Respiratory and heart problems, cancer, lower life expectancy… The negative effects of tobacco on the body are well established! However, did you know that smoking also affects your skin?
It’s no surprise that studies have shown that cigarette smoke and its 4,700 harmful substances negatively impact the health and appearance of the skin. Various changes in the body can have consequences not only for your health, but for the health of loved ones, too.
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One of the effects of nicotine is to reduce the body’s store of vitamin C. A vitamin that contributes, among other things, to the production of collagen, which is mainly responsible for the skin’s elasticity.
As a result, a vitamin C deficiency directly affects the appearance of the skin, since it reduces collagen production, which in turn leads to the appearance of wrinkles and the premature aging of the skin.
In fact, studies show that a drop in the body’s supply of vitamin C not only occurs in smokers, but also in people who are exposed to second-hand smoke. Each cigarette smoked thus affects not only ourselves, but those close to us as well.
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Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants, as their name suggests, prevent cell oxidation, otherwise known as oxidative stress. In this natural process, substances (called free radicals) attack cells, which can cause them to age.
The harmful substances found in tobacco smoke thus increase oxidative stress within the epidermis of smokers.
The result? Cells have a tendency to age more quickly. In addition to this cellular attack, the lack of vitamin C prevents the skin from effectively fighting the aggression, exacerbating the damage.
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Cigarette smoke causes a vasoconstriction of the blood vessels, meaning it shrinks their size, resulting in less oxygen and essential nutrients being delivered to the skin’s cells.
Consequently, the skin’s cells are undernourished and the skin develops a grey and dull complexion.
Moreover, insufficient vascularization also has a tendency to prevent wounds from healing, which is why it is recommended to stop smoking before undergoing surgery.
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The best way to avoid these harmful effects is of course to never light up in the first place. Fortunately, if you are a smoker, the effects are reversible.
A few weeks after you quit smoking, you will already start to notice a difference: your complexion regains a natural glow, wrinkles are less visible and the skin is not as dry. These changes take place even among those who have smoked for many years.
For all questions related to quitting smoking, do not hesitate to speak with your pharmacist. They can assist you in reaching your goal.
Our beauty professionals are also on hand to provide a free personalized skin analysis to determine which products are best suited to your particular skin.
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