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Questionable Sunbed advertising - Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge

Exclusively Women's Fitness Centres

No matter what shape you are in "YOU'LL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME WITH US" Women go ahead... do something that's just right for you. Introduce yourself to a healthy new life style for a new you. It you've ever thought about getting fit, but couldn't see yourself in a health club, Exclusively Women's will make you think again. For Women who prefer an exclusive fitness centre... we've set the standard for health clubs of today and well into the future, with the largest selection of the latest, state-of-the-art equipment in a large, bright, bold atmosphere From our highly qualified, friendly and helpful staff to our complete personalized fitness programs, we have what it takes to make you feel comfortable and fit. There's no excuse; we'll fit you into YOUR schedule - days, after-noons or evenings 7 days a week.

The front of the full colour ad shows a large picture of a woman using one of the machines aimed at working her pectoralis muscles. They use all the right buzz words, have all the right equipment, and seem to know what they are doing. Unfortunately, when you flip over the flyer, you can see that they somehow left out the facts about sunbeds. In fact, the picture they chose to illustrate their sunbed, apparently showed a women who didn't have any eye protection on at all. The picture of the sunbed appears in that section called Relax and Pamper Yourself. I guess that they should have changed it to read Relax and Blind Yourself Side two had the following picture, just below a picture of children playing with Safe toys. Please note the following caption: The most popular reason for tanning indoors are relaxation and convenience. Our suntanning beds use the most modern UVA tanning devices for consistent, safe, even tanning, without burning or damaging your skin.

Exclusively Women's Fitness Centres include:

• Waterloo Women's Club in the Waterloo Town Square - 519-886-7546
• Exclusively Women's Fitness Centres at:
  Frederick St. Mall, Kitchener - 519-742-7220
  600 Hespeler Rd., Cambridge (next to Business Depot) - 519-622-7220
  Guelph - Stone Rd. Mall - 519-826-9228
  700 Brant St. (Burlington Square) - 905-634-6767
  245 Queen St., Brampton (besides Logan GM) - 905-452-8746
  2525 Roseville Garden Dr., Windsor (Venture Place) - 519-944-0404

WARNING This advertisement is deceiving on a number of accounts. First of all it suggests that sunbeds help people relax. There have never been any studies done that would determine anything to attest to that claim. Secondly, the claim that their suntanning beds use the "most modern UVA tanning devices" is preposterous. What do they compare their claims against? As far as the safety of tanning beds is concerned, it is an outrageously false claim that has encouraged many young women to expose their bodies to dangerous UV rays. Simple facts about people who use sunbeds have up to a 700% increase in deadly malignant melanomas they endanger their immune systems they age their skin You've got them - do you want to keep them? Would you expose your genitals to high-power blow-torches to get them to tan? Well using a sunbed is just as dangerous. Finally, why is the model or staff person in the picture not wearing sun goggles. A single exposure to UV can cause serious eye damage, and may lead to blindness. Failure to regulate the sunbed industry Federal - Provincial - Local laws fail to protect the public. The Canadian sunbed industry is totally unregulated except for a few regulations that have remained basically unchanged for a decade. During the last ten years, nearly 8,000 Canadians have died of malignant melanoma. There is substantial evidence that the explosion to sunbeds will accelerate that. The incidence of melanomas is increasing at an alarming 7% per year, more than any other cancer. It affects women, more than men, and the age of the average patient is falling with the increased use of sunbeds.

Sunbed operators don't want to tell you the truth They are motivated by pure profit - nothing else Why do the sunbed manufacturers lie to the public about the harmful aspects of artificial tanning? Why do the health clubs, esthetic studios, hair dressers, and salons include sunbeds in their "Relax and Pamper" sections? There is nothing relaxing about roasting your gonads, frying your eyes, and spreading herpes, is there?

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