Tanning Salons With Red Light Therapy Beds: What to Know Before You Book
Tanning salons with red light therapy beds usually run them alongside UV sunbeds, and a bed that holds only red and near-infrared lamps will not tan you, because it gives off no ultraviolet light. Some salon beds sold as "+ red light" or "collagen" beds still contain UV tubes, so first find out which kind you are booking. Below: bed types, what bed trials used, session lengths, goggles, who should check first, what to ask and how to do red light at home.
Key takeaways
- The World Health Organization's cancer agency classes UV-emitting tanning devices as "carcinogenic to humans", its highest category. IARC, 2009
- Under US federal rules, a bed with one or more UV lamps intended to tan is a sunlamp product that must come with protective eyewear and a UV danger label. 21 CFR 1040.20
- Cleveland Clinic states that red light therapy does not use the UV light found in sunlight and tanning booths. Cleveland Clinic, 2021
- In a placebo-controlled trial of 42 women with fibromyalgia, 20-minute sessions on a 660 and 850 nm LED bed, three times a week for 4 weeks, left pain 2 points lower than placebo at 6 months. Navarro-Ledesma, 2024
- In a 2023 whole-body bed study, half of the participants needed 7 to 9 weeks instead of 6 to fit in 18 sessions. Fitzmaurice, 2023
What do tanning salons with red light therapy beds offer?
Most offer a red light bed or stand-up unit next to their UV sunbeds, sold by the session or as a monthly membership. Some also sell UV tanning beds with red lamps added, which is a different product.
US tanning establishments fell from nearly 85,000 in 2011 to fewer than 21,000 by 2024, and many have added red light, infrared saunas and spray tans. USA TODAY, 2024
Cleveland Clinic lists tanning salons among the places that offer red light therapy. Its advice: "Be cautious of who is supplying and where you are receiving treatment." Cleveland Clinic, 2021
| Bed type | Light inside | Does it tan? | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED red light bed | About 660 nm red and about 850 nm near-infrared | No | Used in the fibromyalgia bed trials |
| Red tube bed or stand-up booth | About 610 to 650 nm red | No | Used in the main skin trial |
| Hybrid "+ red light", "collagen" or collarium bed | UV tubes plus red or pink lamps | Yes, from the UV tubes | A sunlamp product with UV risks |
The first two are light therapy devices; the third is a tanning bed. See our guide to red light therapy beds.
Does a red light bed at a tanning salon tan you?
No, not if it holds only red and near-infrared lamps: tanning needs ultraviolet light, and red light therapy uses none. A hybrid bed does tan you, through its UV tubes.
The AAD notes that research has not linked red light to cancer, unlike UV light. AAD, 2024 In a 2014 pigment study, 630 nm red light produced no darkening of the skin, while 415 nm violet-blue light did. Our article on red light therapy and tanning covers that study.
How can you tell a red-only bed from a UV bed sold as "+ red light"?
Ask whether the bed contains any UV lamps, and look for a UV danger label on it. Under US federal rules, any bed with one or more UV lamps intended to tan must carry that label.
The federal standard calls these beds sunlamp products. 21 CFR 1040.20 They must come with protective goggles, a timer, a control to switch the UV off and a warning label that opens with "DANGER". A bed with red lamps only falls outside that definition and has no UV label.
Names to watch for include "red light tanning bed", "collagen bed", "beauty light" and "collarium". Collarium sunbeds give off UV, mainly UVA, plus pink or red light, and are marketed for longer-lasting tans and collagen. The Conversation, 2024 Adding red light does not cancel the UV harm.
One salon page we read in October 2026 listed several UV beds as "+ Red Light", apart from its separate red light unit.
What does the research on whole-body red light beds show?
Two small bed trials in fibromyalgia found lower pain after a few weeks, and a larger skin trial used red tube booths. Dermatology sources describe red light for fine lines, wrinkles and redness, mostly from face treatments.
