To smoke cause the production of free radicals caused by toxins in cigarette smoke. Your skin can be deprived of oxygen because smoking can cause oxidative stress which is a condition where there is an imbalance between the production of free lactic acid and the defense system of oxidant action in the body.
This damage is temporary to permanent. Therefore, you need to know what effects smoking can have on your skin. Recap skin power, Here are four harmful effects of smoking skin health.
1. Premature aging
This effect is what is most noticeable as the wrinkles and lines begin to appear on your face. If you notice, smokers close their eyes to protect themselves from cigarette smoke. Movement when smoking a cigarette can also cause gas around the mouth which eventually becomes permanent wrinkles.
The nicotine in tobacco has a dehydrating effect on the body because it is a diuretic. Smoking also reduces the absorption of vitamins A and C into the skin, causing premature aging. Though this vitamin is very necessary for skin health because it contains antioxidants.
2. Skin cancer
If you are a smoker, you will have double the risk of developing a second skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma. This is caused by cigarette smoke and can be seen on the lips of smokers. Additionally, you can get mouth cancer and oral leukoplakia. If you have lip cancer and you quit smoking, your risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of your body decreases two to three times.
3. Psoriasis
Smokers can double the chance of getting a form of psoriasis which is an inflammation of the skin and causes the skin to become flaky, thick, scaly and itchy. While outbreaks of pestyrosis have occurred and are most commonly affected by non-smokers, using cigarettes to relieve or deal with stress can make them more vulnerable.
While it is also known that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in which stress can be a trigger, nicotine is also known to weaken the immune system and cause inflammation of the skin and can negatively impact cell growth, all of these factors combined can increase the risk of psoriasis.
4. Vasculitis
The restricted blood flow caused by the nicotine in tobacco can cause a disease known as thromboangitis obliterans, which restricts blood flow to the hands and feet. This condition is a form of vasculitis in which blood clots can occur anywhere in the body.
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels that causes changes to the blood vessel walls. Smoking can also cause or worsen conditions such as frostbite, cholesterol embolism, thrombosis, ulcers and chilblains.
These are the 4 effects of smoking that can damage your skin. We hope the above information can help you achieve healthy skin.
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