Londoners famously debate and rank the various lines of the London Underground for various weird and whacky reasons – from house prices to commutability, from the places they serve to the types of trains they have in service.
A new take on that is on the impact they have on your skin thanks to new research published this week.
The UK’s oldest spa-booking service, SpaSeekers, has collated data around eight metrics which impact people’s skin – such as PM2.5 (particulate matter, a measure of air quality and pollution), ambient temperatures and bacteria found.
It found that the Northern line was the most harmful, given the combination of data, with the Hammersmith and City line being the least harmful thanks to air-conditioning on all its trains and a lower ridership meaning less bacteria being left behind.
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The worst line, the Northern line, is almost entirely in tunnels leading to poorer air quality which can expose skin to particulate matter
Each of the 11 lines was given a score out of a maximum of 88. The line with the highest score was the least harmful for passengers’ skin. The Hammersmith and City scored an impressive 62, almost double that of the Northern’s pitiful 32.
The findings also suggested that the Victoria line was the worst for bacteria harmful to skin being left behind (unsurprising given its high passenger numbers) and that the Piccadilly, not the Central as many would expect, had the highest ambient temperatures.
Pollution levels on the Northern line, which came out worst, are six times higher than what is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which can lead to skin being dehydrated. Over a long period of exposure, this can aggravate skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Things can get hot on the Tube very quickly which means skin can dry out quickly
High humidity levels and warm temperatures also mean more of us sweat which can irritate our skin. In last month’s heatwave, My London recorded temperatures as high as 37C on the Central line, with other lines close behind. The Metropolitan line, which comes out well in this report, also came out well in our temperature findings as the trains are air-conditioned.
One of the metrics, the length of the line, may not be the best indicator as very few passengers ride the full end to end journeys of each line. Average journey times are relatively similar on each London Underground line.
The research used averages across the lines for an overall PM2.5 for each underground, whilst also using an average of surrounding stations for Waterloo pollution
(Image: SpaSeekers)
1. Double cleanse – When you get home from work, take off your makeup using an oil based cleanser or balm followed by a water based cleanser to deep clean the skin and thoroughly remove any build up and pollution.
2. Wash your hands – Ensure that before you touch your face after your commute you give your hands a wash using antibacterial soap.
3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! – Keep yourself topped up with H20 to reverse any dehydration effects coming from your commute.
The full report can be read here.
Has the Tube ever aggravated a skin complaint for you? Do you agree with these findings? Let us know in the comments below!
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