Most people wear either a swimsuit, underwear, or nothing at all in a tanning bed — it largely comes down to personal comfort and whether you want tan lines. The one thing that isn’t optional is eye protection. Your eyelids provide no meaningful defence against the UV rays in a tanning bed, and using one without proper eye cover every single session carries real risk of eye damage.
Everything else is a choice. Here’s a clear breakdown of your options, what to avoid wearing, and what to apply before you get in.
Key Takeaways
- Eye protection — goggles or UV eye stickers — is the only non-negotiable item. Closing your eyes is not sufficient protection.
- A swimsuit or bikini is the most popular choice — comfortable, practical, and limits UV exposure to sensitive areas.
- Underwear is a convenient alternative that offers similar coverage to a swimsuit.
- Going nude is the best way to avoid tan lines entirely — confirm with your salon that it’s permitted, and use nipple protection.
- Remove all jewellery before a session — metal heats up under UV lamps and can leave marks or cause discomfort.
- Avoid applying perfume, deodorant, or makeup before a tanning bed session — these products can interfere with the tan and some may cause skin reactions under UV exposure.
- Apply a tanning lotion or accelerator before getting in — not a standard SPF moisturiser, which will block the UV.
Eye Protection: The One Non-Negotiable
Before anything else — eye protection. Tanning beds emit a high concentration of UV rays, and your eyelids alone are not enough to protect your eyes from them. The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that excessive UV exposure to the eyes increases the risk of serious conditions including cataracts, eye cancers, and photokeratitis (essentially sunburn of the eye’s surface). These risks apply whether or not your eyes are closed.
You have two options:
- Tanning goggles: A reusable pair of UV-protective goggles designed specifically for sunbed use. They’re shaped to minimise the area of your face they cover, which reduces the goggle-shaped white mark around your eyes. If you use tanning beds regularly, investing in your own pair of tanning goggles is more economical and more sustainable than disposables.
- Disposable UV eye stickers: Thin adhesive pads that sit directly over the eyelids. Most tanning salons provide these as standard. They feel slightly unusual at first but are comfortable once you settle in — and you can still see light through them, which some people find reassuring.
Whichever you choose, never skip this. Eye damage from UV exposure is cumulative and largely irreversible.
Your Clothing Options
Swimsuit or Bikini
A swimsuit or bikini is the most popular choice for tanning bed sessions, and for good reason. The material is designed to handle heat and moisture, which makes it more comfortable than regular clothing in the warmth of a tanning bed. It also limits UV exposure to sensitive areas while allowing most of the body to tan freely.
The obvious trade-off is tan lines — you’ll have lighter areas where the swimsuit covers. For most people this isn’t a problem because the covered areas are the same ones hidden by swimwear at the beach or pool anyway. If tan lines are a concern, a strapless bikini top is a good option if you regularly wear off-shoulder or sleeveless clothing.
Choose the swimsuit you wear most often outdoors — that way the tan lines will align naturally with what you’re wearing when they’re visible. For more on managing tan lines, see our guide on how to get rid of tan lines.
Underwear
Underwear is a practical choice if you’ve made a last-minute decision to visit the salon and don’t have a swimsuit on hand. It offers broadly similar coverage to a swimsuit and provides protection for sensitive areas.
A few things to keep in mind: most underwear doesn’t wick moisture the way swimwear does, so it may feel less comfortable in the warmth of the bed. Lacey or sheer underwear offers less UV protection than a solid fabric, so sensitive skin in those areas may be more exposed than you expect. And dark-coloured underwear may fade over time with repeated UV exposure.
On balance, underwear is a perfectly reasonable option — just be aware of those limitations going in.
Going Nude
The cleanest way to avoid tan lines entirely is to use the tanning bed with nothing on (beyond eye protection). Most tanning salons permit this — but it’s worth confirming with your salon before your session, particularly if you’re visiting somewhere for the first time.
When you ask, also check about hygiene procedures. Reputable salons disinfect the beds fully between every client. If the answer is vague or reviews raise concerns about cleanliness, find a different salon before using it nude.
One important consideration: nipples are a sensitive area that can burn more easily under UV exposure. Nipple tanning is worth understanding before you go in uncovered — you can use nipple protection patties to cover them during the session while still tanning the rest of the body freely.
What to Wear on Your Face
Beyond eye goggles, you don’t need to cover your face in a tanning bed. Most people leave their face fully exposed to get an even, all-over colour — including the neck and décolletage.
If your facial skin is particularly sensitive or prone to flushing and burning, covering the face with a small towel is an option. Some people do this for the first few sessions until they understand how their skin responds, then gradually reduce coverage as they get more familiar with the process.
One important rule: go to your session makeup-free. Products on the face — foundation, SPF moisturiser, primers — block the UV and result in patchy, uneven tanning across the face. For more on this, our article on tanning with makeup on covers exactly what happens and why it’s best avoided.
