There are safe and unsafe ways to tan while pregnant. Here's what you need to know.
Using self-tanner while pregnant
The ingredients in self-tanning lotions, creams, and foams are harmless, so it's fine to use them during pregnancy.
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These products are basically dyes that stay on the surface of your skin and won't harm your developing baby. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the active ingredient that makes your skin darker, often comes from plant sources like sugar beets or sugar cane and was approved by the FDA in the 1970s. While there haven't been studies on the impact of dihydroxyacetone on unborn babies, a negligible amount is absorbed into your system when you use it on your skin, so experts say it's okay to use while pregnant.
And self-tanners have improved dramatically in recent years, so you can get that sun-kissed glow without worrying whether you'll end up looking like an extra from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Getting a spray tan while pregnant
It's best to avoid getting a spray tan while pregnant. Spray tans at a salon use products with a higher concentration of dihydroxyacetone than over-the-counter products, which are applied through an aerosolized spray.
Because it's dispensed through a spray, you're much more likely to inhale fumes when in a spray-tanning booth, which may not be safe for you or your baby – according to the FDA, the risks of inhaling DHA are unknown.
Using a tanning bed while pregnant
Tanning beds aren't recommended for anyone – especially pregnant women.
Tanning beds pose the same dangers as the sun: They emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes skin cancer. Don't believe anyone who tells you that because tanning booths emit only UVA rays, they're not hazardous to your health.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, just one indoor tanning session (using a bed, booth, or sun lamp) can increase your risk of getting skin cancer, including melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Melanoma is the only type of cancer that can spread to the placenta, which means it's the only type of cancer that can be passed to your unborn baby.
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Lying in a tanning bed can also raise your body temperature to a level that may be dangerous for your baby, particularly during your first trimester. Having an elevated body temperature during pregnancy – that is, above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, which can happen in a tanning bed, hot tub, or sauna – can raise the risk of birth defects.
And then there's the concern that after about 20 weeks, due to the position and size of your uterus, lying on your back too long could restrict blood return to your heart and thus restrict the flow back to your baby as well. (If this happens, you'll feel lightheaded.)
Finally, yet one more downside to tanning: Pregnant women with sensitive skin who expose themselves to UV rays – whether from tanning beds or the sun – may be more prone to melasma, those dark splotches that can appear on the face and occasionally the arms during pregnancy.
Tanning in the sun
It isn't safe to tan the old-fashioned way – by sitting out in the sun for a long time – either. Extended exposure to UV rays from the sun increases your risk of skin cancer including melanoma. The UV rays from the sun also spur melasma, the hormonally driven dark splotches pregnant women can experience.
It's also not true that tanning provides extra protection from the sun. Stick to wearing sunscreen for protection when you go outside – it's safe to use while pregnant and protects you against skin cancer and melasma.
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