The Effects Of Tobacco On Your Skin

With each cigarette, 4,000 chemicals and 400 toxins invade the lungs and attack the skin. Smoking tires the body, and the face, teeth and hair will appear to age more quickly. Not the best of news!

Tobacco, sun and pollution: a destructive and phototoxic trio responsible for the premature ageing of the skin. At a surface level, smoking creates free radicals, which oxidise supporting tissue fibres. On a deeper level, nicotine decreases oestrogen synthesis and destroys vitamin C, thereby reducing the production of support fibres (collagen and elastin). Smoking therefore alters the structure of the dermis, reducing its flexibility and tone. Crow's feet increase, becoming wider and deeper. Deep wrinkles appear on the nasolabial folds (smile lines), and vertically around the lips, due to repeated puffing on a cigarette. And that's not all: smoking also causes blood vessels to contract.

The result: the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the skin's tissues is reduced, resulting in a slow down of cellular metabolism. The face thins, loses plumpness and the cheekbones become more prominent.

To help counterbalance this, opt for an antioxidant-rich cream, which will help fight against the premature ageing of your skin. Look out active ingredients including hyaluronic acid, retinol and collagen.

Microparticles in smoke may clog the pores, causing blackheads and pimples to appear. If pimples or spots erupt, they risk becoming infected, as smoking both increases the risk of infection and disrupts the healing process. As a result, a smoker's skin can become dull, oily, dehydrated, fragile and uneven in tone. Reason enough for knocking this bad habit on the head.

To combat any blemishes, carefully cleanse your face each night to rid the skin of any tobacco residues and use a facial scrub twice a week. Finish off with an anti-blemish moisturiser.

Microparticles in smoke may clog the pores, causing blackheads and pimples to appear. If pimples or spots erupt, they risk becoming infected, as smoking both increases the risk of infection and disrupts the healing process. As a result, a smoker's skin can become dull, oily, dehydrated, fragile and uneven in tone. Reason enough for knocking this bad habit on the head.

To combat any blemishes, carefully cleanse your face each night to rid the skin of any tobacco residues and use a facial scrub twice a week. Finish off with an anti-blemish moisturiser.