What NOT to Wear in a Tanning Bed
This is the section most first-timers don’t think about — but it matters.
Jewellery
Remove all jewellery before your session. Metal heats up quickly under UV lamps and can become uncomfortable or even cause minor burns when it’s in contact with skin. Metal also reflects UV, which can create unpredictable patches around jewellery-covered areas. Rings, necklaces, earrings, and watches should all come off before you get in.
Perfume and Deodorant
Avoid applying perfume, body spray, or deodorant before a tanning session. Many fragrances contain photosensitive compounds — most notably bergamot and certain citrus oils — that react with UV light and can cause skin irritation, uneven pigmentation, or even chemical burns in concentrated areas. Deodorant can also create patches on the underarm and upper chest. Shower before your session and leave the skin product-free.
Makeup
Makeup creates a barrier between the UV and your skin, which results in uneven facial tanning. It can also interact unpredictably with UV exposure — some ingredients in makeup are photosensitive and may cause irritation or discolouration. Go in bare-faced.
Standard SPF Moisturiser
A regular SPF sunscreen blocks UV — which is its purpose outdoors, but defeats the point in a tanning bed. Don’t apply a standard SPF moisturiser before your session. If you want to apply something beforehand, use a dedicated tanning lotion or accelerator (see below).
Tanning Lotion: What to Apply Before Getting In
Many regular tanning bed users apply a tanning lotion or accelerator before their session. These are specifically formulated to work with UV exposure rather than against it — they’re different from outdoor SPF products.
Tanning lotions typically work in one of a few ways: accelerators stimulate melanin production to speed up the tanning process; bronzers add an immediate temporary colour alongside the UV tan; and tinglers increase blood circulation to the skin surface, which can enhance UV absorption (though they cause a warming or prickling sensation that beginners may find intense).
For first-timers, a straightforward accelerator lotion is the easiest starting point. Our guide to the best tan accelerators covers the main options in detail. Apply the lotion evenly before getting into the bed, and make sure it’s fully absorbed before the session starts.
What to Wear After Your Tanning Session
Once your session is done, wear something loose and breathable for the journey home. Your skin will be warm and potentially slightly flushed, and tight or rubbing clothing can cause discomfort. If your salon has showers, a quick rinse with cool or tepid water helps calm the skin — avoid hot showers, which can intensify redness in fair skin.
If you’ve applied a tanning lotion during the session, your skin will have some residue on it — choose clothes you don’t mind getting slightly marked until you’ve showered.
Once home, apply a generous amount of hydrating, alcohol-free moisturiser to replenish the skin after UV exposure. Well-moisturised skin holds colour more evenly and fades more gradually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to wear anything in a tanning bed?
The only item you must wear is eye protection — goggles or UV eye stickers. Everything else is optional. You can wear a swimsuit, underwear, or nothing at all depending on your preference and your salon’s policy.
Can you wear contacts in a tanning bed?
It’s strongly recommended that you remove contact lenses before using a tanning bed. UV exposure can affect the lens material, and combined with the warmth and dryness of the bed environment, contacts can become uncomfortable or damaged. Wear your tanning goggles or eye stickers directly over bare eyes.
What should a first-timer wear in a tanning bed?
For a first session, a swimsuit or underwear is the most practical choice — it’s comfortable, familiar, and protects sensitive areas while you get used to the experience. Make sure to use proper eye protection, remove all jewellery and fragrance, and skip makeup and SPF. Keep your first session short to see how your skin responds before building up time.
Do you get a better tan without clothes in a tanning bed?
Yes — any area covered by clothing won’t be exposed to UV and therefore won’t tan. Going nude gives you an even, all-over colour without tan lines. The tan itself won’t be deeper per area — it’s the same UV exposure — but the overall result is more uniform across the body.
Can you wear a pad or period products in a tanning bed?
Tampons and menstrual cups are fine to use in a tanning bed as normal. Disposable pads should be avoided — the adhesive and material can become uncomfortable in the warmth of the bed. Opt for internal period protection for your session if needed.
Should you shower before a tanning bed session?
Yes — showering before your session removes sweat, skincare products, perfume, and deodorant that could interfere with the tan or cause skin reactions under UV. Shower with a gentle, fragrance-free wash, dry off, and go in product-free (except for tanning lotion applied immediately before the session).
Final Thoughts
Getting the most from a tanning bed session starts with what you wear — and just as importantly, what you don’t. Eye protection every single time, jewellery off, fragrance and makeup removed, and a tanning lotion applied rather than a blocking SPF. After that, the clothing choice is entirely yours based on the tan lines you want and how comfortable you feel.
For more guidance on tanning bed use — including session length, frequency, and how to build a tan safely — browse our full range of tanning bed guides.