Kayla Young
Tanning beds are clearly controversial, but the reality is that many people feel they are worth the risks, including burns and cancer. If you burn in a tanning bed, can you tan the next day?
We understand that some people will do everything and anything just to get a darker tan. Having been burned in a tanning bed isn’t going to stop them from thinking about using the tanning bed again the next day just to achieve that glowing tan.
But is this a safe thing to do? Unfortunately, no matter how desperate you are to get a tan, you should not tan in a tanning bed or under the sun the next day after you’ve got burned.
If you insist, you’ll just end up further damaging your skin. Instead of thinking about tanning again, you should first focus on how to treat your burns due to the tanning bed.
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Is Getting Burned In A Tanning Bed Possible?
The skin is an incredible protector. However, there are times that it cannot handle the damage it is exposed to, such as the UV rays from the tanning beds.
When that happens, you get a tanning bed burn. Tanning bed burn can happen to anyone.
Similar to sunburns, the burns you get from tanning beds are also due to the exposure to powerful UV bulbs.
Remember that tanning beds have more concentrated UV rays, that’s the reason why you only have to use them for a few minutes to get a tan.
You should take note of how often you use the tanning bed, and remember that tanning beds are not risk-free, even in moderation.
If You Burn In A Tanning Bed, Can You Tan The Next Day?
Now that you’ve confirmed that you have indeed been burned by the tanning bed, you wonder if you can still tan the next day. Will the sunburn turn into a tan if you just keep hitting it with more rays?
Well, if you plan to use the tanning bed again the next day or tan under the sun, then you are making a terrible mistake.
Your skin is already reacting negatively to the UV rays because you have exposed it excessively the past day. Exposing it again to UV rays, whether through the tanning bed or through the rays of the sun will not tan your skin. But it will worsen your burn.
Exposing it again to the UV rays, whether through the tanning bed or through the rays of the sun will not tan your skin. But it will worsen your burn.
Tanning bed burns are already very uncomfortable, the last thing that you want to do is to burn your skin again and worsen the situation. Instead of experiencing discomfort, redness, and heat in areas of your skin, you can now develop blisters, which could be very painful.
How To Know If You Have Tanning Bed Burn
Before we discuss why you cannot use the tanning beds the next day after having burned, let us first tell you more about what to expect when you have a tanning bed burn.
First of all, tanning bed burns aren’t the only things that could happen to your skin when you use a tanning bed. You could develop a tanning bed rash which could seem like a tanning bed burn.
Burns aren’t the only things that could happen to your skin when you use a tanning bed. You could develop a tanning bed rash which could seem like a tanning bed burn.
A tanning bed rash could happen to you if you don’t hydrate your skin properly, or if the bed wasn’t properly cleaned before use.
When the skin is too dry and you expose it to the concentrated UV light of the tanning bed, the remaining moisture on the top layer of the skin is dried up.
Sometimes, the tanning bed burn may not be the culprit why you developed a tanning bed rash. It could be due to the products that you used prior to using the tanning beds. Some ingredients from those products can get trapped in your sweat glands and cause irritation.
If you have a tanning rash, you will usually see reddish or whitish raised patches of skin. There could be itchiness in the area too. If you try to feel the area, it could feel hot to touch.
Although this is not a sunburn, these rashes are still uncomfortable. If they get worse, then you should seek medical attention.
For tanning bed burns, you’ll usually start to see the symptoms within 24 to 36 hours after using the tanning bed.
Different people may have different symptoms but the most common of all would be redness in the area. It could feel warmer than usual to touch and it could feel uncomfortable to put pressure on those burned areas.
Usually, rashes are only smaller areas that are raised and itchy while the sunburns affect the larger area and will feel hot to touch and reddish.
Often you’ll start to peel after a few days.
Treating Tanning Bed Burns
As we’ve mentioned, using the tanning bed again right after developing a burn should be the last thing on your mind. You should first focus on treating those burns.
Here are a few things you could do to treat the tanning bed burn.
1. Cool Down The Skin
The first thing that you should do is to try to cool down the skin. You can do this by using cool running water and letting it flow through your skin by taking a cool shower.
Just make sure to be gentle with the pressure Alternatively, you could dampen a towel with cold water to focus on the burned areas.
2. Soothe The Skin With Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is useful in treating sunburns as well as burns that are due to tanning beds. These will not only cool down the skin but could help moisturize the skin.
The natural aloe vera plant would be best but if you don’t have that, you can use aloe vera gel that’s easily available in the market.
3. Water Water Everywhere!
Another way to help your skin heal is to make sure that you hydrate yourself. Drinking plenty of fluids and boosting will greatly help with the healing process.
When there is enough water in your body, it will help your skin get and stay hydrated. Burned skin becomes dry due to the UV rays.
