Smoking can be very damaging for your health, from disorders in your respiratory to your nervous system, cancer or cardiovascular diseases.
However, it can also be very damaging to your skin.
The skin suffers the consequences of smoking, not only with serious diseases such as cancer, but also with those that affect it aesthetically, generating premature wrinkles, dry hair and dry skin. Tobacco injures the skin of the whole body but this is more evident on the face, because the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays are added. Smoking causes premature aging of the skin, which is more evident in women.
Written by Rocio Sierra.
Smoking affects cicatrization of the skin
Smoking also causes alterations in healing. Tobacco smoke decreases tissue oxygenation.
Nicotine causes a decrease in peripheral circulation. For its part, carbon monoxide from smoke competes with oxygen for hemoglobin, which decreases the amount of oxygen that reaches peripheral tissues. In addition, it increases the viscosity of the blood through an increase in platelet aggregation and the number of red blood cells.
Reduced vitamin A level
Tobacco causes vitamin A levels to decrease, which produces changes in the quantity and quality of collagen and elastin. It is observed that the wrinkles of smokers are narrower, deeper and with well-defined contours.
The relationship of tobacco with wrinkles is clearly manifested in subjects of both sexes over 30 years of age.
Tobacco also causes dehydration of the skin, which appears rough, brittle and inflexible. Added to this is the low oxygenation of the cells, which causes the skin to acquire a pallor close to grayish yellow.
Other problems
There are many skin diseases that can be developed or could get worse if the person smokes cigarettes. Among them are the following:
- Psoriasis
- Hidradenitis suppurativa
- Chronic hand eczema
- Alopecia or hair loss
- Tobacco also causes a yellow pigmentation to appear in the nails and fingers, as well as in the teeth, where bacterial plaque increases. The heat of the cigarette in the mouth produces a repeated microaggression that over time can lead to lip cancer. 80% of people with this type of cancer are smokers.
Genetic inheritance is not everything when it comes to assessing what our skin is like or will be like throughout life. In fact, according to many studies, genetics only influences 25% of the skin aging process.
The other three parts of responsibility remain on our part. They depend on how we take care of our skin in particular and our body in general.
Many experts state that tobacco is one of the most harmful vices for the skin. Different investigations verified that the combination between tobacco and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet rays are fundamental factors when diagnosing premature aging of the skin.
Quitting smoking shows in the skin in the medium and long term. We advise you to be prudent and be patient. If you have decided to quit smoking, in a matter of months you will notice healthier skin. Courage, every effort has its reward!
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