text: is a tanning bed really bad to use?   yes, yes, yes, yes and yes!  i'm a med student currently on my surgery rotation, and we see a lot of 20-year-olds with skin cancer and the majority of them have a history of tanning bed use.  it's a major risk factor for skin cancer...   tanning outside isn't better.  either use self-tanner (i know, they're difficult to use) or use a tanning lotion with uv-b protection and apply generously according to the directions on the bottle.