If you only smoke when you go out or hanging out with friends, you might not realize the repercussions of lighting up a few cigarettes now and then. You might also not consider yourself as a smoker and even believe that your manner or way of smoking is better than those who smoke every day or finish one to two packs daily.
Although you might only be occasionally smoking and not consider yourself an addict, you have to keep in mind that you are still engaging in a dangerous habit. The National Institutes of Health suggested that smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, as well as ruin your skin and appearance. Light or social smoking still causes you to inhale harmful chemicals that can put your health at risk.
It is never okay to justify smoking, even if you’re not doing it daily. If you value your health, skin, and appearance, it is advisable to give it up altogether and adopt good skincare habits. It is also a good idea to find out how smoking ages you and harms your skin.
Impaired blood flow and premature aging
The nicotine in the cigarette narrows the blood vessels in the outermost layer of the skin, which impairs blood flow. This then translates to fewer nutrients and oxygen that reaches your skin. Thousands of chemicals in the smoke, furthermore, can damage both collagen and elastin (the two essential proteins that give the skin strength and elasticity).
When this happens, your skin might start to sag, along with the development of premature wrinkles. This is especially true in the area around your lips/mouth and eyes. Skin doctors in Salem note the sticking with the habit for the long-term can incur more damage or more wrinkles/creases over time. This can betray your age by adding ten or more years to your appearance.
Smoker’s lines and body wrinkling
The heat form burning cigarettes and repeated puckering of the lips contribute to the formation of smoker’s lines or vertical lines around the mouth. The habit can also cause you to squint, especially when trying to keep the smoke out of the eyes. This can lead to the earlier formation of crow’s feet (wrinkles in the corner of the eyes), which can become deeply ingrained if you continue smoking.
While facial wrinkling is mostly associated with smoking, the habit can also cause wrinkling in other areas of the body. The loss of skin’s elasticity due to smoking usually affects the breasts and underarms, causing them to sag over time. This is because the habit accelerates skin aging, which then causes weighted areas of the body to droop noticeably.
Leave smoking altogether
Do your body and skin a favor by quitting smoking or not smoking in the first place. If you smoke occasionally, you might find it a bit easier to stop by identifying your triggers and avoiding them. If you, for instance, smoke whenever going out or drinking with friends or colleagues, you can limit the time you spend with them or find better ways to socialize.
Here are other ways to quit social smoking:
- Get support from friends and family.
- Know the repercussions of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Spend time with non-smokers who have the same interest as yours
- Go to places/ establishments where smoking is not allowed.
- See a doctor for help.
Don’t let smoking harm your health and ruin your appearance. Quit social smoking today and see a dermatologist for skin-related concerns brought up by the habit.
