To use a tanning bed, exfoliate and remove any lotion or oil from your skin beforehand, apply an indoor tanning lotion, put on protective goggles, and start with a short session matched to your skin type. What you do before and after the session affects your results as much as the time you spend inside it.
Key Takeaways
- Color builds over several visits, not one. Most tanners notice visible results after 3 to 5 sessions, depending on skin type.
- Goggles are required by law, and closing your eyes does not protect them, because eyelids are too thin to block UV. Salons supply goggles at no charge.
- Tell the staff about any medications before your first session. Some prescriptions, including certain antibiotics and acne treatments, make skin burn faster under UV.
- Match session length to your skin type. People with very fair skin (Fitzpatrick Type I) are usually advised to skip UV beds and use sunless options instead.
- No UV tanning method is risk-free. Proper technique reduces burning and skin damage. It does not remove the risk.
- Aftercare decides how long a tan lasts. Moisturize while your skin is warm, avoid hot showers, and pause exfoliants and retinoids for about 72 hours.
How Do You Prepare for a Tanning Bed?
Preparation starts the day before your session. Exfoliate, shave if you plan to, and arrive with clean skin that is free of makeup, lotion, and perfume. Thorough prep is the difference between an even tan and a streaky one. Dead skin cells hold color unevenly and flake off as a tan fades, so clearing them first helps the result last.
If this is your first time, our guide on what to expect on your first tanning visit covers how sessions are timed and which beginner mistakes to avoid.
Steps to Prepare for a Tanning Bed Session
- Exfoliate the day before: Use a gentle scrub or exfoliating mitt to clear dead skin cells so color develops evenly. An indoor exfoliant such as Bamboo Exfoliant by REDLIGHT+ works for this.
- Shave or wax ahead of time: Removing hair after a session can strip color, so do it first.
- Skip heavy lotions, perfumes, and oils: These coat the skin and block UV from reaching it evenly, which leads to patchy results.
- Use an indoor tanning lotion: Unlike everyday lotion, an indoor tanning lotion is made to work with UV light, hydrate your skin, and help color last. TriLuxe Lotion by REDLIGHT+ is one option, available at our locations. Our guide to accelerators, bronzers, and intensifiers explains which type fits your goal.
- Tell the staff about any medications: Some prescriptions, including certain antibiotics and acne medications, increase skin sensitivity to UV light. Mention what you take so staff can advise you, and check with your doctor if you are unsure.
- Remove makeup and jewelry: Makeup blocks UV, and necklaces or rings create uneven patches. Bare skin gives the most even result.
- Wear something loose on the way in: Tight clothing rubs against freshly tanned skin.
It also helps to drink water before your session, since hydrated skin tans and holds color better than dry skin.
What Should You Do During a Tanning Bed Session?
During the session, three things matter: protecting your eyes and lips, positioning your body for even exposure, and keeping the time right for your skin. The salon sets your time before you start, so the first two are up to you.
Protect Your Eyes, Lips, and Sensitive Skin
Put on the protective goggles before the bed turns on, every session. Closing your eyes is not enough — eyelids are too thin to block UV, and repeated exposure can damage your eyes over time. Protective eyewear in tanning beds is required by law in the U.S., and salons provide goggles at no charge. Lips and rarely-exposed areas burn easily too, so apply an SPF lip balm and cover any skin that does not normally see sun.
If you have fair skin, make sure to read this guide on how to prepare and protect yourself before your visit to a tanning salon.
How Should You Lie in a Tanning Bed?
Lie flat on your back with your arms a few inches from your sides and your palms facing up. Keep a slight bend in your knees so the backs of your legs get even exposure. Shift your position a little each session, moving your arms or turning slightly, so the same spots are not always shaded. If you use a stand-up tanning bed, stand in the center, hold the handlebars, and keep your body evenly spaced from the lamps.
How Long Should You Stay in a Tanning Bed?
