How does quitting smoking improve your skin. What changes can you expect in your complexion after stopping tobacco use. Why does smoking cause premature aging and wrinkles. When will you notice skin improvements after quitting cigarettes.

The Hidden Toll of Smoking on Your Skin

While the health risks of smoking are well-documented, many people are unaware of how profoundly tobacco use affects their appearance. Smoking doesn’t just harm your internal organs – it also takes a significant toll on your skin, accelerating aging and causing a host of cosmetic issues. Understanding these effects can provide powerful motivation to quit.

Brighter Eyes and Reduced Dark Circles

One of the most noticeable changes after quitting smoking is the improvement in the appearance of your eyes. Smokers are four times more likely to report feeling unrested after a full night’s sleep, largely due to nicotine withdrawal disrupting sleep patterns. This chronic sleep deprivation exacerbates dark circles and puffiness around the eyes.

When you quit smoking, your sleep quality improves dramatically. As a result, those persistent dark circles begin to fade, and your eyes regain their natural brightness. This change alone can make you look years younger and more vibrant.

How quickly do eye improvements occur?

Many ex-smokers report noticeable improvements in their eye area within just a few weeks of quitting. However, for maximum benefit, it’s important to maintain good sleep habits and stay hydrated to support the delicate skin around your eyes.

Tighter, More Elastic Skin

Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, many of which directly damage collagen and elastin – the fibers responsible for keeping your skin firm and elastic. This damage leads to premature aging, with smokers often developing wrinkles and sagging skin much earlier than their non-smoking peers.

Quitting smoking allows your body’s natural collagen production to return to normal levels. While existing wrinkles won’t disappear overnight, you’ll likely notice that your skin feels firmer and more supple. More importantly, the rate of new wrinkle formation slows significantly, helping you maintain a more youthful appearance for longer.

Can quitting smoking reverse skin damage?

While some damage from smoking is permanent, quitting can lead to significant improvements in skin quality and slow the progression of aging. Your skin’s ability to heal and regenerate improves dramatically once you stop exposing it to harmful tobacco chemicals.

A Smoother, More Even Complexion

Nicotine constricts blood vessels throughout your body, including those that supply oxygen and nutrients to your skin. This chronic deprivation of essential nutrients results in a dull, uneven complexion that lacks radiance.

When you quit smoking, blood flow to your skin improves almost immediately. This increased circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells, resulting in a noticeably smoother and more even complexion. Many ex-smokers report that their skin looks healthier and more “alive” within just a few weeks of quitting.

What other factors affect skin complexion?

While quitting smoking is a major step towards better skin, it’s important to support your skin’s health with a good skincare routine, a balanced diet rich in antioxidants, and proper hydration. These factors work synergistically with smoking cessation to dramatically improve your complexion.

Saying Goodbye to Stained Fingers and Nails

The nicotine and tar in cigarettes don’t just stain your teeth – they also leave their mark on your fingers and nails. Smokers often develop yellow or brown stains on their fingers where they hold cigarettes, as well as discolored nails.

After quitting, you may notice a distinct line on your fingernails between the stained portion and new, healthy growth. Over time, as your nails grow out, the stained portion will be replaced entirely. The discoloration on your fingers will also gradually fade, though this process can take several months.

How can you speed up the fading of tobacco stains?

While time is the most effective remedy, you can help the process along by exfoliating your hands regularly and using a whitening toothpaste on your nails. Some people find that soaking their fingers in a mixture of lemon juice and warm water helps to lighten stains more quickly.

Healthier, Fuller Hair

The effects of smoking on hair health are often overlooked, but they can be significant. The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage hair follicles and can lead to premature hair thinning and even baldness. A 2007 study found that men who smoke are twice as likely to experience baldness compared to non-smokers.

Quitting smoking increases blood flow to your hair follicles, potentially resulting in healthier hair growth. While quitting won’t necessarily reverse baldness, it can help prevent further hair loss and improve the overall health and appearance of your existing hair.

What other factors contribute to hair health?

In addition to quitting smoking, maintaining a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, managing stress, and using gentle hair care products can all contribute to healthier, fuller hair. If you’re concerned about hair loss, consult with a dermatologist for personalized advice.

Improved Wound Healing and Reduced Scarring

Smoking significantly impairs your body’s ability to heal wounds. The reduced blood flow and oxygen levels caused by smoking mean that cuts, scrapes, and surgical incisions take longer to heal and are more likely to result in noticeable scars.

When you quit smoking, your body’s natural healing processes become much more efficient. Wounds heal faster, with a lower risk of infection and less scarring. This improvement in healing capacity doesn’t just apply to external wounds – it also benefits your internal organs and tissues.

How long does it take for wound healing to improve?

Improvements in wound healing can be observed within just a few weeks of quitting smoking. However, for optimal healing, it’s recommended to quit smoking at least 4-6 weeks before any planned surgeries or medical procedures.

Enhanced Effectiveness of Skincare Products

If you’re a smoker who invests in high-quality skincare products, you may not be getting your money’s worth. The damage caused by smoking can significantly reduce the effectiveness of even the most advanced skincare formulations.

Quitting smoking allows your skin to better absorb and utilize the active ingredients in your skincare products. This means that the moisturizers, serums, and treatments you use will be much more effective at improving your skin’s health and appearance.

Should you change your skincare routine after quitting smoking?

As your skin health improves after quitting smoking, you may find that your skincare needs change. It’s a good idea to reassess your routine a few months after quitting and possibly consult with a dermatologist to optimize your skincare regimen for your new, healthier skin.

Long-Term Benefits for Skin Health and Appearance

While many of the skin benefits of quitting smoking are noticeable within weeks or months, the long-term advantages are even more significant. Ex-smokers who maintain their smoke-free status often find that their skin continues to improve for years after quitting.

In the long term, quitting smoking can lead to:

• Reduced risk of skin cancer
• Slower progression of age-related skin changes
• Improved overall skin texture and tone
• Better response to skincare treatments and procedures
• Reduced risk of certain skin conditions like psoriasis

Is it ever too late to quit for skin benefits?

It’s never too late to quit smoking and reap the benefits for your skin. While quitting earlier in life provides the most dramatic improvements, even long-term smokers can see significant positive changes in their skin health and appearance after quitting.

