Acne Magazine

We know that smoking cigarettes, and any other smokeable substance is not a good thing for our health.  In fact, it can cause a number of leading health issues that we see here in the US, or at least contribute heavily to them.   Smoking is definitely not something that “healthy” people do, or usually choose to do if I may phrase it that way, because the Surgeon General has been so kind to inform us of the health hazards we subject ourselves to if we do smoke cigarettes (tobacco). 

The thing is, tobacco in itself is not so much carcinogenic (cancer causing), it’s the fact that we smoke it and pollute our lungs with tar and smoke inhalation that causes it to be carcinogenic, and it’s the nicotine that’s added to cigarettes that is what makes it addictive and so hard to quit for those who have been doing it for any length of time. 

But what about what smoking does to your skin?  Of course, smoking also may appeal to our vanity because many people see it as a hip or cool thing to do, and as a way even for some to control their weight since it can both reduce appetite and even speed up metabolism for some (this does not always work this way).  However, it also appeals more greatly to vanity to quit smoking or never pick up the habit, because the habit actually does more harm than good when it comes to your skin.

Smoking constricts the passageways that carry oxygen throughout the blood stream, and that means that the skin does not get enough oxygen.  This accelerates the aging process in a big way, and many times even gives the skin a sallow and unhealthy appearance.  It can also aggravate acne because it does not allow lesions to heal properly and makes the skin a slower healer because of the lack of circulation.