Lise Chevalier says she changes the tanning bed bulbs often so clients don’t have to stay as long.
Ottawa Public Health is encouraging young people to “Enjoy the Skin You’re In” rather than fake tanning .
The campaign was launched this month.
It highlights research that people under the age of 35 are 75 per cent more likely to get skin cancer if they use tanning beds regularly, says Ottawa Public Health.
But downtown tanning salon owners are criticizing the campaign. They say tanning is positive.
The campaign uses social media to show how tanning beds can damage the skin.
Young people can watch as their smooth, vibrant skin turns wrinkled, dark and damaged by uploading their photo to the “Indoor-tan me” application on Facebook.
“We want to dispel some myths so that individuals who choose to use indoor tanning are informed about the risk of melanoma,” says Jason Haug, the campaign’s project officer.
But UV rays from the beds also provide vitamin D, says Lise Chevalier, co-owner of Sunburst Tanning Centre on Bank Street.
Vitamin D boosts immunity and can help prevent colds. she says.
As winter approaches people turn to tanning beds to get their rays, she adds.
“It’s a myth that you require tanning beds,” counters Haug. Even 15 minutes of sun exposure during non-peak hours can provide enough vitamin D, he adds.
“Tanning is good for you in moderation,” says Liliane Baidoun, co-owner of Artistic-Hair-Aesthetics-Tanning on Bank Street.
“It’s natural; it’s good for the spirit. You feel better after tanning. If you overdo anything it’s bad for you.”
She call the campaign frustrating.
“It’s OK to put your message out there, but also talk about the positive sides. They’re selling these [UV] lights for people with depression, psoriasis, or back pains. People come here for many reasons,” she argues.
Over the past year, her sales from tanning decreased by 50 per cent because of groups advocating against it, she says.
In late 2009, Ottawa city councillors lobbied the provincial government to ban tanning beds across the province for those under 18.
Two bills were introduced to the Ontario legislature since 2008 to ban tanning for people under 18, but the legislation wasn't passed.
After the ban was voted down, some city officials said they would continue to target tanning beds in Ottawa because the city licenses the salons.
Haug says the campaign is not intended to harm businesses, but it does discourage tanning.
“Our main priority is reaching youth and making them aware of the health consequences,” he says.
Both Chevalier and Baidoun say they educate their clients on the safest way to tan.
They say they discourage customers from coming every day.
“If I get a client here and their skin is a little bit pink from tanning the day before I don’t let them tan here. They’ve got to go elsewhere,” says Chevalier.
Chevalier say she doesn't think her business will suffer because of the campaign.
She says she's on the “health side” of the industry.
Ottawa’s Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital refers patients with acne or eczema to her because the type of UVB lights she has in one bed can treat symptoms, she says.
But the practice of health experts referring patients to tanning salons is not common.
This is because the World Health Organization listed UV rays as a carcinogen, Haug says.
The risks of tanning outweigh the potential benefits, he says.
As the campaign gains momentum, Ottawa Public Health says it hopes its YouTube videos and Facebook application will go viral, allowing as many people as possible see it.
“It’s a self-esteem message,” says Haug. “We want young people to think again before tanning.”