Smokers tend to have a little loose skin, the first wrinkles appear prematurely. Indeed, smoking causes premature and accelerated aging of the skin. For what ? Tars, nicotine, mercury, lead, arsenic are substances found in a cigarette. By smoking, we impose these substances on the cells of our skin, the latter are then less well oxygenated, which leads to the production of collagen and elastin of lower quality. Since collagen and elastin are responsible for the suppleness of the skin , deep wrinkles appear, fine lines mark around the lips and the corner of the eyes.
Tobacco indeed causes aging of the skin and oxidation of the cells, we speak of oxidative stress . Under the effect of nicotine, free radicals are produced in large quantities, these alter the quality of the epidermis and promote the appearance of wrinkles. Our defense system is made up of antioxidant micronutrients … but these are quickly destroyed by smoking. Dermis support proteins and elastic fibers lose their support, blood circulation and tissue oxygenation are disturbed.
Irreversible phenomenon? Not entirely ! It's hard to reverse the course of time, and wrinkles won't magically fade away. However, quitting smoking interrupts the accelerated aging process: the formation of new wrinkles is slowed down.
Dull , gray skin tone is perhaps one of the most well-known and visible symptoms of smoking. The epidermis can sometimes turn yellow and become covered with brown spots . The body is deprived of a part of oxygen, the blood vessels, which bring oxygen to the cells, see their diameter shrink, which can lead to the appearance of rosacea on the face. Vasoconstriction , the narrowing of the caliber of blood vessels, directly affects the body: since the transport of oxygen to the skin is disturbed, the cells of the epidermis take on a grayish tint . The eye contour, a particularly fragile area, can also seem tired. Brown circles may appear around the eyes.
The lack of oxygen caused by smoking clogs the pores of the skin . This lack leads to the appearance of blackheads , which makes the complexion even duller. However, when you stop smoking, the skin can regain its luminosity! The skin cells are properly oxygenated again and the skin breathes! Cells are regenerated, pores are freed, blackheads gradually disappear and the complexion becomes brighter. It is possible that the body needs a transitional phase which is expressed by different symptoms on the skin: blackheads can turn into acne pimples, often red. When the body has evacuated all the accumulated toxins and the blood is purified, the cells breathe again and the complexion too!
More wrinkled facial skin, gray complexion, blackheads, ... smoking marks the skin. Exposed to cigarette smoke and its harmful components, the body suffers: accelerated skin aging caused by smoking can resemble skin problems caused by excessive sun exposure. Substances in smoke disrupt proteins responsible for regulating the regeneration of skin cells . A single puff of cigarette smoke releases hundreds of thousands of free radicals. These attack the cells of the skin leading to the appearance of imperfections on the face, wrinkles, dark circles, gray complexion, thickening of the skin… Smoking also aggravates skin problems such as rosacea or psoriasis.
Nicotine also acts on the beauty of the skin, it is a source of imperfections . By irritating the wall of the sebaceous glands, cysts are likely to appear on the skin. The National Union of Dermatologists - Venerologists highlights scientific studies that point to the differences between men and women on this point. Far from being equal when it comes to this problem, women's skin seems more sensitive to the toxicity of tobacco. Women smokers would be more prone to the appearance of cysts on the skin. By quitting smoking, these cysts could disappear in 70% of cases.
More generally, quitting smoking does the body a lot of good. In addition to allowing the skin to breathe and the cells of the epidermis to regenerate, the lungs relive a second youth, the risk of diseases, cancers and heart problems are reduced. The body gains energy and life expectancy increases.
If the face, complexion, skin, hair and teeth are visibly healthier when quitting smoking, quitting smoking has a quickly visible positive effect on the lungs . It becomes easier to breathe after three days of stopping and, after 30 days of stopping, the bronchial eyelashes grow back. The heart, an organ that suffers greatly from smoking, sees the risk of heart problems drop. Women who want to get pregnant improve their fertility by quitting smoking.
The organism and the skin are not insensitive to stress. The benefits of quitting smoking are also psychologically positive. Concentration is heightened. Freed from an addiction, the mind is better able to focus on other things. St
