Most gyms with tanning beds make the process straightforward: you sign a consent form, choose your session length, and the staff or a timer handles the rest. But if you’ve never used one before, the details matter. Knowing how to prep your skin, what products to use, how long to stay in, and how to clean the bed properly will give you a better result and protect your skin in the process.
Signing Up for Tanning Access
Gym tanning beds typically require a separate registration, even if you already have a membership. You’ll sign a consent waiver acknowledging the risks of UV exposure. In most states, you need to be at least 18 to sign for yourself. Minors aged 16 to 17 generally need a parent or guardian to sign in person, and those under 16 face even stricter rules, often requiring a parent present for every session.
Some gyms include tanning in premium membership tiers, while others charge per session or offer a tanning add-on. Ask the front desk what’s included before you assume you have access.
Preparing Your Skin the Day Before
Exfoliate at least one day before your session, ideally two. Dead skin cells sit unevenly on your body, so skipping this step leads to a blotchy tan that fades in patches. You don’t need anything fancy. A loofah, body brush, or textured bath puff in the shower works fine. Focus on areas where skin is thicker: elbows, knees, ankles, and the tops of your feet.
Shave before you exfoliate if you plan to, since freshly shaved skin absorbs UV more evenly. Just don’t shave and tan on the same day if your skin tends to get irritated.
What to Put on Your Skin (and What Not To)
Never use regular outdoor sunscreen or tanning oil in a tanning bed. Outdoor products contain UV blockers that defeat the purpose of the session, and the oils damage the acrylic surface of the bed. The acrylic is porous and expands when the bulbs heat up, so petroleum-based products seep in and create a film that degrades the equipment over time.
Indoor tanning lotions are formulated differently. They contain moisturizers that keep your pores open and help your skin absorb UV more efficiently. Dry skin reflects UV light, so going in without any lotion can waste up to half of your session time. Many indoor formulas also include vitamins, aloe vera, and natural oils that act as a magnifying layer for the UV, giving you a deeper result in a shorter session. Your gym may sell indoor lotions at the front desk, or you can bring your own.
Stand-Up Booths vs. Lay-Down Beds
If your gym offers both, the choice comes down to coverage and comfort. Stand-up booths deliver a more even tan because your skin isn’t compressed against a surface. When you lie down, the areas pressing against the acrylic (your back, the backs of your legs) don’t tan as well, which can leave you with lighter patches or pressure marks. In a booth, all sides of your body tan at once.
The trade-off is intensity. Stand-up booths position the bulbs closer to your body, so UV exposure per minute is higher. Sessions in a booth are typically shorter for this reason. If you have trouble standing for 10 to 15 minutes or have balance concerns, a lay-down bed is the more practical option.
How Long to Stay In
Your session length depends on your skin type, and getting this wrong is the fastest way to burn. Skin types range from Type I (very fair, burns easily, rarely tans) to Type VI (deeply pigmented, almost never burns). Here’s a general guide:
- Type I (very fair): Start at 3 to 5 minutes. Build up slowly to a maximum of 10 minutes over several weeks.
- Type II (fair, burns often): Start at 10 to 15 minutes, working up to 20 to 25 minutes.
- Type III (medium, sometimes burns): Start at 15 to 20 minutes, gradually reaching 30 to 35 minutes.
- Type IV (olive, rarely burns): 20 to 30 minutes from the start.
- Types V and VI (dark, very rarely burns): 30 to 45 minutes, though shorter sessions still work.
The bed’s timer is set to the manufacturer’s maximum exposure time, and you should never exceed it. If you’re unsure of your skin type, start at the lower end. You can always add time in future sessions, but you can’t undo a burn. Space your sessions with at least two rest days in between, and aim for one to three sessions per week depending on how your skin responds.
Step by Step in the Tanning Room
Once you’re in the room, start by wiping the bed down with the sanitizing spray and paper towels the gym provides. Spray the entire surface you’ll be lying or standing on, let it sit for the contact time listed on the bottle (usually 30 seconds to a few minutes), then wipe it dry. This matters. Shared tanning beds collect sweat, lotion residue, and bacteria from every person who uses them.
Remove your clothing to whatever level you’re comfortable with. Tan lines form wherever fabric blocks UV, so most people tan with minimal or no clothing. Apply your indoor tanning lotion evenly across all exposed skin.
Put on the protective goggles before you get in. This is not optional. The FDA requires all tanning equipment to come with goggles, and your gym should have pairs available. Simply closing your eyes is not enough. UV light penetrates your eyelids and can damage your corneas and retinas over time. Regular sunglasses don’t block the concentrated UV inside a tanning bed either. The goggles should fit snugly with no cracks.
Set the timer or confirm it’s set to your chosen duration. Get in, close the lid if it’s a lay-down bed, and stay still. If you’re in a lay-down bed, you can lift your arms above your head partway through to tan your sides more evenly. The bed will shut off automatically when your time is up.
After Your Session
Wait at least two to three hours before showering. Your skin cells continue developing color after you step out of the bed, and showering too soon can interrupt that process. When you do shower, use a gentle, hydrating body wash. Skip scrubs, exfoliants, and anything with harsh detergents.
Moisturize immediately after drying off. Use a lotion that’s alcohol-free, since alcohol dries out the skin and causes your tan to fade faster. Keeping your skin hydrated in the days between sessions is the single most effective way to maintain your color longer.
Before you leave the tanning room, wipe the bed down again for the next person. Most gyms expect you to spray and wipe both before and after your session.
The Health Risks Are Real
Indoor tanning carries well-documented risks that are worth understanding before you start. Using a tanning bed increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 58% and basal cell carcinoma by 24%. It can more than double the risk of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Starting before age 20 raises melanoma risk by 47%, and that risk climbs with each additional session. Women under 30 who tan indoors are six times more likely to develop melanoma than those who don’t.
These numbers don’t mean a single session will cause cancer, but they do mean the risk accumulates over time. If you choose to use a tanning bed, keeping sessions short, spacing them out, and limiting how many years you tan all reduce your cumulative exposure.