Still smoking? Here’s 7 ways it’s seriously destroying your skin

I came by the effects of smoking on skin vicariously: Through a gaggle of friends who were committed to their cigarettes, as if their lives depended on it.

And it showed up on their faces: Dark circles, sagging faces, sensitive complexion, premature fine lines, all down to smoking. 

And yes, “smokers face” and “smokers skin” are very real things.

No, that’s not my personal opinion — our dermatologist said it often and repeatedly. As have several scientific studies and research papers.

By now, we all know that smoking is horrible for your health — deadly, in fact. 

But if that isn’t enough to convince you, then how about the fact that smoking is making you ugly? Don’t believe me? Take a look here.

Or forward it to that friend who just can’t seem to quit. Friends don’t let friends smoke, or destroy their skin!

1. How Smoking Ages Your Skin—Faster Than You Think

Think cigarette smoking is your ticket to looking cool? It’s more like a one-way trip to “aged before your time.” Each inhale exposes you to 4,000 chemicals ready to hurt your skin. 

Here’s a dose of beauty intel from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology: Studies have found that smokers are more likely to have wrinkles and fine lines around their eyes and mouth than non-smokers. 

And a stark fact: According to The World Health Organization (WHO), 20 years of smoking ages your skin an additional 20 years. Smokers show three times more wrinkles and deeper lines and have 40% thinner skin. Still believe it’s fashionable? Your skin strongly disagrees.

Carbon monoxide? It reduces the flow of oxygen to your skin cells. When your skin doesn’t get the oxygen it needs, it looks dry and tired.

Nicotine? It’s a vasoconstrictor. This means it narrows the blood vessels, especially those on the outermost layers of the skin. This limited blood flow means fewer nutrients reach the skin, leading to a lack of glow and vibrancy.

But wait, there’s more. Smoking depletes Vitamin C — a vital antioxidant that helps in repairing skin damage and protecting against harmful UV rays. Without it, skin can’t effectively repair or protect against damage, resulting in accelerated aging.

Cigarette smoke also damages collagen and elastin, proteins responsible for skin’s firmness and elasticity. Free radicals in the smoke cause oxidative stress, making skin more prone to premature wrinkles.

2. Why Smokers Look Grey & Hollow

Smoking doesn’t only damage your lungs; it also dulls your skin. Ever come across the term “smoker’s face”? It’s not a mere myth but a fact recognized by specialists.

Doctors in the 1980s introduced “smoker’s face” to describe patients who’d smoked for over ten years. Their skin typically has a grey or yellow hue, looks hollow, and is marked with deep wrinkles.

Why does this occur?

Smoking constricts your skin’s essential blood vessels, depriving it of vital oxygen and nutrients. This results in a lackluster complexion prone to acne, psoriasis, and other skin conditions.

Moreover, smoking lowers vitamin A in the body, which is vital for shielding skin from environmental harm and maintaining its health.

As for sun exposure? Smoking makes your skin even more vulnerable. The smoke itself can also give the skin a gray, dull appearance. Need further convincing?

3. Tired Eyes & Sagging Lids: The Eyes Tell the Tale

Ever noticed the tired look smokers often have? It’s not from binge-watching Netflix but the harmful effects of nicotine withdrawal affecting their sleep.

Add to that a cocktail of toxins from cigarettes, which play dirty — thinning the skin and mutinying against collagen. First, there’s capillary damage: The delicate skin under the eyes is home to numerous tiny blood vessels (or capillaries). These toxins can cause these capillaries to rupture or leak, leading to dark circles and crow’s feet.

Furthermore, smoking accelerates aging and diminishes collagen production. As skin loses collagen and ages, it becomes thinner, especially under the eyes. This thinning makes blood vessels more prominent, adding to the dark appearance.

Here’s more: smokers often have saggy eyelids, resulting from a decline in collagen and elastin, which are crucial for skin elasticity.

Plus, every puff means the skin around the eyes is exposed to the upward drift of heat and smoke from a burning cigarette. This constant exposure to heat and smoke affects the skin around the eyes, speeding up the wrinkling and drooping process.

