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According to long-standing rumors, tanning beds can be dangerous — not just because the ultraviolet light can potentially deliver a nasty burn to your skin, but because they purportedly can be vectors for various viruses and bacteria. The possibility has spawned a plethora of stories that are long on scares but relatively short on facts: Despite the range of Dr. Davies's quote (she says it's possible to acquire infections from fecal bacteria as well as various viruses) many news outlets naturally seized on the disease with the most stigma. However, as with so many stories, the truth is far less dire than the warnings. It is possible, in theory, to pick up sexually transmitted infections such as herpes from tanning beds, because the ultraviolet light doesn't necessarily kill viruses or bacteria (and many people slip into the beds nude without cleaning them first), and overexposure to UV rays can depress the immune system. However, such an infection would have to take place under a very specific set of circumstances, and you're much more likely to get staph or some other bacterial infection than herpes. As you can imagine, this issue varies greatly by type of infection and the conditions outside the body, Brian Katzowitz from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told us: However, even if you're not guaranteed a case of the clap with your tan, it's always best practice to wipe down the tanning bed before and after each use, or to not use tanning booths at all. While the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease from a tanning salon or a sunlamp may be infinitesimal, the risk of burns, blisters, and skin cancer is not: melanoma risks increase dramatically with indoor tanning.
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