Apart from the health risks smoking poses, smoking also harms the skin. Smoking can cause damage to the skin cells and make the skin look dull. It can lend an old look to your face with the premature aging of skin. The wrinkle and fine lines can spoil your looks. Here, we have put together 5 ways smoking harms your skin.
1. Unhealthy skin tone
It is a commonly observed fact that smokers have an unhealthy skin. Due to smoking, the skin tissues get seriously deprived of essential nutrients and oxygen, thereby making one look pale. The person will also experience skin discolorations and will have an uneven skin tone. People exposed to tobacco smoke will face skin pigmentation problems and there will be formation of small dark spots, commonly known as age spots, on the skin surface.
The action of tobacco smoke can even lead to the development of a more serious skin condition termed as psoriasis. This condition is characterized by the formation of thick and scaly skin in the regions of the legs, hands, scalp, knees and elbows. Once affected, then one should undergo extensive medical treatment to cure this condition.
2. Premature aging
Apart from destroying your skin tone, smoking also leads to the condition of premature aging. It is seen that smoking leads to the formation of lines and wrinkles on the face, which is considered to be a definite sign of aging. The 4000 and more chemicals which are present in tobacco smoke will destroy the properties of the collagen and elastin fibers which are present in the skin. These fibers are responsible for keeping the skin tight and giving it its elastic properties and so, when they are loosened and destroyed, the skin will automatically begin to sag.
Not only the face, but even the arms and breasts will also become saggy due to weakening of the skin fibers. The lines and wrinkles will also be prominently visible in the region surrounding the lips and this can be attributed to the extensive use of lip muscles by the smoker.
3. Dull and unappealing eyes
Not only your skin, but your eyes will also be affected by the action of tobacco smoke, giving them a red and irritated look. Due to the exposure to the heat that emanates from the cigarettes, active smokers are seen to develop the condition of crow’s feet around their eye, at a much earlier stage than their non smoking counterparts. Frequent squinting of eyes, which is done in order to keep the tobacco smoke out of the eyes, also aggravates the condition.
The action of tobacco smoke can also cause the tearing of the film that protect the eyes. Because of this, there will a high chance of the person to contact the condition of dry eye. Due to the absence of the protective film, the smoker will also experience an aggravated condition of eye allergies.
4. Decrease in dental health
The continuous use of cigarettes will affect your dental health in an adverse manner. Yellowing of the teeth is a very common and unsightly side effect of smoking that is commonly observed. Also, smokers will have to face the embarrassing condition of having bad breath. Apart from these, smoking can also cause other dental troubles like gum problems and formation of loose teeth.
5. Formation of tobacco stains
Usually, one could observe tobacco stains on hands of an active smoker. This condition is brought about by the prolonged use of cigarettes and can be seen on the skin and the fingernails of the hand, where the cigarette is held. This is an unsightly condition and it projects the feel of improper hygiene. But the good news is that this is a reversible condition and the stains will disappear once the exposure to tobacco is brought to an end.