If it's true that beauty is only skin deep, then those of us calling Tacoma home are starting out with a bit of a disadvantage.

At least if you believe the folks at totalbeauty.com, who rank Tacoma as No. 12 on their list of "The 13 Worst-Skin Cities."

Here's what the Web site has to say:

"Not a fan of stress breakouts? (Stress raises your level of cortisol, which can affect oil glands and acne.) You may want to avoid Tacoma like the plague, because – along with 21 tanning salons per capita and a high incidence of skin cancer according to the Center for Disease Control – it is the most stressed-out city in our country."

Of course, just below that less than glowing review is a link that says "Tacomans may find some relief from these top-rated acne-fighting products."

So, perhaps the dubious distinction is simply a clever marketing tool to hawk skin products.

If you're curious about what city was ranked No. 1 for worst skin, it's Bakersfield, Calif.