Desert Skin Care
Some tips for caring for your skin in the Tucson desert

Tucson Arizona is located in the Sonora Desert at an altitude of about 2,100 feet above sea level. This means that Tucsonans don't just get some of the best scenery and climate in the world, it means they also constantly need to be concerned about proper skin care. This is especially true for infants, and both younger and older persons. Women tend naturally to be concerned about their skin, but men seem to be comfortable ignoring it. In the desert around Tucson, avoid proper skin care at your peril.

For most women, part of the morning and evening routines involve a skincare regimen of applying creams, moisturizers, tonics, lotions, and the like. Why do women put themselves through this? They do it primarily to combat the signs of aging, and to maintain youthful looks and beautiful skin! It is a safe bet, however, that most women haven't put much thought into what is actually in the products that they are using.

Some women probably do not realize that what they are putting on their skin may actually be undermining what they are trying to prevent to begin with. In fact, the average woman puts twelve products on her skin daily, most of which contain some potentially harmful chemical preservatives. Dr. Myron Wentz, founder and chairperson of USANA Health Sciences, has this to say about beauty in the company magazine's June/July 2005 issue: "Some say that beauty is only skin deep. Nonsense! I believe that true beauty is a reflection of true health, and true health begins deep inside each and every cell in the body. But true health and true beauty have an outer component, which is why we require protection from environmental insults such as solar radiation, pollutants in our environment and the drying effects of air. . . The fact is you simply cannot contain a healthy body if your skin isn't healthy. And your skin can't be healthy if your are subjecting it to toxic substances that are ultimately absorbed into your body."

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. As such, your skin will almost surely suffer more injuries, damage, and stress than any other organ you have.

So, what can women do? How can they combat environmental pollutants, the affect of solar radiation, and the noteworthy drying effects of the arid desert winds around Tucson? How can they be sure they are using the very best products on their skin – so they can be healthy inside and out? Here are 7 tips to assist in this process:

1. Be very aware of what is in your skincare products. Use products that are all natural, as much as possible.

2. Look for products that contain Dermal Surface Renewal Technology. DSR smoothes away existing signs of aging such as laugh lines, crow's feet, and dullness.

3. Use products that have regenisomes. Regenisomes penetrate the skin to speed cell renewal after sun exposure. They also use the light of photosomes to undo sun damage, and have ultrasomes to renew skin while sleeping.

4. Find products with Proteo-C and Proflavonol-T. These two vitamins can protect the skin from premature aging caused by the sun, pollution, and other environmental factors. They also provide advanced nutrition to the skin to keep it appearing smooth and firm.

5. If possible, use products that are paraben free. Parabens are synthetic chemical preservatives that are widely used in personal care products such as shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, make-up, facial masks, skin lotions and creams, and deodorants. They also are typically ingredients in baby lotions, shampoos, and other personal care products for infants and children. In addition, parabens are in many foods and pharmaceutical products. Researchers are beginning to find parabens in benign and malignant human breast tumors. While some studies have challenged their toxicity in many products and question their long-term affect on humans, using products that are paraben free can eliminate the risk of exposure to this harmful chemical.

6. Drink plenty of water! Really, plenty of water – drink extra water. Water hydrates skin and hair as well as flushes toxins out of your body.

7. Limit stress, or at least learn to manage it effectively. Stress is harmful both emotionally and physically. Find that stress reliever activity that works best and use it on a daily basis! Tucson offers many such diversions – most of which have the added benefit of being an exercise like bicycling, horseback riding, hiking, climbing, and too many more to mention.

Start by following these tips, and explore what works best for your skin. You can always visit a Tucson dermatologist to get a skin care regimen that is designed expressly for your skin type. And Tucson has many spas and salons which offer a wide variety of skin care treatments – some are quite a treat.