If you have decided to take up smoking to appear glamorous or older, you may want to rethink that position. The negative effects of smoking on your skin will make you look older, especially if you smoke for a long period of time. In a few years, you will likely look older than your non-smoking peers, and the effects will continue to age and create skin problems.
Smokers who have smoked for more than ten years may notice what is called smoker's face. In the smoker's face, a condition first described in 1985, several features are common. The skin may take on a red, gray, or yellowish hue. Wrinkles around the eyes and mouth become prominent, and the skin may be dry or flaky. Dry or cracked lips are another effect of smoking on the skin.
In addition to the obvious reasons not to smoke (lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease), there are a few reasons why smoking is risky from an appearance standpoint. First, smoking reduces the production of collagen, an extremely valuable chemical produced by the body that helps skin look youthful. As the supply of collagen decreases, wrinkles form and the skin loses its elasticity.
The effects of smoking on the skin are remarkable because smoking decreases the amount of oxygen supplied to the skin. Oxygen is one of the most useful molecules for promoting skin healing. When less oxygen is supplied to the skin, the skin is more likely to be damaged, scar easily, and more vulnerable to other aging factors such as sun damage.
Another effect of smoking is the depletion of vitamins A and C. Vitamin A is vital for skin repair. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and also helps us better absorb iron. Many smokers show signs of anemia which is often manifested by dry, scaly or cracked lips. Smoking can also dehydrate the body, depriving the skin of necessary moisture.
Smoking can affect the layers of the skin, essentially leading to thinner skin. This can greatly increase the risk of developing skin cancers, most commonly squamous cell carcinoma. Although this form of skin cancer does not usually spread to other parts of the body, it can create deep scars when the cancers are removed, as they often burrow deep into the layers of the skin, requiring the removal of several lower layers of the skin.
If you think you can get rid of the effects of smoking on your skin through plastic surgery, you may be out of luck in this regard. Many plastic surgeons will not perform elective plastic surgery procedures on smokers, as decreased oxygen supply to the skin can mean more scarring, longer healing time, and a higher incidence of infection. If you continue to smoke, you may not be able to repair the effects, and if you have surgery while continuing to smoke, your satisfaction with the results may decrease. Also, for any surgery, the healing time is usually doubled if you are a smoker.
Considering the negative effects of smoking on your skin, you may want to consider, before you light up that cigarette, how glamorous you'll look in ten or twenty years. Although the effect on appearance is secondary to the life-threatening aspects of smoking, there is no doubt that smoking will change your appearance in ways that will not be considered attractive or appreciated. Picking up that smoke today to look older can make you look older for life.