4. From Pout to Drought: The Tale of Smoker’s Lips

Ever seen the distinct lines around a smoker’s mouth? Known as smoker’s lips, those aren’t just signs of aging; they’re the marks left by regular smoking. Drawing on a cigarette requires frequent puckering, and the harmful chemicals in smoke promote the formation of fine lines around the lips.

Smoking doesn’t just cause lines; it also affects lip color. Nicotine reduces blood flow, leading to paler or even bluish lips. Additionally, the heat and toxins from smoking can increase melanin production, darkening the lips over time.

Smoking also dries out the lips: Each puff strips away natural moisture, resulting in dry and flaky lips, a common complaint among smokers.

5. Scars & Slow Healing: Smoking’s Hidden Havoc

Smoking and skin injuries, like scrapes or acne, don’t mix well.

Smoking hampers skin repair and weakens your immune response. Nicotine causes blood vessels to contract, depriving wounds of essential nutrients, leading to delayed wound healing, increased infection risk, and more prominent scars.

Moreover, carbon monoxide from smoking binds to hemoglobin, reducing oxygen supply to the wound. A lack of oxygen slows cell growth. Coupled with a weakened immune system, this significantly hinders quick healing.

6. Pimple Problems: How Smoking Worsens Acne

Believe smoking helps with pimples? According to several studies, it might actually worsen them.

Carbon monoxide from smoking doesn’t just affect wound healing. By lowering oxygen in the blood, it can stress and inflame skin cells, leading to more breakouts.

And if regular acne wasn’t bad enough, meet its sinister cousin: “smoker’s acne.” Smokers get an exclusive invite to a world of blackheads and whiteheads — those stubborn pores jam-packed with gunk.

Cigarette toxins can stick to the skin, combine with natural oils, and block pores. Blocked pores are a breeding ground for bacteria and, consequently, an increased risk of acne!

7. Dark Spots & Sun Damage: A Deadly Duo

Most of us are well aware of the health hazards linked to smoking — from lung cancer to heart disease. But the impact of smoking doesn’t end there. It leaves a mark, quite literally, on your skin.

Smoking constricts blood vessels, reducing the skin’s ability to heal, leading to dark spots called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, particularly after injuries or breakouts.

Furthermore, each cigarette leads to the production of free radicals that damage the skin’s vibrancy. Over time, this results in premature aging signs like age spots, sun spots, and uneven skin tone.

Reverse the Damage: Your Skin’s Glow-Up Plan

But here’s the silver lining: your body’s a rockstar at healing! Kick the butt, and watch your skin start its glow-up. With better blood flow, soaring oxygen levels, and supercharged nutrient delivery, you’re on the path to rejuvenation.

Add a killer skincare routine — packed with hydration and replenishing vitamins — and you’ll be rolling back the years that smoking tried to steal. Ready to look and feel fabulous? Let’s dive into how you can start reversing the effects of smoking on skin today.

Kick the Habit

There’s no way around it. The single most impactful step you can take for your skin and overall health is to quit smoking. It’s never too late to stop, and the benefits begin almost immediately. 

Within hours, your skin starts receiving more oxygen. Commit to this life-altering decision and watch your skin begin its journey to rejuvenation.

Dive into a Deep Clean

Time to flush out those toxins! Regular exfoliation can work wonders in sloughing away the outer layer of dead skin cells, revealing the fresher, brighter skin underneath. 

Choose a gentle exfoliating scrub and make it a part of your weekly routine. This not only helps in improving the texture of your skin but also stimulates blood circulation, giving you that coveted glow.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Smoking dehydrates the skin. Counteract this by drinking plenty of water and investing in a good moisturizer. 

Remember, hydration is a two-fold process; what you put inside your body is just as important as what you apply externally. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily and apply moisturizer religiously. Your skin will thank you.

Load Up on Antioxidants

Free radicals from tobacco smoke wreak havoc on the skin. Neutralize these effects of smoking on skin with the power of antioxidants! Incorporate foods rich in vitamins C, E, and A into your diet. 

Think oranges, berries, nuts, and spinach. Moreover, consider applying a topical antioxidant serum to provide an extra line of defense against skin damage.

Seek Professional Help

If you’re looking for faster, more dramatic results, consider consulting a dermatologist. They might recommend treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or laser therapy to improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Do you smoke? Do you know anybody who smokes? Will you be doing some careful thinking after learning the effects of smoking on skin?