Canberra ranks in the top ten worst Australian cities for your skin, while just across the border, Queanbeyan is in fourth spot as one of the ‘best for skin hotspots’, a recent study has found.
Air pollutants, UV exposure and smoking, there are countless factors external to your daily skincare routine that can influence your complexion.
In extreme cases, the influences of these elements can lead to diseases like skin cancer.
To determine which are the best and worst locales for a healthy complexion, a recent study took account of the levels of UV exposure and air pollutants (including smoking prevalence) in Australian cities.
Out of the 25 Australian cities that made the radiant skin leader board, the city that ranked the lowest and therefore the worst for skin was Adelaide. The SA capital scored 5.98 out of 10 (10 being the least damaging to skin), based on its high levels of air pollution containing harmful particles and notably high smoking prevalence at 13.5 per cent.
Canberra also made the top 10 ‘Worst for Skin’ hotspots, sliding in at number 10. We scored 6.87 out of 10 for levels of harmful air pollution, although our smoking prevalence was one of the lowest of Australian cities, at nine per cent.
Well done Canberrans for being the only Australian city to score under 10 per cent for tobacco smoking! Now, if only we could do something about our air pollution…
Meanwhile, our neighbours in Queanbeyan live in the #4 ‘Best for Skin’ hotspots, where the air is apparently cleaner the other side of the border.
The Australian city where skin is least impacted by the environment is Ballarat, situated in the Central Highlands of Victoria. Due to its elevation, the city has one of the lowest average temperatures in the country, as well as low annual sunshine hours. Ballarat also has a very low level of air pollution, scoring an overall 8.55 out of 10.
Unsurprisingly, Ballarat’s neighbour Warrnambool followed in second place. The two cities scored similarly, with Warrnambool sitting pretty at 8.3 out of 10. If I were to chase clear skin all the way to Victoria, I would certainly go for Warrnambool, which sacrificed a couple of points for sunny, warmer beaches.
Australia’s Top 10 ‘Worst for Skin’ Hotspots
| Rank | City, State/Territory | Skin Score (out of 10) |
| 1st | Adelaide, South Australia | 5.98 |
| 2nd | Wollongong, New South Wales | 6.00 |
| 3rd | Orange, New South Wales | 6.22 |
| 4th | Wodonga, Victoria | 6.33 |
| 5th | Gawler, South Australia | 6.33 |
| 6th | Bunbury, Western Australia | 6.35 |
| 7th | Coffs Harbour, New South Wales | 6.42 |
| 8th | Tweed Heads, New South Wales | 6.62 |
| 9th | Shepparton, Victoria | 6.63 |
| 10th | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | 6.87 |
Australia’s Top 10 ‘Best for Skin’ Hotspots
| Rank | City, State/Territory | Skin Score (out of 10) |
| 1st | Ballarat, Victoria | 8.55 |
| 2nd | Warrnambool, Victoria | 8.30 |
| 3rd | Hobart, Tasmania | 8.11 |
| 4th | Queanbeyan, New South Wales | 8.07 |
| 5th | Sunbury, Victoria | 7.94 |
| 6th | Nowra, New South Wales | 7.72 |
| 7th | Launceston, Tasmania | 7.67 |
| 8th | Geelong, Victoria | 7.48 |
| 9th | Maitland, New South Wales | 7.12 |
| 10th | Bendigo, Victoria | 7.09 |
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