Is It Safe to Tan While I’m Pregnant?

Question: “I’ve always tanned in tanning beds starting right around this time of year. My skin is soo pale, I feel like I look like a ghost if I don’t have a healthy glow! But this spring, I’m preggo. Is it safe for me to tan while I’m pregnant?”

Answer: There isn’t much evidence that tanning while pregnant is bad for your unborn child. But, your best bet is going to be to play it safe this year and skip the tanning bed.

Until medical studies show it’s safe to get in a tanning bed, it’s best to avoid them altogether. Plus, there’s the concern about overheating from using a tanning bed, not to mention skin cancer and premature aging!

Plus, indoor tanning beds put off UV rays. These rays can break down folic acid, which is a vital building block your baby needs to grow a healthy nervous system. Your baby is the most vulnerable to the negative effects of UV radiation in your first trimester and at the beginning of the second. This is when the building blocks for brain development are being laid.

That’s not to say that you can’t still rock a healthy glow, though. Can’t stop tanning while pregnant? Try self-tanner; the main ingredient is non-toxic and only absorbed by the upper layers of skin.  It’s best to stick with a foam or cream self-tanner instead of getting a spray tan. With spray tans, you run the risk of inhaling the chemicals in the spray which would cause them to reach your baby.

Keep in mind that your hormones are going crazy right now. So, it’s a good idea to do a trial run before you bronze up for a big event. 

Please note: we are not medical professionals, and the advice herein should not be taken as medical advice. Ask your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

Written by Heidi Keefer

Heidi Keefer is a Content Creator for Lifetime Adoption and has over 15 years of experience in the field of adoption. An author of thousands of articles and social media posts over the years, Heidi enjoys finding new ways to educate and captivate Lifetime’s ever-growing list of subscribers.

Heidi has a keen eye for misplaced apostrophes, comma splices, and well-turned sentences, which she has put to good use as a contributor to Lifetime’s award-winning blogs. She has written and published hundreds of adoption articles which explore the various facets of domestic infant adoption today.