Supporting Your Skin’s Recovery After Quitting

While quitting smoking is the most crucial step in improving your skin health, there are several additional measures you can take to support your skin’s recovery:

1. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day
2. Eat a balanced diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
3. Protect your skin from sun damage by using broad-spectrum sunscreen daily
4. Get regular exercise to boost circulation and overall health
5. Manage stress through relaxation techniques or meditation
6. Consider using skincare products with ingredients like vitamin C, retinoids, and peptides to support skin repair

How can you track improvements in your skin after quitting?

Taking “before” photos when you quit and comparing them to photos taken at regular intervals (e.g., 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after quitting) can help you visualize the improvements in your skin. Keep a journal to note changes in skin texture, tone, and any compliments you receive on your appearance.

Addressing Persistent Skin Issues After Quitting

While quitting smoking leads to significant improvements for most people, some may experience persistent skin issues. This could be due to long-term damage from smoking or other underlying factors. If you don’t notice the expected improvements in your skin after several months of quitting, it’s advisable to consult with a dermatologist.

A dermatologist can assess your skin health, identify any ongoing concerns, and recommend targeted treatments to address specific issues. They may suggest treatments such as:

• Professional chemical peels
• Laser therapies for skin resurfacing
• Microneedling to stimulate collagen production
• Prescription-strength topical treatments
• Specialized skincare routines tailored to your skin’s needs

Can smoking-related skin damage be completely reversed?

While significant improvements are possible, some smoking-related skin damage may be permanent, especially if you’ve been a long-term smoker. However, quitting smoking prevents further damage and allows your skin to heal and regenerate to the best of its ability. Many ex-smokers find that the improvements they experience far exceed their expectations.

The Psychological Benefits of Improved Skin Health

The positive changes in your skin after quitting smoking can have profound psychological benefits. Many ex-smokers report feeling more confident and positive about their appearance, which can boost self-esteem and overall well-being.

These psychological benefits can include:

• Increased confidence in social and professional situations
• Improved body image and self-perception
• Reduced anxiety about premature aging
• A sense of pride in taking control of one’s health and appearance
• Increased motivation to maintain other healthy lifestyle habits

How can you leverage these benefits for continued success?

Use the positive changes in your appearance as motivation to maintain your smoke-free status. Celebrate your achievements and use them as a reminder of why you quit whenever you face cravings or challenges. Consider sharing your story with others who are trying to quit, as your success can be inspiring and motivating.

Combining Smoking Cessation with Other Skin-Healthy Habits

While quitting smoking is a major step towards better skin health, combining it with other positive lifestyle changes can amplify the benefits. Consider incorporating the following habits into your routine:

1. Establish a consistent skincare routine tailored to your skin type
2. Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation or yoga
3. Get adequate sleep to support skin regeneration
4. Limit alcohol consumption, which can dehydrate the skin
5. Incorporate regular exercise to boost circulation and overall health
6. Stay consistent with sun protection to prevent further skin damage

How do these habits work synergistically with smoking cessation?

These healthy habits complement the benefits of quitting smoking by further improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and supporting your body’s natural healing processes. Together, they create an optimal environment for your skin to recover and thrive, maximizing the positive changes you’ll see after quitting smoking.

Celebrating Your Journey to Healthier Skin

Quitting smoking is a significant achievement that deserves recognition. As you notice improvements in your skin and overall health, take time to celebrate your progress. These celebrations can serve as powerful motivation to maintain your smoke-free lifestyle and continue making healthy choices.

Consider the following ways to acknowledge your success:

• Treat yourself to a professional skincare treatment or spa day
• Invest in high-quality skincare products to support your skin’s health
• Share your before-and-after photos with supportive friends and family
• Set new health and wellness goals to build on your success
• Write a letter to your future self, describing the positive changes you’ve experienced

How can celebrating milestones support long-term success?

Recognizing and celebrating your achievements reinforces the positive aspects of quitting smoking, making it easier to resist temptations and stay committed to your health goals. It also helps to shift your focus from what you’ve given up to what you’ve gained, fostering a more positive mindset about your smoke-free lifestyle.

By understanding and appreciating the numerous ways quitting smoking benefits your skin, you can find additional motivation to overcome this challenging but incredibly rewarding journey. Your skin’s remarkable ability to heal and regenerate serves as a visible reminder of the positive changes happening throughout your body. Embrace these changes, celebrate your progress, and look forward to a healthier, more radiant future.

5 Things That Happen to Your Skin When You Quit Smoking

We’ve all heard it before: smoking is bad for your health. While true, this is far from the only reason to quit or avoid smoking. Smoking harms more than just your health – it also damages your skin.

From dark circles under your eyes to yellow fingers, smoking can take quite a toll on  your appearance. Fortunately, quitting can reverse some of this damage. Here are some changes you can expect to see in your skin when you quit:

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

1.  Brighter Eyes

Smoking and dark circles under your eyes go hand in hand. A study by John Hopkins found that smokers are four times more likely than nonsmokers to report feeling unrested after a full night of sleep. Researchers believe this is so because nicotine withdrawal symptoms disrupt sleep patterns. Lack of sleep, in turn, worsens dark circles under the eyes. Individuals who quit smoking get better sleep, and in turn have brighter eyes.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

2. Tighter Skin

Did you know that cigarette smoke contains over 7000 chemicals? Many of these chemicals damage collagen and elastin, the fibers that give your skin its elasticity. As a result, your skin is prone to premature aging and wrinkles.

When you quit smoking, your body’s collagen production returns to normal levels, so your skin looks healthier, too. Although the wrinkles may not go away, their development will slow down.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

3. Smoother Complexion

The nicotine in cigarettes constrict your blood vessels, which carry oxygen and essential nutrients to your skin. When these blood vessels are constricted, your skin is deprived of oxygen and nutrients. The result is dull and uneven skin complexion.

Quitting increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients sent to your skin cells, leaving you with a smoother, more even complexion.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

4. Stainless Fingers

Smoking stains not only your teeth, but your fingers and nails as well. The nicotine and tar in cigarettes stain your fingers as you hold the cigarette.

After quitting, individuals often notice a line on their fingernail between the stained nail and the newly grown nail. In time, the new nail replaces the stained nail and the finger stains fade.

