Smokers have 10 times more wrinkles than non-smokers

By The Med Guru

Though cigarettes are outright bad, starting with bad breath and finishing with such serious conditions as cancer and emphysema, one major factor generally ignored is that nicotine ages the skin prematurely.

It is easy to pick out a regular smoker in a crowd not just by the stench of stale cigarettes but simply by skin quality as well. Smokers have pale, ashen skin and ten times more wrinkles than non-smokers.

According to experts, the constant exposure to lit cigarettes and being surrounded by the toxic smoke can bring early onset of wrinkles.

Negative impact of smoking on skin
It has been proven that tobacco smoke is second only to sun exposure as the leading cause of skin damage.

Cigarettes contain toxins such as carbon monoxide and tar that have an adverse impact on the body. Hence, the brain diverts the vitamins away from the skin to counter the problem.

In addition, smoking interferes with the absorption of Vitamin C and A, which provide skin protection on a regular basis. Also, tobacco smoke produces free radicals that steal electrons from skin cells and damage them.

Nicotine is a diuretic. This means that it absorbs liquids from the body and causes dehydration.

Smoking also decreases the capillary blood flow to the surface of the skin, depriving it of the much needed oxygen and nutrients. As a result, skin becomes dry, thin, and has pale appearance.

Smoking is known to reduce the amount of collagen and elastin in the skin. These proteins help to keep skin tight, soft, and elastic.

Moreover, the pursing of lips and squinting to keep out smoke create unsightly face wrinkles around the mouth and eyes over time. Also, smokers develop more hollowed cheeks from many years of dragging on cigarettes.

Although, it is quite impossible to bring skin to the pre-smoking condition, the damage caused to the skin can be arrested if you quit because the skin will start to repair itself.

Other hazards of smoking
Besides causing wrinkles, smoking cigarettes can cause yellow eyes and teeth and bad breath.

On a more serious note it can lead to all kinds of health problems, including emphysema, lung cancer, bronchitis, pneumonia and many other illnesses.

Male smokers have a higher risk of a low sperm count and erectile dysfunction, while female smokers may have a harder time getting pregnant.

Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies which can be fatal for both mom and baby.

Other risks of smoking during pregnancy include lower birth weight and birth defects. Women who smoke during pregnancy are also more likely to deliver prematurely or miscarry.