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SACRAMENTO, Calif.
— Count on a meteorologist to tell you the weather. It
takes a dermatologist to let you know cool temperatures
and dry air are no BFFs to your skin.
Scratchy
scalp, blotchy face, chapped lips, rough elbows, knees
and feet — you've got the wintertime picture for
nearly everyone.
But
other, more serious factors can also contribute to skin
problems. We found three women whose skin-care enemies
range beyond the elements. In their search for products
and treatments to tackle specific concerns, the three
friends found a skin regimen that bonds them.
Gina Andrews
, 35, and
Jodi Martinez
, 41, are both breast cancer survivors. The women went
through combinations of chemotherapy and radiation,
leaving their skin parched and peeling.
"After
the treatments, I broke out due to the amount of
stress," Andrews says.
"My
skin was actually burned, and I had problems with tone
and texture," Martinez adds.
Dolores Mouras
, 51, has olive skin that's sensitive. She has tried a
variety of products to deal with age spots and acne
scars, but nothing as invasive as surgery. She also
takes medication for rheumatoid arthritis, and the
treatment is hard on her skin.
"I
used to wear makeup and powder to hide the flaws,"
Mouras says.
All three
women now use a skin-care system from
Provo, Utah
,-based
Nu Skin
. It's called Galvanic Spa System II. Mouras learned
about it in last May. She then introduced it to Andrews,
who introduced it to Martinez.
The
system, which also is used by professional spas, is
available for in-home use by women and men.
The Galvanic Spa's
hand-held device uses a low-level electrical current
that massages the skin while delivering topical
treatments that target issues like hyperpigmentation
(brown spots), loss of elasticity (over brows and the
jawline) and those pesky fine lines and wrinkles.
Tania Bliss
, a spokeswoman for
Nu Skin
, says the first
Galvanic Spa
was introduced in 2001. The product has been updated
twice.
She says
the
$300
price tag, while high, is an investment if you add up
how much a consumer might spend on doctor-supervised
procedures (Botox), monthly treatments (facials) and/or
a cabinet full of over-the-counter products.
Bliss
says the
Galvanic Spa
can be used two to three times a week; each treatment
takes about 10 minutes. The system includes the
hand-held device with three attachments: one for the
face, one for the body and one for the scalp.
For
Andrews, the system not only has improved her skin —
she no longer has breakouts — but she uses it on her
abdomen after having a baby to diminish stretch marks.
Martinez,
who has been using the system about a month, says it has
brought her skin "back to life."
"As
a (cancer) survivor, it's also helped because I suffered
hair loss," she says.
Mouras no
longer "covers up" with a lot of makeup.
"Recently, someone asked me if I had a face-lift.
When you deal with an autoimmune disease and receive
such a compliment, you instantly feel great."
(For more
information on the Galvanic Spa System II and other
Nu Skin
products, go to www.nuskin.com
or e-mail info@galvanicspaproducts.com.)
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