If you’re a nonsmoker experiencing yellow or stained fingers, ask an online dermatologist today.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

5. Better Hair

Though not as well known, smoking also damages your hair. Many of the chemicals found in cigarettes damage your hair follicles and cause premature hair thinning. In fact, a 2007 study found that men who smoke are twice as likely to go bald as nonsmoking men.

Quitting increases the blood flow to your hair follicles, which may result in hair regrowth or thicker hair.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second.

Smoking damages the skin, but not irreversibly. The skin benefits of quitting smoking are too great to ignore. If you don’t notice any changes to your skin after quitting, ask an online dermatologist.

Quit smoking – NHS

Smoking is bad for your health, but exactly how will stopping make life better? Here are 10 ways your health will improve when you stop smoking.

Stopping smoking lets you breathe more easily

People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10% within 9 months.

In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smoking on your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age.

In later years, having maximum lung capacity can mean the difference between having an active, healthy old age and wheezing when you go for a walk or climb the stairs.

Stopping smoking gives you more energy

Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier.

You’ll also give a boost to your immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body can also reduce tiredness and the likelihood of headaches.

Read these self-help tips to fight fatigue.

Ditch the cigarettes and feel less stressed

The withdrawal from nicotine between cigarettes can heighten feelings of stress.

As the stress of withdrawal feels the same as other stresses, it’s easy to confuse normal stress with nicotine withdrawal, so it can seem like smoking is reducing other stresses. 

But this is not the case. In fact, scientific studies show people’s stress levels are lower after they stop smoking.

If you find that you’re prone to stress, replacing smoking with a healthier, better way of dealing with stress can give you some real benefits.

Read our top 10 stress busters to find out more.

Quitting leads to better sex

Stopping smoking improves the body’s blood flow, so improves sensitivity.

Men who stop smoking may get better erections. Women may find their orgasms improve and they become aroused more easily.

It’s also been found that non-smokers are 3 times more appealing to prospective partners than smokers.

Stopping smoking improves fertility

Non-smokers find it easier to get pregnant. Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men’s sperm more potent.

Becoming a non-smoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage.

Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.

Stopping smoking improves smell and taste

When you stop smoking, your senses of smell and taste get a boost.

You may notice that food tastes and smells different as your mouth and nose recover from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

Stop smoking for younger-looking skin

Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles.

The skin of a non-smoker gets more nutrients, including oxygen, and stopping smoking can reverse the sallow, lined complexion smokers often have.

Ex-smokers have whiter teeth and sweeter breath

Giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained, and you’ll have fresher breath.

Ex-smokers are also less likely than smokers to get gum disease and prematurely lose their teeth.

Find out more about dental health and teeth whitening.

Read about how stopping smoking helps banish bad breath.

Quit smoking to live longer

Half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.

Men who quit smoking by the age of 30 add 10 years to their life. People who kick the habit at 60 add 3 years to their life.

In other words, it’s never too late to benefit from stopping. Being smoke-free not only adds years to your life, but also greatly improves your chances of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age.

A smoke-free home protects your loved ones

By stopping smoking, you’ll be protecting the health of your non-smoking friends and family, too.

Breathing in secondhand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. 

In children, it doubles the risk of getting chest illnesses, including pneumonia, ear infections, wheezing and asthma.

They also have 3 times the risk of getting lung cancer in later life compared with children who live with non-smokers.

Read more about the dangers of passive smoking.

Read about the stop smoking treatments available on the NHS and find out how to get started with stopping smoking.

Page last reviewed: 25 October 2018
Next review due: 25 October 2021

Changes in Skin Color after Smoking Cessation

Korean J Fam Med. 2012 Mar; 33(2): 105–109.

,,,¹,,,²,²,²,² and ¹

Young Hye Cho

Family Medicine Clinic and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Dong Wook Jeong

Family Medicine Clinic and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Sang Hee Seo

¹Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Sang Yeoup Lee

Family Medicine Clinic and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Eun Jung Choi

Family Medicine Clinic and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Yun Jin Kim

²Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Jeong Gyu Lee

²Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Yu-Hyun Lee

²Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Mi Jin Bae

²Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Hyun Woo Chin

¹Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

Family Medicine Clinic and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

¹Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

²Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author.

Received 2012 Feb 6; Accepted 2012 Mar 14.

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Academy of Family MedicineThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract

This study was performed to assess changes in skin color over 1 month after smoking cessation. The study population consisted of 49 men who participated in a smoking cessation program from March 2010 to June 2010 at a public health centre in Yangsan, South Korea. Thirty-four men who stop smoking completely were included in our study. Instrumental evaluations of skin color were performed using Mexameter (MX 18; Courage and Khazaka Electronic GmbH) at the beginning of the study and at 1-week and 4-week follow-up visits. Skin color was evaluated by measurement of 2 main color bases-melanin and haemoglobin-with the results expressed as melanin index (MI) and erythema index (EI). Both MI and EI were significantly reduced at the 4-week follow-up visit on all 7 sites measured. We anticipate that desirable effects on skin color after smoking cessation will play a positive role in maintaining smoking abstinence in routine clinical practice.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Skin, Color, Melanins, Erythema

INTRODUCTION

Many studies have encouraged physicians to provide smoking cessation advice. In addition, several strategies, such as nicotine replacement therapy or telephone counselling, have been convincingly shown to enhance the effectiveness of advice from a medical practitioner.1) According to the social learning theory, health behaviour depends on expectancies and incentives. Therefore, demonstrating the practical benefits of tobacco abstinence to smokers may help them to decide to stop smoking and prevent relapse. Although the beneficial impact of smoking cessation on cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and smoking-related cancer is well known to health care professionals, skin color changes after stopping tobacco use may be less well recognised.

Since skin color contributes to visual attractiveness, most people are interested in skin color. If the positive influence of smoking cessation on skin color can be demonstrated by a non-invasive test, the result could be an effective tool to motivate smokers to stop using tobacco and maintain their abstinence. A recent study showed the skin-related benefits of smoking cessation in a sample of 64 Caucasian women who smoked.2) In this study, average biological skin age, which was calculated using non-invasive instrumental measurements of parameters such as skin smoothness, brightness, coloring, and elasticity, decreased from 53 to 40 years during 9 months of smoking cessation. According to this study, skin biological age improved quickly within 3 months, and this improvement was maintained for 9 months.

