FTC FACTS for Consumers

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B eware of claims like these. Ads that claim indoor tanning devices are a safe alternative to outdoor tanning may be false.

Tanning indoors damages your skin. That’s because indoor tanning devices emit ultraviolet 

rays. Tanning occurs when the skin produces additional pigment (coloring) to protect itself 

against burn from ultraviolet rays. Overexposure to these rays can cause eye injury, premature 

wrinkling of the skin, and light-induced skin rashes, and can increase your chances of 

developing skin cancer.

HEALTH

“Tan indoors with absolutely no harmful side effects”

“No burning, no drying, and no sun damage”

“Unlike the sun, indoor tanning will not cause skin cancer or skin aging”

Indoor Tanning
Facts for Consumers

Tanning Devices

The most popular device used in tanning salons is a 

clamshell-like tanning bed. The customer lies down 

on a Plexiglas surface as lights from above and 

below reach the body.

Many older tanning devices used light sources 

that emitted shortwave ultraviolet rays (UVB) that 

actually caused burning. Aware of the harmful 

effects of UVB radiation, salon owners began using 

tanning beds that emit mostly longwave (UVA) 

light sources. Some salons claim this is safe. While 

UVA rays are less likely to cause burning than UVB 

rays, they are suspected to have links to malignant 

melanoma and immune system damage.

Advertising Claims

Here are some claims commonly made about indoor 

tanning — and the facts.

“You can achieve a deep year-round tan with

gentle, comfortable, and safe UVA light.”

Ultraviolet light is divided into two wavelength 

bands. Shortwave ultraviolet rays called UVB can 

burn the outer layer of skin. Longwave ultraviolet 

rays called UVA penetrate more deeply and can 

weaken the skin’s inner connective tissue.

Long-term exposure to the sun and to artificial 

sources of ultraviolet light contributes to the risk of 

developing skin cancer. Two types of skin cancer, 

basal cell and squamous cell, are treatable if detected 

early. Melanoma, another type of skin cancer, can 

be fatal.

“No harsh glare, so no goggles or

eye shades are necessary.”

Studies show that too much exposure to ultraviolet 

rays, including UVA rays, can damage the retina. 

Overexposure can burn the cornea, and repeated 

exposure over many years can change the structure 

of the lens so that it begins to cloud, forming 

a cataract. Left untreated, cataracts can cause 

blindness.

The Food and Drug Administration requires tanning 

salons to direct all customers to wear protective 

eye goggles. Closing your eyes, wearing ordinary 

sunglasses, and using cotton wads do not protect the 

cornea from the intensity of UV radiation in tanning 

devices. 

Long-term exposure to natural sunlight also can 

result in eye damage, but in the sun, people 

generally are more aware that their eyelids are 

burning. Under indoor UV lights, exposed skin 

remains cool to the touch. In addition, the intensity 

of lights used in tanning devices is much greater 

— and potentially more damaging to the eyes — than 

the intensity of UV rays in natural sunlight.

“Tan year round without the harmful side effects 

often associated with natural sunlight.”

Exposure to tanning salon rays increases the damage 

caused by sunlight. This occurs because ultraviolet 

light actually thins the skin, making it less able to 

heal. 

Unprotected exposure to utltraviolet rays also 

results in premature skin aging. A tan is damaged 

skin that is more likely to wrinkle and sag than skin 

that hasn’t been tanned. Over time, you may notice 

certain undesirable changes in the way your skin 

looks and heals. According to some skin specialists, 

skin that has a dry, wrinkled, leathery appearance 

early in middle age is a result of UV exposure that 

occurred in youth.

“No danger in exposure or burning.”

Whether you tan indoors or out, studies show the 

combination of ultraviolet rays and some medicines, 

birth control pills, cosmetics, and soaps may 

accelerate skin burns or produce painful adverse 

skin reactions, such as rashes. In addition, tanning 

devices may induce common light-sensitive skin 

ailments like cold sores.
Facts for Consumers

Protecting Yourself

1. Limit your exposure to avoid sunburn. If you 

tan with a device, ask whether the manufacturer 

or the salon staff recommend exposure limits 

for your skin type. Set a timer on the tanning 

device that automatically shuts off the lights 

or somehow signals that you’ve reached your 

exposure time. Remember that exposure time 

affects burning and that your age at the time 

of exposure is important relative to burning. 

Studies suggest that children and adolescents are 

harmed more by equivalent amounts of UVB 

rays than adults. The earlier you start tanning, 

the earlier skin injury may occur.

2. Use goggles to protect your eyes. Ask whether 

safety goggles are provided and if their use is 

mandatory. Make sure the goggles fit snugly. 

Check to see that the salon sterilizes the goggles 

after each use to prevent the spread of eye 

infections. 

3. Consider your medical history. If you are 

undergoing treatment for lupus or diabetes or 

are susceptible to cold sores, be aware that 

these conditions can be aggravated through 

exposure to ultraviolet radiation from tanning 

devices, sunlamps, or natural sunlight. In 

addition, your skin may be more sensitive to 

artificial light or sunlight if you use certain 

medications — for example, antihistamines, 

tranquilizers or birth control pills. Your tanning 

salon may keep a file with information on your 

medical history, medications, and treatments. 

Make sure you update it as necessary. 

A Word About Sunscreens

Chances are you spend some time in natural 

sunlight. You still could benefit from using 

sunscreens with sun protection factor (SPF) numbers 

of 15 or more. The SPF number gives you some idea 

of how long you can stay in the sun without burning. 

For example, if you normally burn in 10 minutes 

without sunscreen, you should be protected from 

burn for 150 minutes using SPF 15. Swimming and 

perspiration reduce the actual SPF value for many 

sunscreens, so be sure to reapply even if the product 

is water-resistant.

While all sunscreens provide some level of 

protection against UVB rays, no product screens out 

all UVA rays. Some may advertise UVA protection, 

but there’s no system yet for rating UVA protection. 

Even when you use a sunscreen with a high SPF 

number, there’s no way to know how much UVA 

protection you’re getting.

Regulation

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and 

the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) share 

responsibilities in the regulation of sunlamps and 

tanning devices. The FDA enforces regulations that 

deal with labels on the devices; the FTC investigates 

false, misleading, and deceptive advertising claims 

about the devices. When these agencies determine 

that device labels don’t comply with the regulations 

or that advertisements are not truthful, they may 

take corrective action. The FDA also can remove 

products from the marketplace.

For More Information

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent 

fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices 

in the marketplace and to provide information to 

help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file 

a complaint or to get free information on consumer 

issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free,

1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357);

TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, 

telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related 

complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online 

database available to hundreds of civil and criminal 

law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Facts for Consumers

Federal Trade Commission

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Offi ce of Consumer and Business Education

August 1997

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

FOR THE CONSUMER

1-877-FTC-HELP

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