Before blowing your next paycheck dermatologist’s office or on pricey skin care products, take a closer look at the place you call home. We looked at pollution levels, sunshine and humidity averages, skin cancer, smoking rates, and even tanning salons per capita to determine which U.S. locales could be disastrous for your skin. Did your city make the list?
No. 13: Portland, Maine
Skin cancer and smoking rates are through the roof in this Northeast town, and there are a whopping twenty-five tanning salons for every 100,000 people! Portland may be famous for its historic Old Port district, but if its residents don’t smarten up they could soon be living with old skin. Being a slave to the tanning bed can aggressively speed up your skin’s aging process.
No. 12: Tacoma, Washington
Not a fan of stress breakouts? (Stress raises your level of cortisol, which can affect oil glands and acne.) You may want to avoid Tacoma like the plague, because—along with twenty-one tanning salons per capita and a high incidence of skin cancer according to the Center for Disease Control—it is the most stressed-out city in our country.
No. 11: Macon, Georgia
Macon may be the “Heart of Georgia,” but its residents might want to run to the borders for the sake of their pores. With 88 percent average humidity, it is one of the most humid cities in the country. According to Dr. David Bank, founder and director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery, your skin needs some humidity to prevent it from looking dry and dehydrated, but too much can trigger breakouts. When you sweat (which happens often in humid climates) it mixes with oil and dirt, which can clog pores and cause breakouts.
No. 10: Tampa, Florida
Tampa has above-average sunshine, tropical humidity levels, and a smoking rate of 23.4 percent (the national average is about 20 percent). And though sunny days are a plenty, Tampa folks still flock to tanning salons like they’re going out of style! Sorry Floridians, we know you have an awful thunderstorm season in the summer too, but there’s really no excuse for the UV worshipping.
No. 9: Kansas City, Missouri
Missouri has one of the highest levels of skin cancer in the country, and over a quarter of Kansas City residents smoke. Heavy pollution and 81 percent average humidity aren’t helping these Midwesterner’s complexions either, but as Dr. Audrey Kunin, founder and president of DERMAdoctor, explains, it’s those butts that are really doing the most damage: “Smoking is the quickest way to age your skin. It prevents oxygen from reaching the skin, restricts the blood vessels, and triggers mmp1, the enzyme that destroys collagen.” Collagen loss means looser skin tone and sagging skin.
No. 8: Detroit, Michigan
Mr. President, could the Motor City get a skincare bailout, please? If the plan for this sixth most polluted U.S. city could somehow eliminate the factory emissions, humidity (81 percent on average), and second-hand smoke from the air, we’re confident that Detroit’s high melanoma rate would soon be replaced with a high “youthful glow” rate.
No. 7: Cleveland, Ohio
Clevelanders might suffer from no-win skin for a number of reasons. It is one of the top ten most polluted cities in the country, and top three for tanning salons (twenty-six per capita). Summers are hot and humid, and almost a quarter of Ohio residents smoke. Might be time to pack your bags.
No. 6: Charleston, West Virginia
West Virginia’s capital city is also the country’s unofficial capital for tanning salons. With a staggering thirty-four tanning salons per capita, Charleston—along with being polluted and stiflingly humid (83 percent humidity on average)—is the U.S. city most addicted to those harmful “UV coffins” (a.k.a. tanning booths). Take a hint from our favorite bronzed celebs and spend the tanning dollars on some self-tanner instead: these tips will show you how to achieve their look, sans skin damage.
No. 5: Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix residents need to beware of the skin damage trifecta: Pollution, sunshine (85 percent of days are sunny annually), and dry heat (only 50 percent average humidity). Lack of humidity can cause skin to dry out, making it more likely to wrinkle, says Bank. If not properly protected, this combo could leave you with dry, deep wrinkles and a high risk of skin cancer. Sounds like Arizonans could use one of these antioxidant-rich sunscreens to protect them from skin damaging free radicals and UV rays.
No. 4: Las Vegas, Nevada
Sin City residents are likely committing skin sins on a daily basis, even if they aren’t spending late nights in the clubs and casinos. The stress level and smoking rate are through the roof here, and the year-round sunshine and only 39 percent average humidity doesn’t help the good skin cause. If you call Las Vegas home, slather on an antioxidant infused moisturizing lotion and plenty of SPF daily.
No. 2: Houston, Texas
The Lone Star State’s largest city has very high ozone pollution combined with a high smoking rate and 90 percent humidity (our pores are clogging just thinking about it). And it looks like H-Town wreaks havoc on more than just skin because it also made our list of the worst hair cities.
No. 1: Bakersfield, California
The American Lung Association ranks Bakersfield as the city most polluted by year-round particle pollution. The area’s dry, stagnant weather doesn’t help matters either (nasty pollutants and no fresh, cool air to blow them away). This combined with Bakersfield’s record-high sunshine and heat makes this Cali locale a combat zone for your skin. As Dr. Kunin explains, the actual particle pollution obviously isn’t good for skin, but what’s even more damaging is when the pollution depletes the ozone layer and allows stronger, more damaging UV rays to reach us; Bakersfield is the second most ozone-polluted city.
By Meggie Purpura of TotalBeauty