Cigarette smoking has been strongly linked to health conditions like heart disease, lung cancer, and other respiratory and circulatory ailments. However, the effects of cigarette smoking may also take its toll on one’s appearance and may hamper one’s skin care efforts. This develops because the smoker’s blood vessels become constricted. When this happens, it impairs the flow of oxygen and other important vitamins and minerals. The skin’s elastin and collagen may be damaged, resulting to early wrinkling. Smoking may dehydrate and deprive the skin of necessary nutrients that are necessary to retain the skin’s moisture and smoothness.
The effects of smoking in the skin are significant. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, 60 of these are carcinogens. Smoking means exposing oneself to chemicals like hydrogen cyanide, butane, nicotine, carbolic acid, ammonia, and other harmful chemicals. As these substances are inhaled, these toxins reduce blood circulation by narrowing the blood vessels in the outer layer of the skin. This may decrease blood flow and deplete the skin’s supply of vitamins and minerals that are important in...