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.
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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.
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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 (26 per capita). Summers are hot and humid, and almost a quarter of Ohio residents smoke. Might be time to pack your bags.
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No. 6: Charleston, West Virginia
West Virginia's capital city is also the country's unofficial capital for tanning salons. With a staggering 34 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.
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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.
Before blowing your next paycheck at the derm'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?