Therefore, we hypothesized that smoking cessation would have a positive effect on skin color within 1 month. The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in skin color after smoking cessation in a short-term period by using a skin color-measuring device.

METHODS

1. Participants

The study population was chosen from 49 men who participated in a smoking cessation program from March 2010 to June 2010 at a public health centre in Yangsan, South Korea. Participants visited the public health centre at the beginning of this study, after 1 week and after 4 weeks. Participants received education and printed materials on the benefit of smoking cessation. They did not use any medication for stopping smoking such as nicotine patch or nicotine gum. The confirmation of abstinence of participants was conducted by a personal interview and exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) (ppm) level. In the present study, the group defined as non-smoking reported to have never smoked for over a month in the interview and their exhaled CO level was lower than six. We performed this study with the data for only 34 men who stopped smoking completely. The study was performed according to the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. Informed written consent was obtained from all subjects before participation.

2. Measurements

A Mexameter (MX 18; Courage and Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany) was used to assess the two main skin color bases-melanin and haemoglobin (Hb). The probe of the device has three light-emitting diodes for green light (568 nm), red light (660 nm), and infrared light (870 nm).3) The results were expressed as melanin index (MI) and erythema index (EI). Instrumental evaluations of skin color were performed at the beginning of the study and at the 1-week and 4-week follow-up visits.

Measurements were obtained from 7 sites: the forehead, right (Rt.) cheek, left (Lt.) cheek, Rt. zygomatic prominence (zygoma), Lt. zygoma, on the centre of the chin, and on the abdomen just above the umbilicus. Each site was measured 3 times, and the mean value was calculated.

3. Statistical Analysis

All measurements of MI and EI are expressed as mean and standard deviation. Changes in skin color after smoking cessation were compared using paired Student’s t-tests. The level of significance was designated as P < 0.05. Statistical calculations were performed using SPSS ver. 12.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

RESULTS

The age of the subjects (n = 34) ranged from 31 to 68 years (median age, 36 years). The study subjects were all male. The number of cigarettes smoked per day ranged from 6 to 30 (median, 17.5 cigarettes/day) and their smoking period ranged from 11 to 40 years (median, 17.5 years).

MI at the 1-week follow-up visit was significantly decreased compared to baseline on all sites, except the Lt. zygoma. MI at the 1-week follow-up visit on the abdomen, measured to minimize the effect of sunlight, was also decreased significantly compared to baseline. MI at the 4-week follow-up visit was not statistically significant when compared with MI at the 1-week follow-up visit. MI at the 4-week follow-up visit was significantly decreased compared to baseline on all 7 sites measured ().

Table 1

The changes of melanin index in process of time after smoking cessation.

EI at the 1-week follow-up visit was significantly decreased compared to baseline on 5 sites, excluding the centre of the chin and the abdomen. EI at the 4-week follow-up visit was significantly decreased compared with the 1-week follow-up visit on the abdomen and Lt. zygoma. EI at the 4-week follow-up visit was significantly reduced compared to baseline on all 7 sites measured ().

Table 2

The changes of erythema index in process of time after smoking cessation.

DISCUSSION

The color of human skin is determined by many factors, including the quantity and chemical structure of its melanin pigments, non-melanin pigments such as Hb, and chemicals like lysogenic acid or liquorice.4) Our study showed that skin color changes occurred within 1 month after smoking cessation. MI reflected the melanin content of the skin and EI was related to the Hb content; both were significantly decreased at all sites measured within 1 month of stopping tobacco use.

Smoking induces oxidative stress, which has immunomodulatory effects by changing inflammatory cell function and releasing proteolytic enzymes.5) Accordingly, smoking tobacco is closely associated with numerous dermatologic conditions, including psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, hair loss, hidradenitis suppurativa, genital warts, poor wound healing, wrinkling, and premature skin aging. 6,7) Previous studies have reported that the frequency of oral mucosa pigmentation increases with the presence of smoking.8) In addition, a dose-response relationship was detected9) and disappearance of gingival pigmentation was observed following reduction in smoking.10)

Smoker’s melanosis is hypothesized to occur as a result of the ability of nicotine to stimulate melanocyte activity and melanin production.11) The results of the current study, where MI decreased after smoking abstinence, are in line with previous observations.

Cigarette smoking seems to cause a generalized upward shift of the Hb distribution curve, resulting in a reduction in the ability of Hb to deliver oxygen to tissues. Nordenberg et al.12) confirmed that Hb levels are significantly higher in smokers. EI indicates Hb content that is closely related to skin blood flow,13) and EI was reduced in the current study; this suggests that there are changes of Hb and skin blood flow after smoking cessation. More research is needed to understand the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.

The most important strength of this study is that no other studies have reported skin color changes within 1 month of smoking abstinence. The main limitations of the present study are that all the subjects were male and the sample size was small. Furthermore, there is no comparison study.

Nevertheless, our study seemed to be meaningful because the 3 persons who constantly smoked the same amount during this study did not show any changes in MI and EI for a month, even if the sample size was small (3 persons were not included in 34 subjects). We did not adjust for any potential modifying effects of sunlight on skin color. However, our study was conducted from March to July, the spring to early summer in Korea, which is a period of very heavy sunlight. Generally sunlight is the one of factors which increases MI and EI. Nevertheless, our study clearly showed MI and EI decreases after smoking cessation.

The present study is the first to demonstrate changes in skin color within 1 month of smoking cessation. Additional investigations involving a pathological approach, both female and male subjects, and a larger sample size are now required. Visual impressions created by skin color, especially facial skin color, are important in interactions within and between human communities. We observed skin color changes after smoking cessation within a short time period. Skin color was measured through simple instrumental evaluation. Therefore, we anticipate that non-invasive instrumental evaluation of desirable effects on skin color after smoking cessation will play a positive role in maintaining smoking abstinence in routine clinical practice.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study supported by 2012 Research grant from Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. We special thank to the public health center in Yangsan.

