Smoking Can Ruin Your Looks

The fact that smoking is harmful to one’s health is today an undisputed fact. However not everyone is aware that smoking is also harmful to one’s appearance. Health.com had an interesting article about the side effects of smoking on our appearance listing fifteen different effects of smoking on the physical appearance.

1. Bags under the eyes. According to a John Hopkins study the nightly nicotine withdrawal makes smokers worse sleepers. The effects of tossing and turning end up showing in the face,
2. Psoriasis. A scaly skin condition can show up even if one does not smoke. Psoriasi riks increase with the amount of cigarettes smoked and how long one has had the habit.
3. Brown Teeth. The nicotine produced in smoking stains teeth leading to the loss of the ‘white teeth look’.
4. Premature Aging and Wrinkles. Experts agree that smoking accelerates aging. Smoking hampers the blood supply that enables the healthy skin look.
5. Yellow Fingers. The nicotine in cigarette smoke can not only make one’s teeth brown but also stains one’s fingers and nails.
6. Thinner hair. Experts say that the toxic chemicals in smoke damage the DNA in hair follicles. A study in Taiwan pointed to a link between men who smoke and the probability to lose hair.
7. Scarring. Nicotine causes the narrowing of blood vessels meaning that wounds take longer to heel and scars tend to be bigger and redder.
8. Tooth Loss. According to the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (2005) smokers are 6 times more likely than non smokers to develop gum disease which can lead to tooth loss.
9. Natural Glow. Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide which displaces the oxygen in the skin and nicotine which reduces blood flow causing discolouring. Smoking also deplete the skin of nutrients. The effect is skin characterised by wrinkles and grayness.
10. Wound Healing. Several Studies have shown that smokers do not heal as well after surgeries such as face lifts, tooth extractions and periodontal procedures.
11. Warts. For reasons that aren’t entirely clear smokers are more susceptible to infection from human papillomavirus that cause warts.
12. Skin Cancer. A 2001 study showed that smokers are three times as likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma – the 2nd most common type of skin cancer than non smokers.
13. Stretch Marks. The nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibres and connective tissue in one’s skin causing it to lose elasticity and strength.
14. Flabby Tummy. A 2009 study in the Netherlands found that smokers had more visceral fat than non smokers – with a tendency for this fat to accumulate in one’s midsection.
15. Cataracts: Smoking increases the risk of cataracts because it puts oxidative stress on the lens of the eye. Smoking can increase risks by 22% according to some studies. The amount of cigarettes smoked was more a risk factor then how long one smoked.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20340112_16,00.html

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