’s skin after sunbed usage? The ones where acne seems to have cleared and chronic skin conditions are soothed? It’s true that UV can temporarily reduce inflammation and dry-out breakouts, but you have to weigh that up with the long-term damage they cause. After all, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can worsen in sun-damaged skin, making acne scars more noticeable long-term, and it is UVB, not UVA as is most common in sunbeds, that’s been shown to help most with chronic skin conditions. Plus, when UV light therapy is used to treat psoriasis and eczema, it should always be via medically prescribed phototherapy treatments, not a trip to your local tanning bed or outside sunbathing where the dosage is not controlled.
Then, there are the suggestions that cardiovascular health and seasonal affective disorder could be improved by a sunbed’s ability to stimulate vitamin D production. Again, there are older studies that suggest a link, but, most importantly, using sunbeds for vitamin D is not recommended by any major health authority because the skin cancer risk far outweighs the benefits. Equally, light therapy for SAD uses visible light, not UV radiation (as provided by sunbeds), so a proper light therapy box is a much better solution.
The modern toolkit for a healthy glow
Ultimately, there’s no need to hop on sunbeds nowadays, especially with the wealth of brilliant fake tan options on the market, for face and body. Here are our top product picks:
You really can't go wrong with Bondi Sands' classic fake tan – however deep you like to boost your colour. This dark self-tanning foam is especially perfect for anyone who feels bare without a tan, giving you the colour you love fuss-free, without the damage of sunbed exposure. Plus, it is enriched with aloe vera and coconut to keep your limbs feeling soft and smooth instead of dry or crepey.
Thought sun protection was the enemy of a natural glow? Think again. Allies of Skin's Sunless Tan SPF50 is actually a three-in-one sunscreen, meaning not only does it protect your skin against sun damage and skin cancer, but it is supercharged with DHA (the key ingredient in fake tans) so you get a gradual natural-looking tan that your complexion will actually thank you for.
Have an event fast approaching and are tempted to jump on a sunbed to quickly boost your colour? This easy-to-apply product is the much better alternative. Blending away bruises and areas of uneven colour as well as deepening your tan, the transfer-resistant body tint is available in a variety of sun-kissed shades and is infused with skin-smoothing ingredients for an instant glow, especially for your arms and legs.
For a much safer light therapy experience, this 'sad lamp' not only helps you manage seasonal affective disorder; it is also really helpful for jet lag. Super portable so you can take it with you on your travels, it delivers a powerful 10,000 luxe of light and has three settings to simulate sun rise, peak daylight, and sun set, aligning with your natural rhythms to boost and stabilise your mood.
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