Kim Kardashian has come forward to defend her decision to have a tanning bed in her office after facing criticism for featuring it in a TikTok video tour of her SKKN BY KIM offices.
In the video, the 43-year-old reality star showcased various aspects of her workspace, including a tanning bed, as part of a playful take on the ‘of course’ video trend. While exhibiting her magazine covers and custom mannequin, Kardashian, reclining in the tanning bed, remarked, ‘I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have a tanning bed—and a red-light bed—in my office.’
The revelation prompted concerns from Allure magazine, urging Kardashian not to normalize tanning beds due to their association with increased cancer risks. Responding to the criticism on X (formerly known as Twitter), Kardashian explained, ‘I have psoriasis, and it really helps when it’s bad. But I don’t use it too often.’ Tanning beds are recognized as a remedy for psoriasis by the National Institute of Health, as light therapy and sunlight exposure can be beneficial.
However, experts caution that the UVA light emitted by tanning beds, as opposed to the UVB light used in traditional phototherapy for psoriasis, may pose significant risks. UVA light from tanning beds, which can be up to three times more powerful than natural sunlight, increases the risk of skin cancer. The World Health Organization officially classified tanning beds as carcinogens in 2009. The Skin Cancer Foundation emphasizes the substantial cancer risk associated with even a single visit to a tanning salon.
Given her documented struggle with psoriasis, first disclosed on Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2011, Kardashian has explored various remedies, including herbal treatments and light therapy, to manage flare-ups.
Main Image: The Shade Room