Love your town or not, your environment might bear some responsibility for those wrinkles and spots on your face and body. Factors like sun damage, dryness, pollution and high stress levels can seriously affect the condition of your skin, making you look older than you are. Of course, you can always overcompensate by boosting sunscreen to 60+ for those long drives, chugging more water to beat the heat, and deep-breathing your way through (cough) traffic. Or you could just move to one of the U.S.'s ideal skin cities (which we picked based on humidity, sunshine, stress, pollution and skin cancer levels as well as factors like diet). See if your town is on the list, or if your body just might need a change of scenery to stay youthful.
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No. 9: San Antonio, Texas
While moderate levels of pollution and lots of sunshine (it's sunny 80 percent of the year!) are a concern in San Antonio, the state of Texas still has one of the lowest rates of skin cancer in the country. Combine that with a lack of tanning facilities (3.4 for every 100,000 people) and an average year-round temperature of 70 degrees, and you've got one skin-friendly city. While high humidity might not be so good for the acne-prone, it's great for helping to plump dry, aging skin for a more youthful look.
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No. 8: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Sun and dryness are big drawbacks of Arizona when it comes to keeping your body young and skin soft, but this state still has one of the lowest rates of skin cancer in the U.S. The high-altitude, tree-heavy city of Flagstaff stays relatively cool in comparison to the rest of Arizona, plus it has low levels of pollution and a steady, moderately humid (for Arizona) climate -- all of which make for happy skin when combined with a moisturizing sunscreen.
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No. 7: Washington, D.C.
According to the Center for Disease Control, D.C. has one of the lowest rates of skin cancer in the country. (A very low number of tanning beds, 2.1 for every 100,000 people, definitely helps.) Despite living in a very urban (and therefore somewhat polluted) environment, D.C. residents only get sun half the year -- and they enjoy a healthy dose of humidity. Plus, they know how to soak up their antioxidants, drinking more wine per capita than any other state.
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No. 6: Honolulu, Hawaii
Okay, you might be wondering why the capital of Hawaii made the list. Yes, this tourist magnet has a lot of sunshine and tanning (albeit natural). However, the air is practically pollution-free, tanning salons are few and the weather is pretty much the same year-round. Plus, unlike dry, arid climates, the islands of Hawaii get quite a bit of moisture and rainfall. So really, all you need is a good sunscreen (find one here), and your body is ready for one youthful vacation!
Love your town or not, your environment might bear some responsibility for those wrinkles and spots on your face and body. Factors like sun damage, dryness, pollution and high stress levels can seriously affect the condition of your skin, making you look older than you are. Of course, you can always overcompensate by boosting sunscreen to 60+ for those long drives, chugging more water to beat the heat, and deep-breathing your way through (cough) traffic. Or you could just move to one of the U.S.'s ideal skin cities (which we picked based on humidity, sunshine, stress, pollution and skin cancer levels as well as factors like diet). See if your town is on the list, or if your body just might need a change of scenery to stay youthful.
