Kim Kardashian has taken heat from fans and doctors after promoting tanning beds – despite their known risk of cancer.
The celeb hopped on the new ‘of course’ TikTok trend that sees people gently poke fun at common perceptions about themselves in a video that revealed she had a tanning bed in her office.
Dermatologists on the app warned her about the many health risks of using tanning beds, especially given her family history of melanoma.
Studies have shown that indoor tanning increases the risk of developing the two most common types of skin cancer — squamous cell carcinoma by 58 percent and basal cell carcinoma by 24 percent.
And Kim, 43, was criticized for endorsing a practice that could put her millions of fans in harm’s way.
While popular, indoor tanning is also known for its risks, including skin cancer, per the AAD (the American Academy of Dermatology Association)
‘I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have a tanning bed…,’ she stated, but paused to jump out and jog over to another bed. ‘And a red light bed in my office!’
Denver-based dermatologist Dr Scott Walter said: ‘Kim, no disrespect, but why do you have a tanning bed when your sister has had a history of melanoma herself? [referring here to Khloe].
‘If you have a family history of it, your risk for melanoma goes up by 74 percent. And that’s on top of the risk of indoor tanning and melanoma alone.
‘Let’s not promote indoor tanning. There’s no such thing as a safe tan.’
At one point during the tour, Kim addressed the camera wearing special black goggles while lounging inside a tanning bed.
‘I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have a tanning bed…,’ she stated, but paused to jump out and jog over to a $78k red light therapy bed. ‘And a red light bed in my office!’
Dr Aamna Adel, a London-based dermatologist, simply commented ‘Tanning bed’ with a crying emoji, which kicked off a series of commenters bemoaning the fact that she promoted an unsafe practice.
The first response to Dr Adel’s comment said: ‘THANK YOU!! I had to scroll down so far to find this �� Completely banned in Australia yrs ago due to skin damage/skin cancer risk.’
Another said: ‘In 2024 �� Does she have an ashtray next to it ?’
And another: ‘So can I go back into the tanning beds if Kim Kardashian does ?’
Her defenders were quick to point out that the mogul might be using a tanning bed to treat her psoriasis, an autoimmune condition that leads to inflamed scaly patches on the skin, usually on the scalp, elbows, and knees.
UVB rays, the kind of the sun that cause burns, are believed to help clear psoriasis flare-ups. But tanning beds mainly release UVA light, the type that can lead most readily to wrinkles and other signs of premature aging, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.
Tanning to treat psoriasis is not recommended because the cancer risk far outweighs any benefit.
As one commenter put it: ‘I can’t even believe that has to be explained in this day and age.’
Tanning beds are a known carcinogen, so much so that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires warning labels on all indoor tanning equipment
The American Academy of Dermatology Association strongly advises against going for a tanning bed to achieve the coveted Kardashian glow.
‘Indoor tanning can increase the risk of developing the two most common types of skin cancer – squamous cell carcinoma by 58 percent and basal cell carcinoma by 24 percent.’
While tanning bed use rates are decreasing, the AADA reported that roughly 7.8 million Americans have not been dissuaded.
