Smoking and its Physical Effects on Your Looks

Not to sound like a preaching grandmother, but smoking really is bad. And kinda lame, don’t you think? Interestingly, according to a study, the top reason why women stop smoking is not for health reasons, but rather because they wanted to keep their looks. This gave me a great idea for a post – hopefully the vanity in people (hey, whatever helps right?) can help them quit.

Did you know? In 1985, the term “smoker’s face” was added to the medical dictionary, meaning that there is a definite difference visually in a smokers face compared to a non-smoker.

Looking old – everyone’s worse fear. (Or is it just me?) Unfortunately, a smoker has way more things than a few wrinkles or lines to worry about. Here’s some of them, (brace yourself).

Your Skin Texture

Smoking reduces the production of collagen and elastin up to 40%, some reports state. This means skin starts to thin out, which leads to premature sagging, wrinkles, and fine lines. Deep lines and wrinkles usually form around the eyes and the mouth area, thanks to the constant squinting from smoke irritation, and puckering of the lips when inhaling a cigarette. According to some studies by SkincarePhysicians.com, smokers develop premature signs of aging much sooner than a non-smoker, even as young as 20 years old. “Facial wrinkling, while not yet visible, can be seen under a microscope.” Overall, because of it’s thousands of toxins going directly into your body from a single cigarette, your overall complexion can have a yellow, sullen, leathery texture – so attractive!

Aged Eye Area

Because smoking damages the cells around the eyes, you can not only expect wrinkles and lines, but also sucken eyes with dark eye circles. This is especially common with chain smokers.

Wrinkled, Shriveled Lips

Again, because smoking zaps all the collagen and elastin from your skin, your lips suffer too. Lips can become wrinkled and look shriveled. The skin around the mouth, again, will eventually lead to deep, dark lines and wrinkles because of the constant puckering of your lips.

Stained Teeth

Smoking stains the teeth. Smokers are also more likely to loose teeth, have plaque buildup, and lose part of the jawbone that helps keep their teeth in place – scary!

Lifeless Hair

Smokers are up to four times more likely to have these problems with their hair, thanks to the chemicals in cigarettes. They starve your hair of oxygen and make it dull, lifeless and brittle, and in the long run contributes to hair loss, premature graying, and balding.

Appearance of an Aged Body

Your fingers will eventually get stained by a beautiful yellow tinge, and recent studies from the Research in Archives of Dermatology stated that smoking ages skin all across the body, especially sagging in the upper inner arms.

‘Aroma’

No one can deny the smell smoking causes. I don’t know how I did it, but I had a boyfriend who smoked and everything – everything! – smelt awful. His hair, clothes, apartment. Not very appealing. He would wear cologne, but what was the point? One cigarette later and his precious cologne was long gone.

Low IQ?!

… And as if that’s not bad enough, studies show you may be a little more dumb than the rest of us. Not exactly something you’d like advertised about yourself, huh?

In conclusion, smoking blesses you with some very attractive physical traits! But seriously – if that doesn’t make you want to quit ASAP, Amanda Sandford of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) sums it perfectly: “No amount of anti-ageing cream will remove the wrinkles caused by cigarettes, so the best way for smokers to avoid the wrinkled prune look is to stop.”

Do you smoke? Or have you in the past? I’d be interested to hear if anyone wants to add to this list. Any thoughts or more information about this topic?