The air here in Utah is dry and damaging.  Read below to learn how living in Utah is affecting your skin and what you can do to protect it.  

Dry Skin

Utah is a desert, therefore the weather tends to be hot and dry.   Even during the winter when there is snow on the ground, the air is still very dry.  This often causes xerosis, or dry skin.  Dry skin problems can range from small localized areas, to dry skin all over the body.  To prevent dry skin, always moisturize right after you get out of the shower, take shorter and cooler showers, go easy on the soap, and talk to your doctor if any of your medications cause dry skin.  

Skin Cancer

Utah has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the nation.  According to the CDC, 37.3 in every 100,000 people in Utah will develop melanoma.  The risk of developing melanoma in Utah is greater because of the elevation, the amount of time Utahns spend outdoors, and the fact that not many people use sunscreen.  Unfortunately, many people, do not think about taking care of their skin until it is too late.  The truth is that skin cancer can happen to all ages.  It is even the number one cancer for people between the ages of 25 and 29.  Protect your skin by always wearing sunscreen, especially during peak UV hours (12-4pm), and during the winter.

Pollution

While our mountains are grand, beautiful, and make it easy to tell what direction you are going, they also create a little bowl that traps pollutants in the valley.  Combine the topography with commuters, industrial plants, and winter inversion, and you have a recipe for many health problems, including damaged skin.  The air pollution here in Utah can cause accelerated aging, skin damage, uneven skin tone, and sometimes skin cancer.  Luckily, you can prevent much of these things by properly taking care of your skin.  There are three things you need to do in order to prevent skin damage from pollution.  

  1. Wash it Off — You need to wash your face morning and night to remove pollutants, makeup, dirt, etc. from your face.
  2. Neutralize Pollutants — Use antioxidants on your skin and eat antioxidant-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, blueberries, and beans.
  3. Use Barriers — Protect your skin by putting a barrier between it and the toxic air.  Use sunscreen daily as well as a high quality moisturizer.