Footnotes

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

References

1. Stead LF, Perera R, Lancaster T. Telephone counselling for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;3:CD002850. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]2. Serri R, Romano MC, Sparavigna A. “Quitting smoking rejuvenates the skin”: results of a pilot project on smoking cessation conducted in Milan, Italy. Skinmed. 2010;8:23–29. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]3. Pierard GE. EEMCO guidance for the assessment of skin colour. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 1998;10:1–11. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]4. Edwards EA, Duntley SQ. The pigments and color of living human skin. Am J Anat. 1939;65:1–33. [Google Scholar]5. Sorensen LT, Jorgensen S, Petersen LJ, Hemmingsen U, Bulow J, Loft S, et al. Acute effects of nicotine and smoking on blood flow, tissue oxygen, and aerobe metabolism of the skin and subcutis. J Surg Res. 2009;152:224–230. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]6. La Vecchia C, Gallus S, Naldi L. Tobacco and skin disease. Dermatology. 2005;211:81–83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]7. Freiman A, Bird G, Metelitsa AI, Barankin B, Lauzon GJ. Cutaneous effects of smoking. J Cutan Med Surg. 2004;8:415–423. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]8. Unsal E, Paksoy C, Soykan E, Elhan AH, Sahin M. Oral melanin pigmentation related to smoking in a Turkish population. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2001;29:272–277. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]9. Araki S, Murata K, Ushio K, Sakai R. Dose-response relationship between tobacco consumption and melanin pigmentation in the attached gingiva. Arch Environ Health. 1983;38:375–378. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]10. Hedin CA, Pindborg JJ, Axell T. Disappearance of smoker’s melanosis after reducing smoking. J Oral Pathol Med. 1993;22:228–230. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]11. Sarswathi TR, Kumar SN, Kavitha KM. Oral melanin pigmentation in smoked and smokeless tobacco users in India. Clinico-pathological study. Indian J Dent Res. 2003;14:101–106. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]12. Nordenberg D, Yip R, Binkin NJ. The effect of cigarette smoking on hemoglobin levels and anemia screening. JAMA. 1990;264:1556–1559. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]13. Tsuchida Y, Fukuda O, Kamata S. The correlation of skin blood flow with age, total cholesterol, hematocrit, blood pressure, and hemoglobin. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1991;88:844–850. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

“Quitting smoking rejuvenates the skin”: results of a pilot project on smoking cessation conducted in Milan, Italy

This study reports the results obtained during the “Quitting Smoking Rejuvenates the Skin” campaign, a pilot project in favor of the fight against nicotine addiction in women promoted by the Municipality of Milan jointly with other organizations. The initiative allowed researchers to evaluate the benefits on the skin obtained by cessation of smoking in a sample of 64 Caucasian women who smoked and who, in the period between February 2007 and November 2007, were followed by a team of dermatologists, psychologists, and nutritionists. During the dermatologic program, clinical and instrumental evaluations were made at the beginning of the study and at 3, 6, and 9 months. The state of skin aging was evaluated visually by giving a clinical score to each sign of skin aging (lines, vascular and pigmentation state, elasticity, brightness, texture of the skin). These signs were then correlated using a particular “spider web” graph called Spiderming, the result of Derming research that allows the monitoring of results obtained over time. Taking into account that a wider area of the graph coincides with more advanced skin aging, the graph of mean values observed in the study patients narrowed as time went by, reaching certain statistically significant values in as little as 6 months of observation. The patients’ biological skin age was also calculated so as to better quantify the benefits they obtained by giving up smoking. It was possible to measure the biological age of the skin using noninvasive instrumental measurements of parameters such as skin smoothness, brightness, coloring, and elasticity. A complex mathematic algorithm processed the results obtained for each patient and, on this basis, calculated the biological age of the patient’s skin. At the end of the program, an average reduction of about 13 years in the biological age of the patients’ skin was found, while, at the beginning of the study, patients had presented with an average biological age of 9 years older than their chronologic age. This pilot project not only demonstrated that quitting smoking improves skin conditions, and above all skin-aging effects, but for the first time it afforded the opportunity to produce data that quantify this benefit.

Seven reasons to quit smoking that will instantly change you

From better sex to smoother skin, see the beautiful ways butting out for good will affect your body.

This post was originally published in November 2013, and has been updated.

I recently showed you how cutting out alcohol improves your health. So while you’re on track with your healthier lifestyle, I wanted to follow it up with another bad habit that offers an immediate return on your health investment upon quitting: smoking. As for the benefits? They’re pretty convincing. Who doesn’t want better sex and sounder sleep? And though many people have (thankfully) already quit, even your casual puffs can have a big impact.

1. You’ll have better sex
A 2011 study found that men had stronger erections after quitting smoking – so you can benefit from your partner’s sexual improvements if you help them quit. For you, the improved blood flow to your lungs and enhanced oxygen levels in your blood will boost your energy levels. And for those trying to conceive, a June 2016 study found that smokers also had a higher percentage of sperm DNA damage.

2. Your gut health will improve
The dreaded post-cessation weight gain has a lot to do with how smoking impacts your gut health. Researchers found that when a person stops smoking, the diversity of bacterial strains in their intestines shifts, resembling the gut flora found in obese people. They hypothesized that it was the change in the gut that caused weight gain, and not a change in caloric intake — and they were right. What this means is that taking actions to heal your intestinal flora before you quit will help you avoid weight gain and cravings.

3. Put the axe to arthritis
Believe it or not, even a few cigarettes a day can more than double your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. This risk decreases as soon as you give up smoking and improves as each year passes.

Smoking has been shown to be the culprit behind more than a third of cases of rheumatoid arthritis-based aches and pains. It’s one more reason to quit the tobacco habit, not to mention that once you do you’re more likely to throw on your running shoes and exercise too.

4. Get back your beauty sleep
Another reason to quit? You’ll sleep like a baby. Researchers found that nearly 12 percent of current smokers have trouble falling asleep, 11 percent wake in the night and 10 percent wake too early in the morning. In fact, they found that for each cigarette smoked during the day, the total sleep time decreased by more than one minute.

I recently wrote on the consequences of a lack of sleep, so if you find yourself tossing and turning, this is one lifestyle habit that can make a big difference in your snooze time.

5. Cutting out nicotine could reduce your risk of developing diabetes
A study out of the California State Polytechnic University found that adding nicotine to human blood samples raised levels of hemoglobin A1C, which indicates higher blood sugar content. To put it simply, the study suggests that smoking can make diabetes a lot worse. The study also implies that non-diabetic smokers may have a higher change of developing diabetes.

