Smokers' Skin May Age Faster

Cigarette smoking is no longer a habit. Nowadays, it has become an addiction, and possibly one of the strongest ones that there is on this earth. In addition to predisposing the smoker to cardiovascular diseases (such as hypertension, stroke and coronary artery disease that cause heart attacks), it also causes another type of damage, much more significant for beauty-conscious people: skin damage. Yes, a smoker’s skin suffers much more damage than the skin of a non-smoker.

The More You Smoke, The Older Your Skin Gets

The most common skin damage reported as a result of cigarette smoking is premature skin aging. In fact, several types of studies – coupled with real life experiences – have proven that smokers’ skin tends to age faster. A study performed on 45 sets of identical twins revealed that when looking at pictures of twins in an attempt to find out which one of them is the smoker, the smoker-twin appeared older in more than half of the cases (57%, to be more specific). Smokers were seen as having more and deeper wrinkles compared to their non-smoking counterparts; and those wrinkles were much more pronounced in the upper eyelids and the jowls. Additionally, the study showed that the longer the subject had been smoking, the more wrinkles appeared, and in different other parts of the face (around the lips, under the eyes, etc.). This study was conducted by Case Western Reserve University and the University Hospitals of Cleveland; in collaboration with three qualified judges who were responsible for analyzing the photographs of the twins enrolled in the study.

The Smoker’s Facies

In case you were wondering why it was (or it is) so easy for the “experts” to differentiate a smoker from a non-smoker, the answer is, there is a “smoker’s facies”. A facies is a set of typical facial features that are common to a chosen group of people. And in the case of smokers, there are facial traits that we look at that indeed confirm what we already suspect.

Read More: Quit Smoking on Great American Smoke Out Day

A person’s skin tone could be the first clue that he/she is smoking. Smokers tend to have a pale or uneven skin tone, which is due to the fact that the skin is being deprived of oxygen. However, in younger people, this might not be as obvious because of all the hormonal changes that take place at puberty and that may correct the lack of oxygen supply to the skin. Nonetheless, as the person ages, the abnormal skin tone becomes more and more obvious. Not only do the skin color and tone change, but its elasticity also becomes affected, which contributes to the wrinkling of the skin in specific areas (forehead, under the eyes, crow’s feet eye wrinkles, cheeks, etc.). There is also the typical “smokers’ pucker”, which is – simply put – the wrinkled lines around the lips of chronic smokers. In smokers, you can also notice the formation of blotches of dark skin on the face (and the hands), called age spots. Though age spots can occur in anyone going through normal aging, they are generally seen much earlier in chronic smokers. Teeth falling and stained fingers are also commonly observed in smokers. 

The Scientific Explanation

Each of these physical observation has a clear and logical explanation provided by Science. Smoking affects multiple organs in our body, but the effects of cigarette smoking on skin is directly linked to its interaction with collagen. In a research done on the effects of cigarette smoking on the lung tissue, results showed that cigarette smoking induced the destruction of collagen fibers through a chronic inflammatory process. This could imply that cigarette smoking has similar effects on the collagen of the skin. Additionally, cigarette smoking inhibits the production of elastin and fibronectin (by fibroblasts), a protein responsible for the elasticity of connective tissue.

This would explain why smokers present with the typical facies that we generally observe: the sagging skin and wrinkles around the eyes are due to a loss of skin elasticity, the teeth falling and gum disease are due to a weakening of the gums and their blood vessels due to a loss of collagen’s tensile strength.

Can You Quit Smoking?

In addition to the extensive skin damage that it causes, smoking cigarettes directly puts you at risk of heart diseases, vascular diseases and cerebro-vascular accidents (strokes) that could negatively change your life forever.

Yes, you can quit smoking! It is difficult, certainly, but it is possible. Currently, statistics show that there are about 45 million smokers in the USA. More importantly, there are at least 48 million “former” smokers! So if 48 million people could stop, why can’t you? You might need to try more than once, you might fall short sometimes, but hey, perseverance is key. For this endeavor, it is highly advisable that you consult your Doctor to find out what strategy would work best for you. 4 – 7% of smokers manage to quit on their own, but we wouldn’t want you to face any disappointment at your first trial.

Read More: Tobacco Health Impact: A Day without Smoking

Dealing With The Skin Damage Caused By Smoking

Because smoking is directly linked to skin damage, the first best step to deal with that skin damage is to stop smoking. The wrinkles and age spots that you have would probably remain, but you could still try to make them look less obvious and more subtle. Former smokers have had a lot of success with topical retinoid and antioxidant creams rich in vitamins C and E. Additionally, as exposure to sun worsens the skin damage caused by smoking, it is recommended to wear some sunscreen before heading outdoors. You could also choose to undergo some procedures for faster and more radical results. Chemical peels and laser skin resurfacing are great options to remove the outer layers of the skin that already appear damaged, and stimulate the growth of new cells. And who knows, maybe a whole brand new, fresh and healthy-looking skin would motivate you to finally enroll in a nicotine detox and remain cigarette-free for the rest of your life!