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Why L.A. Is One of the Worst Cities For Your Skin
Photo by YanLev via Shutterstock
Angelenos, wear your sunscreen. A recent ranking puts L.A. as the 5th worst U.S. city for your skin.
The Daily Glow took a look at data such as "dermatologists per capita, skin-cancer rates, climate statistics, healthy-lifestyle indicators, and more" to come up with their 10 worst cities list. (Psst, three of the top five worst are in California; Fresno ranked third and Sacramento fourth.)
So why is Los Angeles so cruel to our complexions? From The Daily Glow:
The second most populous city in the US is on the worst list because it has the highest number of high-ozone days in the nation — 92.3 days, to be exact. (That’s more than 25 percent of the year.) Because the city is surrounded by a ring of mountains, the basin traps the pollutants that spill out of the unending traffic of the freeway. Furthermore, the city has a very low number of dermatologists per capita at 2.13 dermatologists per 100,000 people, which means the wait may be longer than usual to see one.
It's not all bad news, though--at least if you have at the very least some sunscreen, and ideally health insurance and/or disposable income:
The good thing about LA, however, is that it has a high number of skin-care specialists who can help guide you in taking care of your skin, even if it means you visit a specialist while you wait for your dermatologist appointment. For such a sunny city, too, it has a low number of melanoma rates and skin-cancer death rates. Dr. Wu recommends that Angelenos check the UV index before they head outside, and be extra-vigilant about reapplying sunscreen on these high-UV-index days.
Sick of what L.A. is doing to your skin? The Best Cities for Your Skin are:
1. Portland, Ore.
2. San Francisco
3. Seattle
4. Baltimore
5. Chicago
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Just don't head to Vegas...they ranked #1 for the worst for your skin.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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