6. You’ll mend your heart
While some people find they trade cigarettes for sweets, one study shows that, regardless of post-cessation weight gain, you’ll still see your risk of cardiovascular disease drop. In fact, postmenpoausal women who quit smoking within the past three years had a 26 percent lower risk of developing heart disease compared with women who continued smoking.

7. You’ll look younger
Quitting increases the oxygen and nutrients sent to your skin cells, leaving you with smoother, more supple skin. And while your skin will look younger, you’re not just turning back the clock on your appearance. Quitting smoking before the age of 40 decreases your risk of premature death by 90 percent. This number increases to 97 percent if you quit before the age of 30.

Have you recently quit smoking? We want to hear about how great you feel in the comment section below.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a naturopathic doctor, and the founder of the Toronto-based Clear Medicine Wellness Boutique. For more wellness advice from Natasha Turner, click here.

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Benefits of Quitting | Smokefree

Brain

Broken Addiction Cycle

Quitting smoking can re-wire your brain and help break the cycle of addiction. The large number of nicotine receptors in your brain will return to normal levels after about a month of being quit.

Head and Face

Sharp Hearing

Quitting smoking will keep your hearing sharp. Remember, even mild hearing loss can cause problems (like not hearing directions correctly and doing a task wrong).

Better Vision

Stopping smoking will improve your night vision and help preserve your overall vision by stopping the damage that smoking does to your eyes.

Clean Mouth

Nobody likes a dirty mouth. After a few days without cigarettes, your smile will be brighter. Not smoking now will keep your mouth healthy for years to come.

Clear Skin

Quitting smoking is better than anti-aging lotion. Quitting can help clear up blemishes and protect your skin from premature aging and wrinkling.

Heart

Decreased Heart Risks

Smoking is the leading cause of heart attacks and heart disease. But many of these heart risks can be reversed simply by quitting smoking. Quitting can lower your blood pressure and heart rate almost immediately. Your risk of a heart attack declines within 24 hours.

Thin Blood

Another effect of quitting smoking is that your blood will become thinner and less likely to form dangerous blood clots. Your heart will also have less work to do, because it will be able to move the blood around your body more easily.

Lower Cholesterol

Quitting smoking will not get rid of the fatty deposits that are already there. But it will lower the levels of cholesterol and fats circulating in your blood, which will help to slow the buildup of new fatty deposits in your arteries.

Lungs

Stop Lung Damage

Scarring of the lungs is not reversible. That is why it is important to quit smoking before you do permanent damage to your lungs. Within two weeks of quitting, you might notice it’s easier to walk up the stairs because you may be less short of breath. Don’t wait until later; quit today!

Prevent Emphysema

There is no cure for emphysema. But quitting when you are young, before you have done years of damage to the delicate air sacs in your lungs, will help protect you from developing emphysema later.

Return of Cilia

Cilia start to regrow and regain normal function very quickly after you quit smoking. They are one of the first things in your body to heal. People sometimes notice that they cough more than usual when they first quit smoking. This is a sign that the cilia are coming back to life. But you’re more likely to fight off colds and infections when your cilia are working properly.

DNA

Lower Cancer Risk

Quitting smoking will prevent new DNA damage from happening and can even help repair the damage that has already been done. Quitting smoking immediately is the best way to lower your risk of getting cancer.

Stomach and Hormones

Smaller Belly

Quitting smoking will reduce your belly fat and lower your risk of diabetes. If you already have diabetes, quitting can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check.

Normal Estrogen Levels

If you’re a woman, your estrogen levels will gradually return to normal after you quit smoking. And if you hope to have children someday, quitting smoking right now will increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy in the future.

Erectile Dysfunction

Sexual Healing

If you quit smoking now, you can lower your chances of erectile dysfunction and improve your chances of having a healthy sexual life.

Blood and the Immune System

Normal White Blood Cell Count

When you quit smoking, your body will begin to heal from the injuries that smoking caused. Eventually, your white blood cell counts will return to normal and will no longer be on the defensive.

Proper Healing

Quitting smoking will improve blood flow to wounds, allowing important nutrients, minerals, and oxygen to reach the wound and help it heal properly.

Stronger Immune System

When you quit smoking, your immune system is no longer exposed to tar and nicotine. It will become stronger, and you will be less likely to get sick.

Muscles and Bones

Strong Muscles

Quitting smoking will help increase the availability of oxygen in your blood, and your muscles will become stronger and healthier.

Stronger Bones

Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of fractures, both now and later in life. Keep your bones strong and healthy by quitting now.

How Smoking Affects Your Appearance

Not only can smoking shorten your life but it can speed aging, causing changes in your skin, hair, and teeth that may be irreversible.

Cigarettes can restrict oxygen and blood flow in the body, causing the cells on the outer layer of the skin to die, explains Sandy Tsao, MD, a dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston.

In fact, a study published in 2013 in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that just five years spent smoking is enough to cause changes to a person’s face. The researchers, who examined nearly 80 pairs of identical twins, one of whom smoked and one of whom didn’t, found that the twin who smoked had lower eyelid bags, more lip wrinkles, deeper “smile lines,” and droopier cheeks than the sibling who didn’t smoke.

These are some changes that can occur in your skin, hair, and teeth because of smoking:

No. 1: Dry, dull skin

Because smoking “starves” the skin of oxygen, smokers’ complexions can appear gray, yellow, or dull, says Dr. Tsao. Smoking can also restrict the blood flow in the capillaries, causing skin to become dry and coarse, while the nicotine in cigarettes and tobacco products constricts blood vessels, limiting the supply of vitamin A, which helps keep skin healthy.

No. 2: Wrinkles and sagging

Smoking furthers the breakdown of elastin and triggers the release of an enzyme that degrades collagen, processes that can cause wrinkles and thinning of the skin.

Moreover, habitually smoking can actually contribute to wrinkles: When you smoke, you pucker your lips, which creates wrinkles around the mouth that, over time, can become deeper and permanent, says Tsao. And although most smokers don’t realize it, they squint too, creating more wrinkles around the eye area.

No. 3: Hair loss

People who smoke can have thinner, more fragile hair than those who don’t smoke, says Tsao. Although experts aren’t exactly sure why cigarettes cause hair loss, it’s thought that smoking might cut off oxygen to the hair in the same way that it does to the skin.

