Having that tanned look even while you are pregnant is something people appreciate. Using a tanning bed to achieve a beautiful, tanned look is nothing new. But can you use a tanning bed while pregnant safely?
No, it is not recommended to use a tanning bed while you are pregnant. This is because of the damage the UV rays can do to the skin and how a tanning bed raises your body temperature which can be dangerous for your baby.
Below we will go into using a tanning bed while you are pregnant in more detail.
Can You Use a Tanning Bed While Pregnant?
As we briefly mentioned above it is not a good idea to use a tanning bed while you are pregnant. The first problem is the most obvious one which are UV rays that are emitted from the tanning bed.
UV rays’ exposure from a tanning bed increases your chance of skin cancer, even a few tanning bed sessions can have this effect. This is often why dermatologists recommended to avoid tanning beds in general not even considering the pregnancy factor. This would be especially important when you are pregnant.
The second factor why using a tanning bed is bad when pregnant is because of elevated body temperature.
When you use a tanning bed your body temperature rises to a higher level than it should be. This raise in your body’s temperature can be dangerous for your baby especially during your first trimester.
Can Tanning Beds Cause Birth Defects?
While there is no clear evidence that tanning and using tanning beds cause birth defects, the UV radiation can cause skin problems which has been regularly documented.
It’s worth mentioning there was one study that took place in Australia with women who had more UV exposure in their first trimester. The results showed their babies had higher rates of multiple sclerosis.
While this was not a tanning bed it’s still worth mentioning because of the UV radiation correlation.
Alternatives to Tanning Beds While Pregnant
If you are wanting a golden tan while you are pregnant we instead recommend going for a spray tan or using a self-tanner.
A spray tan is the safest method of tanning while you are pregnant as we talked about in our article – can you get a spray tan while pregnant.
There are typically no side effects caused by spray tans. The only concern may be of any chemicals used in spray tans that may irritate sensitive skin.
If you want to go sun tanning while you are pregnant it’s important you check out our article here first – can you tan while pregnant and if you want to spray tan while breastfeeding check our article here – should you spray tan while breastfeeding?
Related Questions
Is it Safe to Use Sunbeds While Pregnant?
Generally, it’s recommended to avoid using sunbeds while you are pregnant. This is partly because health professionals recommend against their usage in general even if you are pregnant or not. Therefore, we suggest avoiding their use while you are pregnant and instead opt for a sunless tanning alternative like spray tanning.
Can Sunbeds Damage an Unborn Body?
There is no evidence to show that sunbeds cause any harm to unborn babies while you are pregnant. Even without any evidence we recommend avoiding any tanning bed use to err on the side of caution while pregnant.
Can Sunburn Cause Miscarriage?
Again, there is no evidence that any form of sunburn can cause a miscarriage. Though if you do get burnt while sun tanning it’s a good idea to treat the burn quickly and thoroughly.