The strongest bed trial was randomised and triple-blind, with a placebo on the same bed. Navarro-Ledesma, 2024
Its 42 women with fibromyalgia had 20 minutes on a 660 and 850 nm LED bed, three times a week for 4 weeks. Pain was lower than placebo at the end of treatment, and 2.00 points lower on a 0 to 10 scale at 6 months. Quality of life was better at every follow-up. The bed's maker funded the trial, and two authors worked for it.
A second study used the same type of bed and built up from 6 to 12 to 20 minutes. Fitzmaurice, 2023 Of 21 people who started, 19 finished. Their fibromyalgia impact score fell from 79.7 to 55.3. Pain fell from 7.08 to 3.93 out of 10. No side effects were reported.
For skin, the best-known trial used red tube booths twice a week for 30 sessions. Our article on the gym red light booth describes it in detail.
The AAD reports a study of 90 patients given 8 LED face treatments over 4 weeks. Over 90% noticed some improvement. AAD, 2024
A 2025 consensus of 21 experts found light therapy generally safe for adults when used as directed. It also agreed that it can be used for skin rejuvenation. Maghfour, 2025
How long is a red light session at a tanning salon, and how often should you go?
Salon pages we read listed sessions of 8 to 20 minutes, often sold with daily or unlimited memberships. The bed trials used up to 20 minutes three times a week, and Cleveland Clinic describes one to three sessions a week for weeks or months.
| Source | Light | Minutes | Sessions a week | Course |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navarro-Ledesma, 2024 (placebo) | LED bed, 660 + 850 nm | 20 | 3 | 4 weeks, 12 sessions |
| Fitzmaurice, 2023 (single group) | LED bed, 660 + 850 nm | 6, then 12, then 20 | 3 planned | 6 weeks planned, 18 sessions |
| Skin trial (see gym booth article) | Red tube booths, about 611 to 650 nm | See linked article | 2 | 30 sessions |
| UK leisure centre bed | Not stated | 15 | 2 to 4 in the first month, then weekly or fortnightly | Ongoing |
| US salon pages | Not stated | 8 to 12, or 10, 15 or 20 | Daily memberships offered | Ongoing |
Cleveland Clinic describes sessions "one to three times a week for weeks or even months". Cleveland Clinic, 2021 Count sessions rather than days, and judge the result where the trials measured it, after 12 to 30 sessions. For what sessions cost across providers, see our red light therapy cost guide, and ask the salon for the monthly figure.
Can you combine red light therapy at a tanning salon with UV tanning on the same day?
Leave out the UV part: dermatology and public health bodies advise against tanning beds altogether, and red light does not cancel UV damage. If you want colour, apply a self-tanner after your red light session.
The evidence against UV sunbeds is consistent:
- AAD: "there's no such thing as a safe tanning bed." Indoor tanning raises squamous cell carcinoma risk by 58% and basal cell carcinoma risk by 24%. AAD, 2026
- Melanoma review: across 27 studies, ever using a sunbed carried a melanoma relative risk of 1.20, and first use before age 35 a relative risk of 1.87. Boniol, 2012
- Cleveland Clinic: using a tanning bed even once before 35 raises melanoma risk by 75%, and UVA damages collagen and elastin. Cleveland Clinic, 2026
- CDC: a "base tan" is a sign of skin damage, and indoor tanning "Does not protect against sunburns". CDC, 2026
- Protection: artificial tanning gives "little if any protection" against later sun damage. IARC, 2006
For a tanned look, do red light first on clean, bare skin, then apply the self-tanner. The AAD points out that a self-tanner cannot protect skin from the sun, so pair it with a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher outdoors. AAD, 2026 Red light is not sun protection either.
After a day outdoors, red light is fine on calm skin, but wait if it is hot, red or sore. Our panel's manual also rules out panel use after sunburn on the body in the past 2 weeks.
Do you need goggles in a salon red light bed, or is closing your eyes enough?
Wear goggles every time and keep your eyes closed as well. The AAD says to wear the goggles specified for the device, not sunglasses.