No. 4: Stained teeth and nails

The nicotine in tobacco products can leave yellow stains on your teeth and nails, says Tsao. Quitting will prevent staining, and you may be able to whiten your teeth with professional or over-the-counter teeth-cleaning treatments.

No. 5: Bags under your eyes

Because nicotine is a stimulant, smoking before you go to sleep can keep you awake or reduce the quality of your shut-eye, which can cause dark circles and bags to form underneath your eyes. Luckily, quitting will probably lead to better sleep overall.

No. 6: Skin cancer

The biggest danger that smoking poses to your skin is an increased risk of skin cancer, says Tsao, especially squamous cell carcinomas that tend to form around the mouth.

The good news is that it’s never too late to stop smoking. Although some of the damage smoking causes might be irreversible, once you quit, your skin will look healthier and you’ll prevent more stains from forming on your teeth and fingernails.

90,000 Smoking and beautiful skin, perhaps?

Smoking and beautiful skin, perhaps?

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Ministry of Health of the Chelyabinsk Region

Nothing beautifies a woman like beautiful and well-groomed skin.
Poets in their poems and artists who tried to convey her tenderness with the help of colors on their canvases with anything else compared her. There is a whole beauty industry at work to make the skin look attractive. But if a woman or a man smokes, then the first thing that this affects is the skin, which changes under the influence of nicotine and, mind you, not for the better.

Smoking has a negative effect on the quality and appearance of facial skin. The smoke of tobacco can cause dryness and irritation of the skin by direct external influence and due to the penetration of harmful components into the blood, which reduce the tone of blood vessels and change cellular and extracellular elements.As a result of smoking, the size of the lungs becomes smaller. This entails a deterioration in blood circulation, as a result, cells experience oxygen starvation and a lack of vitamins from the blood. Under the influence of nicotine and tar, the activity of free radicals increases, which cause rapid skin aging by reducing collagen and elastin molecules, which provide the skin with firmness and elasticity. Smoking also destroys vitamin C, which is so essential for skin to look fresh and healthy.For example, research has shown that a single smoked cigarette can destroy about 25 milligrams of this essential vitamin for the skin.
Why do smokers have this skin?

• Yellowish tint.

This is due to oxygen starvation and disruption of the liver, which cannot cope with the removal of harmful substances and carcinogens that enter the body with tobacco smoke.

• The leather has a grayish tint.

The body and skin experience oxygen deprivation due to vasoconstriction and poor circulation caused by smoking.They are formed as a result of specific facial expressions when smoking. Due to the narrowing of the capillaries, the skin lacks moisture, vitamins and microelements. Harmful substances in cigarette smoke destroy elastin and collagen fibers.

• Hardened Leather.

This is a protective reaction of the skin, its attempts to reduce permeability to reduce the penetration of harmful substances.

• Vascular mesh on the skin.

This is how the changes in blood vessels are manifested under the influence of nicotine.

• Comedones (black dots).

The appearance of black spots on the skin can be explained by the clogging of the pores with tobacco smoke and its derivatives.

• Acne scars.

Due to constant oxygen starvation and insufficient supply of nutrients, skin regeneration occurs slowly and often scar tissue forms instead of normal tissue.

• Increased sensitivity to sun rays.

Strong oxidative processes occur in the skin of smokers, which can trigger the aging mechanism of the skin after just five minutes of exposure to the sun.Smoking and beautiful skin are incompatible things. If you smoke, then perhaps after reading the above, you will want to give up this addiction. And believe me: after quitting smoking, your skin condition will become noticeably better and she will say “thank you” to you.

Links to official sites

90,000 How does the skin change after quitting smoking

Is there a chance to regain natural beauty by quitting smoking?

After you quit smoking, your body begins a large-scale “cleansing” and a number of regenerative processes that affect all organs and systems – including the skin.

Every smoker has heard that addiction to cigarettes is bad for your appearance. But unfortunately, the person himself is not able to notice these changes – they appear gradually, and the impression is created that “it has always been this way”.

However, those around them (by the way, not for the better) are more noticeable. If you meet a childhood friend whom you haven’t seen for several years, he will notice at first glance that you look much worse. Youth, freshness, natural radiance go away, giving way to a painful grayish-yellowish color, dryness, flabbiness and wrinkles.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

The skin takes the most powerful blow, because the destructive habit “hits” it not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Whenever a person goes out for a smoke break, cigarette smoke (including secondary smoke containing more than 4 thousand toxic chemicals and compounds) is constantly in contact with the body. This is most noticeable on the skin of the fingers with which you hold the cigarette – characteristic yellow-brown spots form on them.

The negative effect also occurs at the internal level: nicotine activates in smokers a gene responsible for the production of an enzyme that destroys collagen – a protein responsible for the strength and elasticity of the skin. In order to preserve collagen, vitamins C and E are needed, but the same nicotine interferes with their normal absorption. As a result, sagging skin and wrinkles in smokers can appear 10-20 years earlier than nature intended.

But that’s not all.

Smoking constricts blood vessels. Absolutely everything, including small capillaries, which are responsible for the delivery of blood to all tissues. At the same time, the content of oxygen and nutrients in the blood decreases, skin cells are in a state of constant starvation.

Regeneration processes are impaired – for example, the width of the scar after laparoscopy in smokers is on average 7 mm, while in non-smoking women it is only 3 mm.

Realizing what colossal harm the addiction to cigarettes in appearance causes, many are interested in how the human skin behaves after the final quitting smoking.Will it start to recover, or is it already impossible to change anything? How long does this process take, and is there any hope of regaining natural beauty?

SKIN RESTORATION AFTER QUITTING SMOKING – NOT FAST BUT SIGNIFICANT

Fortunately, the human body is an amazing mechanism that always tries to get rid of all unnecessary things and heal itself. Therefore, within 2-3 weeks after quitting smoking, you will notice significant changes in appearance, and after 6 weeks, the skin of the face and body will recover almost completely:

• collagen and elastin fibers will stop breaking down, and therefore the skin surface will become much softer and more elastic;
• the painful pale complexion with a yellowish or gray tint will disappear – in the mirror you will find ruddy cheeks and a natural even tone;
• cellulite on the thighs and buttocks will become almost invisible;
• you will forget about constant irritations and pimples;
• small wrinkles will be almost completely smoothed out, and large ones will become less noticeable.

