Best and Worst Places for Your Skin

We long for the summer months so that we can finally say goodbye to common winter skin issues such as chapped lips, but the summers present problems of their own such as sunburns, bug bites and rashes. We understand that things like sunscreens, diet, lifestyle and skin care routines define our skin health, but there are other links that may not be as obvious. One such link is the city you live in. Some cities are known to be conducive to beautiful looking skin, while others can have a damaging effect on the skin. Vine Vera examines the best and worst places for your skin in the US.

Best Places for Your Skin – Portland
Portland is considered to be one of the best cities for skin health. It boasts of a low level of pollution and a lower ozone rate. Studies have already confirmed that pollution can lead to all sorts of issues such as accelerating the aging process, causing inflammation and interfering with the skin healing process.

Worst Places for Your Skin – Pittsburgh
The City of Bridges is one of those places which simply fails to shield your skin from damage. It is one of the most polluted cities in the US and is also home to the second highest tanning salons per capita. As if things weren’t bad enough, Pittsburgh also suffers from a high smoking rate. When you combine all three, it really can’t get any worse for your skin.

Best Places for Your Skin – San Francisco
The reason that San Francisco ranks among the top cities for skin has nothing to do with pollution. San Francisco suffers from its own pollution issues, but it somewhat makes up by having the lowest number of tanning beds per capita. It is also the only state that bans the use of tanning beds by those under 18 years of age. Fake tanning is perhaps even worse than sun damage, because it breaks down the skin and increases the chances of skin cancer.

Worst Places for Your Skin – Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of those places where skin sins are second nature to most people, even when they’re conscious about staying away from the glitz and glamor offered by the Strip. The smoking rate is through the roof and the locals tend to suffer from high levels of stress. And finally, the fact that the city has an average humidity level of just 39% despite having year-round sunshine doesn’t help either.

Best Places for Your Skin – Honolulu
The humid weather and low level of air particle pollution means that Honolulu is always good to your skin. Pollutants contain free radicals which tend to break down the collagen and elastin levels, lead to aging and cause inflammation. The fascinating natural beauty also means that people spend more time on things such as walking and jogging.

Worst Places for Your Skin – Phoenix
Phoenix is another city where multiple issues affect the skin. The pollution levels are very high and the city enjoys just 50% humidity. The lack of humidity forces the skin to dry out, and the increased free radical damage makes the skin more susceptible to wrinkling. Ignore skin care and you could end up with dry and wrinkled skin as well as an increased risk of skin cancer.