Capitals of Skin Cancer

Don't let it rob you of your life

The men who spend their days in mice costumes may hate Anaheim weather, but most others love it. The average temperature is 70 degrees, and 70 percent of the days are bright and sunny in the O.C.'s second-largest city.

While the tourists hit the amusement parks, locals prefer to spend their time outdoors playing sports, biking, running, and simply enjoying the sun.

"This is a pretty active area," says Chris Bondus, a manager at Anaheim Hills Bike Shop. "There's a big cycling scene out here."

His shop helps sports enthusiasts stay safe in the sun by selling Xterra Triathlon Sunblock, a waterproof and sweatproof sunscreen that lasts 8 hours. Some of the equipment in stock also has built-in protection.

"Most of the helmets we carry all have a visor built into them to keep the sun off of your face," Bondus says. "And we recommend using sunglasses if you're going to be out—both to protect from dust and things flying up in your face, and from UVA and UVB rays."

Over at RockCity Climbing Center and Orange County Ropes Course, the instructors don't just talk about skin cancer prevention, they lead by example.

"We're constantly outside, so a lot of the course instructors wear white shirts with long sleeves that are made out of very breathable material," says owner Shawn Crawford. They also reapply sunscreen every 2 to 3 hours since the sun tends to beat down on rock climbing locations.

But the Eskimos are Safe

Credit Anchorage's weather for helping it earn the title as least dangerous city. Although the sun may shine 20 hours a day in June, you likely won't see it—out of the 100 cities, Anchorage has the fewest sunny days year-round.

And while summer temperatures max out at around 70 degrees, winter lows average a chilly 20 degrees, so most people live by the rule of dressing in layers when they dare to venture outdoors.

"If you want to get skin cancer, it helps if you start by wearing something smaller than a parka and snow pants," says Mr. Whitekeys, author of Alaska Bizarre.

"There's an old joke in Alaska," he adds. "You know you're a real Alaskan if you go to Hawaii, see a girl in a bikini, and think, 'Gee, I wonder what she'd look like in a snowmobile suit?'"

How We Reached Our Rankings

Melanoma—the most lethal form of skin cancer—is a murdering bastard. To see where it's stalking the streets, we first went to the National Climatic Data Center for the average annual number of sunny days in 100 cities. (Extended sun exposure sets the stage for skin cancer). Next, we checked the melanoma rates among men from the National Cancer Institute. And finally we looked at the disease's death toll from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One thing is clear: It's time men in Anaheim made a citizen's arrest.

A Fatal Wait

You found a suspicious mole; now good luck finding a qualified doctor. Last year, researchers at the University of California at San Francisco discovered that even patients with suspicious moles have to wait an average of 38 days to see a dermatologist. That's too long for potentially deadly melanoma, says study author Jack Resneck, M.D., who blames the delay on too-restrictive Medicare funding for residencies. "Skin-cancer rates are rising, and we're still training just 350 new dermatologists a year." Go to and tell your rep you want a bump in funding. And if you spot trouble, don't delay; see your GP or hit the E.R.

Examine Each Other

Melanoma feeds on modesty—if you don't strip for a yearly skin screening, the cancer can spread undetected. Made an appointment? Now make one with your honey. A Northwestern University study shows that when people learn how to do skin self-exams with a partner, they're more likely to check themselves (and each other) in the future.

How Our Formula Works

For the overall ranking, a lower ranking is better. That is, a city ranked No. 17 has a lower risk of skin cancer than one ranked No. 89.

For the individual criteria, however, a higher ranking is better. So a city ranked No. 92 for cancer rate has a lower incidence rate of melanoma than a city ranked No. 3. You can see the top 10 cities in each category by clicking on the tabs on the Metrogrades map.

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