6 Ways Smoking Ruins Your Looks

by | May 17, 2017 | Blog, Hair

Looking for a reason to quit smoking? If you care about your looks, look no further! It’s no secret that smoking cigarettes harms your most important organs, including your heart, lungs, and brain. If this is not enough reason to quit, here’s another reason– smoking ruins your looks.

From premature wrinkles to thinner hair, smoking can make it hard for you to feel your best. Here are six ways that smoking cigarettes harms your appearance.

 

  1. Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

smoking

You know you aren’t getting enough rest when you find dark circles under your eyes. But did you know that your pack of cigarette could be the cause? According to a study by Johns Hopkins, smokers are four times more likely than nonsmokers to report feeling unrested after a full night of sleep. This means smokers are more likely to find dark circles under their eyes.

 

2. Dull Skin Tone

The nicotine in cigarettes constrict your blood vessels, which carry oxygen and essential nutrients to your skin. Your skin is deprived of oxygen and nutrients when these blood vessels are made narrower. The result is dull and uneven skin complexion. To restore your natural glow, quit smoking!

 

3. Premature Wrinkles

acne

According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoke contains over 7000 chemicals. Many of these chemicals damage collagen and elastin, the fibers that give your skin its elasticity.  With this loss of elasticity, your skin is prone to premature aging and wrinkles.

 

4. Thinner Hair

smoking

In addition to damaging your skin, smoking also damages your hair. Chemicals found in cigarettes, including ammonia and carbon monoxide, harm your hair follicles and cause premature hair thinning.  In fact, according to a 2007 study in Taiwan, men who smoke are twice as likely to go bald as nonsmoking men.

 

5. Yellow Fingers

Your teeth aren’t the only things turning yellow with each puff you take. Smoking is also known to stain your fingers and nails as well. The nicotine and tar found in cigarettes stain your fingers and nails as you hold the cigarette.

 

6. Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes an outbreak of red, scaly patches on your skin. While both smokers and nonsmokers can develop psoriasis, a study in The American Journal of Epidemiology shows that smokers have nearly double the risk of developing psoriasis as nonsmokers. Save yourself a scaly rash!

 

Still not convinced that smoking ruins your looks? The nicotine and tar in cigarettes are also notorious for making your teeth yellow. And if yellow teeth aren’t bad enough, smoking also increases your chances of tooth loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smokers are twice as likely to develop gum disease than nonsmokers. Since gum disease may result in tooth loss, smokers face a greater risk of tooth loss than nonsmokers.

If you’re a nonsmoker that has these symptoms, ask a dermatologist!

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