Are tanning beds safe? What dermatologists want you to know

As more and more people learn that tanning the old-fashioned way — in the sun — is dangerous, the search grows for alternative ways of achieving a summer glow.

Research has shown that roughly 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and experts estimate one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer at some point in their life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

Alternatives include spray tans, over-the-counter self-tanning products and tanning beds. But is the latter actually safe?

Before picking an avenue for your summer vacation tan, read on to learn which tanning option is a big no-no and which are safer, according to dermatologists.

Are tanning beds safe?

"Tanning beds are absolutely not safe. In fact, they are considered a known carcinogen," dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky, M.D., tells USA TODAY.

Both the United States Department of Health and Human Services and World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer, one of the leading global organizations that declares carcinogens, deems tanning beds a carcinogen to humans. Just like the sun, tanning beds raise the risk of developing skin cancer because of its use of UV light.

Excessive UV exposure is responsible for more than 90% of skin cancers, according to Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health. Getting one severe sunburn prior to adulthood more than doubles the chance of developing skin cancer later in life, and getting more than five sunburns can double your risk of developing melanoma, a less common but more deadly form of skin cancer.

What is the safest way to tan?

Sunless tanning products are the "only safe way to achieve a tan," Zubritsky says. She recommends getting a spray tan or purchasing over-the-counter self-tanners.

While self-tanning products are considered safer than spray tans or natural tans, some concerns have arisen surrounding dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is the ingredient in fake tanning products that gives skin a brown pigment. But it's approved by the Food and Drug Administration for topical use, and medical experts say that when applied to the top layer of skin, it's unlikely to cause any major concerns.

Home tanning beds:convenient but dangerous, health experts say