Key Takeaways
- Spray tans preferred by 40% of former bed users post-bans.
- Self-tanning lotions market: $1.2 billion globally in 2023.
- Sunless tanners provide color without UV risk, mimicking DHA reaction.
- Indoor tanning before age 35 is associated with a 75% increased risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
- Tanning bed users are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma compared to non-users.
- Regular tanning bed use increases melanoma risk by 58% per decade of use starting before age 30.
- Indoor tanning industry revenue peaked at $2.4 billion in 2006.
- Number of US tanning salons: 19,000 in 2020, down 40% since 2009.
- Global indoor tanning market size: $1.5 billion in 2022.
- All 50 US states regulate tanning beds, mostly age 18+.
- FDA classifies tanning beds as moderate risk (Class II) devices since 2014.
- California bans indoor tanning for under 18 since 2011.
- 13.1 million US adults used tanning beds at least once in 2020.
- 35% of white girls aged 16-18 have used indoor tanning facilities.
- High school students indoor tanning prevalence: 19% nationally in 2019.
After bans, many former users switch to sunless tanning, yet tanning beds still drive major skin cancer risk.
Related reading
Alternatives and Comparisons
Alternatives and Comparisons Interpretation
Health Risks
Health Risks Interpretation
Industry Data
Industry Data Interpretation
More related reading
Safety Regulations
Safety Regulations Interpretation
Usage Statistics
Usage Statistics Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Tanning Bed Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tanning-bed-statistics
David Kowalski. "Tanning Bed Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/tanning-bed-statistics.
David Kowalski. 2026. "Tanning Bed Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tanning-bed-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SKINCANCERskincancer.org
skincancer.org
- Reference 2PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Reference 3AADaad.org
aad.org
- Reference 4FDAfda.gov
fda.gov
- Reference 5CDCcdc.gov
cdc.gov
- Reference 6SKINCANCERFOUNDATIONskincancerfoundation.org
skincancerfoundation.org
- Reference 7NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.gov
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Reference 8WHOwho.int
who.int
- Reference 9IBISWORLDibisworld.com
ibisworld.com
- Reference 10STATISTAstatista.com
statista.com
- Reference 11GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.com
grandviewresearch.com
- Reference 12MARKETSANDMARKETSmarketsandmarkets.com
marketsandmarkets.com
- Reference 13BLSbls.gov
bls.gov
- Reference 14FORTUNEBUSINESSINSIGHTSfortunebusinessinsights.com
fortunebusinessinsights.com
- Reference 15TANNINGBEDBOOTHtanningbedbooth.com
tanningbedbooth.com
- Reference 16ALLIEDMARKETRESEARCHalliedmarketresearch.com
alliedmarketresearch.com
- Reference 17HEALTHhealth.gov.au
health.gov.au
- Reference 18TANNINGBUSINESStanningbusiness.com
tanningbusiness.com
- Reference 19EUROMONITOReuromonitor.com
euromonitor.com
- Reference 20FRANCHISEDIRECTfranchisedirect.com
franchisedirect.com
- Reference 21SUNSPABROKERSsunspabrokers.com
sunspabrokers.com
- Reference 22RESEARCHANDMARKETSresearchandmarkets.com
researchandmarkets.com
- Reference 23FRANCHISETIMESfranchisetimes.com
franchisetimes.com
- Reference 24ERGOLINEergoline.com
ergoline.com
- Reference 25NCSLncsl.org
ncsl.org
- Reference 26FEDERALREGISTERfederalregister.gov
federalregister.gov
- Reference 27LEGINFOleginfo.legislature.ca.gov
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- Reference 28ECec.europa.eu
ec.europa.eu
- Reference 29ACCESSDATAaccessdata.fda.gov
accessdata.fda.gov
- Reference 30HEALTHhealth.nsw.gov.au
health.nsw.gov.au
- Reference 31HEALTHhealth.ny.gov
health.ny.gov
- Reference 32ANVISAanvisa.gov.br
anvisa.gov.br
- Reference 33LEGISLATIONlegislation.gov.uk
legislation.gov.uk
- Reference 34CANADAcanada.ca
canada.ca
- Reference 35LEGleg.state.fl.us
leg.state.fl.us
- Reference 36NSFnsf.org
nsf.org
- Reference 37INSUREONinsureon.com
insureon.com
- Reference 38IARCiarc.who.int
iarc.who.int