The 2025 expert consensus recommends wavelength-specific eye protection for both patients and staff. Maghfour, 2025 Many LED beds include near-infrared light, which starts at about 780 nm and cannot be seen.
Some venues treat goggles as optional; ask for a pair anyway. Our guide to red light therapy goggles explains what to look for.
Who should check before using a salon red light bed: darker skin, pregnancy or medicines?
Check with a doctor or dermatologist first if you are pregnant, have epilepsy or a light-sensitive condition such as lupus, have darker skin that marks easily, or take regular medicine. The AAD notes that light-sensitising medicines may rule light therapy out.
- Darker skin: the AAD suggests talking to a dermatologist first, because visible light can cause dark patches. AAD, 2024
- Settings: the 2025 consensus advises conservative settings for darker skin types.
- Teenagers: at least 22 US states bar minors from tanning salons, which applies to UV tanning. USA TODAY, 2024
A good salon will ask you to fill in a health form first. Our precautions rule out both Kivorla devices during pregnancy, with epilepsy, with a thyroid condition or thyroid medication, with photosensitising medication, and over broken skin. Anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using the device. The panel is also not for breastfeeding, preparing for pregnancy, seizures triggered by light, or Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI.
Will a salon red light bed help with weight loss, cellulite or "detox"?
No good evidence shows that it will: Cleveland Clinic finds no scientific evidence that red light therapy helps with weight loss or cellulite. Cleveland Clinic, 2021
The whole-body bed trials measured pain, quality of life and skin, not weight or toxins.
What should you ask the salon before your first red light session?
Ask what kind of bed it is, what light it uses and whether goggles are provided. Then ask about session length, cleaning and the membership terms.
- UV: Does this bed contain any UV lamps? Does it carry a UV danger label?
- Light: Which wavelengths does it use: red only, or red plus near-infrared?
- Time: How long is a session, and how many a week do you suggest?
- Hygiene: Are goggles provided, and are they and the bed cleaned between customers?
- Health: Is there a health form, and what do you advise for pregnancy, epilepsy or medicines?
- Contract: What does the membership include, and how do you cancel?
If staff cannot tell you whether a bed has UV lamps, book somewhere that can.
How do you do red light therapy at home instead of a salon visit?
A home panel or mask lets you keep a regular schedule without travel, while a salon bed lights the whole body in one session. Neither Kivorla device has a UV emitter, so neither will tan you.
Fitting in red light therapy at tanning salon opening times takes planning. In the 2023 bed study, 41 visits were postponed. Fitzmaurice, 2023
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel is a 240 W half-body panel with nine wavelengths: 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. It hangs on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, or stands upright on the floor. You cover the body area by area, as our guide to full body red light therapy explains.
- Distance: about 12 inches for the back, thighs or stomach; about 6 inches for one joint.
- Time: 10 to 15 minutes per area on the controller timer.
- Limit: keep each sitting to 30 minutes or less in total, then wait at least 6 hours before the next.
- Skin: bare and clean, as clothing blocks the light.
- Eyes: the included goggles on, eyes closed, and never aim the panel at your face.
- Starting gently: begin with 5 to 10 minutes, dim each wavelength below 100%, or step back from 6 to 12 inches.
If you are prone to dark patches, turn the 480 nm channel to its lowest.
For the face, use the 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask. It is a cordless full-face shell with an eye opening and no diodes over the eyes, run by voice or the handheld controller.
- Modes: the red mode (665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared) and the blue mode (460 nm blue with 850 nm near-infrared).
- Schedule: 10-minute sessions up to 4 times a week at high brightness, or 15-minute sessions up to 3 times a week, never more than 20 minutes a day.
- Dark patches: choose the red mode rather than the blue mode.
Count both mask modes together against the weekly limits, and keep your eyes closed.
Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Read the precautions before ordering. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and neither tans the skin nor replaces sun protection. Speak to a doctor or dermatologist before light sessions if you are pregnant, take regular medicine or have a light-sensitive skin condition.