The impact of smoking on our health is very well known, but
cigarettes also have a major impact on how we look. Smoking can add around 10
years to your overall appearance, whilst taking 10 years off of your lifespan.
Glasgow Facial Aesthetics expert, Dr Kieren Bong, said the
best way for you to fight premature ageing from smoking is to quit as soon as
you possibly can. This will give your health a chance to improve the quality of
your skin which can be rejuvenated.
The sooner we quit smoking or switch to e cigarettes, the better it will be for our health, as we can limit skin
damage just a month after quitting.
Your Skin
Smoking affects the appearance of your skin, making you look
older. Dr. Bong explained that even though skin ages prematurely as a result of
chronic smoking, it can be hard to notice in the beginning. However, the more
cigarettes you smoke over a long period of time, the more impact there will be
on your skin.
Cigarette smoke is known to contain carbon monoxide, which
can displace valuable oxygen in your skin. Nicotine also reduces blood
flow in your body, which can leave skin discoloured and dry. Cigarette smoking
can cut out valuable nutrients, including Vitamin C, which is known for helping
to protect skin and repair damage.
Wrinkles
Smoking can speed up the process of wrinkling, sagging skin.
Dr. Bong says that the signs of any chronic smoker will include wrinkles and
fine lines on the face, especially noticeable around the corners of the eyes
and the upper lip.
Nicotine is known for narrowing blood vessels, cutting back
blood flow to your skin. When you take in cigarette smoke, you are inhaling
carbon monoxide. Blood can absorb this highly toxic gas at a rate of 200 times
faster than oxygen. Carbon monoxide can effectively displace oxygen whenever it
is coupled with your narrowed blood vessels and the skin ends up starved for
nutrients, including Vitamin A, and oxygen.
Without enough oxygen, the skin cells are not able to
function normally. This leads to more wrinkled, sagging skin. The chemicals
found in tobacco smoke can damage the elastin and collagen in the skin, thus
reducing elasticity along with luminosity and vitality.
Paired with sun exposure, chronic smoking will be a major
factor for premature ageing. There will be repeated exposure to the heat from
your burning cigarette, along with the repetitive muscular action that occurs
with smoking, including the sucking in of your cheeks, squinting of your eyes
and pursing of the lips. All of this will lead to wrinkling around your mouth
and eyes.
Under-Eye Bags
Did you know that smokers will have a higher chance of
dealing with sleeping issues? This can lead to bags under your eyes. Nicotine
withdrawal at night can cause a smoker to toss and turn, suffering from poor
sleep quality that will then leave them feeling and looking very tired.
Discoloured Teeth
The nicotine that is found in cigarettes can and will stain
your teeth yellow, which can be another major player in making you look older.
Stained Fingers
Cigarette smoke contains nicotine, which will stain both
your fingers and your fingernails
Thinning Hair
The toxic chemicals that are found in cigarette smoke can
damage the DNA in your hair follicles, leading to thinner hair.
This is a collaborative post.
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