Wondering just how bad smoking is for your skin? Well, here’s a tell-all guide you won’t be able to ignore

Who doesn’t want radiant looking skin? And there is no harm in admitting that we all run from pillar to post to buy exclusive skincare products for that envious glow. 

From going herbal to trying out kitchen hacks–it’s safe to say that many of us have tried everything in the name of healthy skin. 

But all these efforts go in vain when you suck up to that puffy stick, aka cigarette. It eventually negatives all the hard work you put in to ensure that your skin blossoms like a flower.

In fact, your skin shows tell-tale signs of your smoking habits
Nope, we ain’t kidding! That lipstick might hide the pigmentation on your pout, but dry skin and wrinkles have a smoky tale to tell. Not to mention that smoking can make you look much older than you actually are. 

Still, if we don’t sound convincing enough then hear it from the experts  
A research article published in the journal DremNet by Dr Susan Simpkin, medical registrar, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand suggests that tobacco smoke causes oxidative stress. This causes insufficient oxygen to be supplied to your skin, which results in tissue ischemia and blood vessel occlusion.

Still skeptical? Well, then it’s time to scroll down. 

This is how just one cigarette a day can dry your fountain of youth away….

It sucks up oxygen from your blood
Inhaling smoke kick-starts an abnormal process inside your body which deteriorate fibres like collagen and elastin that give elasticity to your skin. The result? Visible wrinkles and dry skin.

Cigarettes blow away the glow
Smokers tend to have pale skin, and well, there is no doubt that tobacco is to be blamed for this. Sure, you might think that a puff of nicotine helps keep the stress away, but it is actually not doing anything of that sort. What it is actually doing is killing the production of your red blood cells (RBCs) and giving you pale skin.

It discolours your lips
If you smoke frequently then the constant contact with heat will take the pink away from your lips. Your lips have a very soft and thin layer of skin and constant heat can burn it, resulting in discolouration and dryness. And trust us ladies, no lip balm will repair them back.    

Attracting skin diseases
Since smoking chips away at your skin, it also makes you prone to skin diseases, like psoriasis.

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Now that you know just what smoking can do to your skin, it’s time to quit. And yes, we mean right now! 

Sources: 

1. Smoking and its effects on the skin issued in 2010 by DremNet: https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/smoking-and-its-effects-on-the-skin/
2. Tobacco smoke causes premature skin aging issued in 2007 by NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17951030