Session length depends on your skin type. Fairer skin needs shorter sessions, and very fair skin should avoid UV beds. The table below is a starting point based on the Fitzpatrick skin type scale.
| Skin Type (Fitzpatrick skin type) | Characteristics | First Session | Max Session | Max Frequency |
| Type I – Very Fair | Very pale, freckles, burns easily, rarely tans | Avoid tanning beds. Instead, use spray tanning. | – | – |
| Type II – Fair to Light | Light skin, may burn but can develop a light tan | 5 minutes | 7-10 minutes | 2 times per week |
| Type III – Light to Medium | Medium skin tone, sometimes burns but tans fairly well | 6-7 minutes | 10-12 minutes | 2-3 times per week |
| Type IV – Olive / Medium-Dark | Rarely burns, tans easily and deeply | 7-8 minutes | 12-15 minutes | 2-3 times per week |
| Type V – Dark Brown | Very rarely burns, tans very easily | 8-10 minutes | 15-20 minutes | 2-3 times per week |
| Type VI – Very Dark | Naturally dark skin, never burns | 10 minutes | 15-20 minutes | 2-3 times per week |
These times are a starting estimate, not a fixed rule. The right length depends on the specific bed, its lamp strength, and your current tan, so confirm your session time with the salon staff before you start. The team at SunsUp Tan & Wellness Spa can set a session length based on your skin type and goals.
If you want to consider an alternative, read our comparison piece on tanning bed vs spray tan.
What Should You Do After a Tanning Bed Session?
Aftercare determines how long your color lasts. Moisturize while your skin is still warm, avoid hot water, and pause harsh skincare products for about three days. A consistent aftercare routine is what separates a tan that lasts a week from one that lasts two.
- Moisturize and hydrate: UV exposure dries out skin, and dry skin sheds color faster. Use a moisturizer with aloe vera, shea butter, or hyaluronic acid, and drink water to hydrate from the inside. Our guide on keeping your skin hydrated and healthy goes into more detail.
- Skip the hot shower: Hot water dries skin and fades a tan faster, so use lukewarm water instead. For timing details, see our guide on showering after a tanning bed.
- Avoid harsh products for about 72 hours: Hold off on exfoliants, retinol, and strong acne treatments right after tanning. You do not need to stop them until the tan fades; about three days is enough before reintroducing them.
- Use a tan-extending lotion: A tan extender hydrates and can hold color longer. Many contain a small amount of DHA, the active ingredient in self-tanners, to keep the shade looking fresh.
How Many Sessions Until You See a Tan?
Most people see noticeable color after 3 to 5 sessions, though the pace depends on your skin type, the bed, and how tan you already are. A base tan builds over time rather than appearing after one visit.
When you are building a base tan, 2 to 3 well-spaced sessions a week is a common schedule. Once you reach the shade you want, one session a week is usually enough to maintain it, including through the colder months. Our guide on tanning in winter without looking orange or streaky covers that case. Spacing sessions out gives your skin time to develop color and recover. Tanning on consecutive days raises the risk of burning without speeding up results. If you are working toward a deadline, see how to get a tan faster and how long a tanning bed tan lasts.
How to Tan without Burning?
The steps in this guide are about reducing harm, not removing it. If you choose to tan in a UV bed, a few practices lower your risk: start with short sessions, never tan to the point of burning, space sessions out, protect your eyes, and avoid UV beds if your skin is very fair or you take medication that increases UV sensitivity. Our guide on how to tan without burning covers this further. Anyone who wants color without UV exposure can use a sunless option such as spray tanning instead.
FAQ
Can you wear sunscreen in a tanning bed?
Sunscreen blocks UV, so wearing it over your whole body works against the point of an indoor session, since you would block the rays that create the tan. Use an indoor tanning lotion for your body instead. Many tanners do still protect the face with a facial SPF, since facial skin is delicate and ages fastest, and that is a reasonable trade-off if you make it on purpose.
Can you use a tanning bed while pregnant?
Most healthcare providers advise against tanning beds during pregnancy. UV light does not reach the baby, but pregnancy makes skin more prone to burning and to dark patches called melasma, and the heat of a tanning bed can raise your body temperature. Check with your doctor first, and consider a sunless option if you want color while pregnant.
Can you wear AirPods in a tanning bed?
It is better to leave them out. The heat inside a tanning bed can affect electronics, and anything resting against your skin, earbuds included, creates uneven patches and tan lines. If you want audio, ask whether the salon can play music in the room.
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