It has been months since Kim Kardashian’s tanning bed broke the internet. And, yes, we’re still mad about it. For those just tuning in, Kim Kardashian walked viewers through a video tour of the new SKKN BY KIM office back in January. While on the tour, she highlighted that “of course” she has an in-office tanning bed and red light bed.
Source: Kim Kardashian via TikTok
The irony isn’t lost on us that a beauty brand positioning itself as a “next-generation skin solution” is falling for the number one way to increase unwanted skin aging and skin cancer. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), “Using tanning beds before age 20 can increase your chances of developing melanoma by 47%, and the risk increases with each use.”
In response to the immediate backlash, Kardashian shared she uses the tanning bed sparingly for her psoriasis, a common skin disease that often presents as a dry, scaly rash triggered by stress, illness, or other genetic components. The National Psoriasis Foundation discourages the use of tanning beds to treat psoriasis. Furthermore, they share that tanning beds mostly emit UVA light, not UVB. The limited but costly benefits for psoriasis are due to UVB light, so a tanning bed would have limited effectiveness in treating psoriasis.
What is the difference between a tanning bed and a red light bed?
There is a very real difference between a tanning bed and red light therapy. Tanning beds mainly release UVA light. These rays penetrate deeply into the skin and are the main cause of premature aging, wrinkles, and an increased risk of developing skin cancer. On the flip side, red light therapy has a multitude of benefits and is utilized in skincare practices to stimulate collagen production and reduce inflammation. Red light therapy IS slowly gaining recognition as an effective psoriasis treatment.
The backlash on Kardashian is solely from her tanning bed usage, not from her red light bed. However, it opens the door to criticism because Kim should know better. Her older sister Khloé Kardashian has been open about being diagnosed with melanoma on her cheek in 2022. According to an interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show, this wasn’t her first melanoma either. She was first diagnosed with melanoma on her back when she was 19. Khloé has been open with her diagnosis and using her platform to encourage others to get a skin check.
Kim’s blatant disregard for Khloé’s melanoma journey is concerning, irresponsible, and harmful. As a public figure with millions of followers, her endorsement of tanning beds perpetuates the notion that achieving a bronzed complexion, or possibly psoriasis-free skin, is worth the potential health consequences. By glamorizing tanning beds, Kim Kardashian is sending a dangerous message to her impressionable fan base, particularly young women who may already feel pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.
It's worth noting that Kardashian is not the only celebrity to come under fire for her unsafe sun habits. Kristin Cavallari recently shared anti-sunscreen remarks on an episode of her podcast. However, Kardashian's case stands out due to the sheer scale of her influence and the ongoing nature of the controversy surrounding her tanning habits.
In conclusion, the debate over Kim Kardashian's use of tanning beds is emblematic of larger issues surrounding beauty standards, health risks, and the power of celebrity influence.