It is worth emphasizing that how quickly these changes will occur, and what the final result will be, depends on many factors. First of all, this is, of course, genetics – if you are prone to early appearance of wrinkles or dryness on their own, then the skin will not become perfectly smooth. It also matters what lifestyle you lead, what you eat and drink – fast food, chips, crackers and canned foods also do not have a very good effect on the skin, and therefore, if you are not averse to feasting on something like that, radical changes in appearance may not happen.

Still, quitting smoking is a huge step towards beauty and youth, because you will eliminate one of the most destructive factors. This means that positive changes, even minimal ones, will nevertheless begin to occur. If you don’t believe me, take a picture now and in a few weeks and see how much you have changed. We promise – the result will pleasantly surprise you!

FACE SKIN AFTER QUITING SMOKING. HOW CAN I SPEED UP THE REGENERATION PROCESSES?

You need to understand that new cells are formed in the inner layers.And until those of them that were born under the conditions of a nicotine attack come to the surface and live for some time, new ones will remain inside.

The most common skincare procedures will help speed up skin regeneration:

• peeling – it is best to use natural masks and scrubs made from fresh ingredients;
• massage;
• washing with cool water, green tea or mineral water mixed with citrus juice;
• Nutrition with a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals.

After quitting smoking, the body needs some time to eliminate nicotine from metabolism and reorganize to a new mode of work. Therefore, in the first 2-3 weeks, the skin condition may worsen: it will begin to peel off, rashes and pimples, dryness, and a feeling of tightness will appear. Do not worry: this is absolutely normal, and most importantly – a temporary phenomenon. Wait only 1-1.5 months – and you yourself will admire that healthy, radiant freshness and joy person who smiles from the mirror!

A source
90,000 What happens to the body over time if you quit smoking

Smoking is a harmful and life-threatening habit.
Photo: pixabay.com

Just an hour after the last cigarette you smoked, the health benefits will be visible and continue to improve every day.

When a person gives up cigarettes, his body immediately begins to recover in a natural way. The sooner you quit smoking, the faster you can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, lung disease and other unpleasant consequences of this addiction.

This is what happens in time to the body of a person who quits smoking:

• 1 hour Within 20 minutes after the last cigarette, the heart rate decreases and returns to normal. Blood pressure begins to drop and blood circulation improves.

• 12 hours. The body is cleared of excess carbon monoxide, which is contained in cigarettes, the level of oxygen in the body rises.

• 1 day. Blood pressure returns to normal and the risk of heart disease decreases. During this time, the oxygen level rises, which facilitates physical activity.

• 2 days. A heightened sense of smell and more intense taste can be noticed as the receptors responsible for these sensations heal.

• 3 days. Nicotine levels in the body are depleted, which can make most people irritable.

• 1 month. Lung function begins to improve, coughing and shortness of breath less. Endurance increases.

• 1-3 months. Blood circulation continues to improve over the next few months after quitting smoking.

• 9 months. Former smokers notice a decrease in the frequency of lung infections and colds.

• 1 year. The risk of coronary heart disease is halved and continues to decrease every year.

• 5 years. Arteries and blood vessels begin to dilate, which reduces the risk of stroke, and this effect is observed over the next 10 years.

• 10 years. The chances of getting lung cancer are about half. Reduces the risk of mouth, throat or pancreatic cancer.

• 15 years old. The likelihood of developing coronary heart disease and pancreatic cancer is comparable to the risk of non-smokers.

• 20 years old. The risk of death from causes associated with smoking, including lung disease and cancer, is reduced to that of a person who has never smoked.

Earlier, “Kubanskie Novosti” told how to clear the lungs after smoking.

90,000 Just think, smoking … Well, what does the skin and wrinkles have to do with it? | HEALTH

I noticed that a smoking colleague has so many wrinkles, although she is not yet 40 years old. It would seem that these are not lungs or bronchi, but skin.What does smoking have to do with it? Yes, I heard that nicotine affects all human systems and organs, but I considered it anti-tobacco propaganda.

N. Kuzina, Ulyanovsk

As for the effect of nicotine on the skin, everything is obvious, I am convinced Olga Vedyanova, a freelance psychiatrist-narcologist of the regional Ministry of Health, .

Where did the elasticity go?

Smoking causes constriction of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow, leads to disruption of respiration and skin nutrition.In smokers, the skin gradually begins to acquire a yellowish or grayish tint. Their aging process is faster than that of non-smokers. Chemicals from tobacco smoke destroy collagen and elastin – the fibers responsible for the firmness and elasticity of the skin, so the oval of the face “floats” over time. With prolonged smoking, skin pigmentation appears. Facial expressions while smoking lead to the formation of wrinkles around the mouth.

The fact that almost all organs and systems suffer from smoking is a medical fact.It is an illusion that nicotine and other substances contained in tobacco smoke, including combustion products, can adversely affect only the respiratory system and the oral cavity. The cardiovascular, nervous, and even the genitourinary system suffers greatly from smoking. After all, the harmful substances contained in tobacco products are mainly excreted through the urinary tract. Kidney disease and bladder cancer are common among smokers. Damage to the arteries of the kidneys leads to a disease such as nephroangiosclerosis.Substances contained in tobacco smoke negatively affect the sex glands. Smoking is one of the common causes of male infertility. In women, smoking can provoke the development of adnexitis and fibrocystic mastopathy.

How long does it take?

Experts from the World Health Organization believe that after quitting smoking, the restoration of vital functions of the body is going on at a fairly rapid pace. For those who want to quit smoking, first of all, you need to form motivation, without this no plasters and pills will help.

Here are some facts to help you build it. Within 12 hours after the last cigarette smoked, the level of carbon dioxide in the blood will return to normal levels. It will take two weeks to three months for the lungs to begin to function fully. Within nine months, coughing decreases and shortness of breath disappears. A year after quitting smoking completely, the risk of developing coronary heart disease will be halved. The risk of stroke will decrease gradually, and within 5-15 years it will come to the level of a non-smoker.After 10 years, the risk of developing lung cancer is halved compared to the risk for a smoker. The risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas is also reduced.

And additional advantages after quitting smoking will be an improvement in the condition of the skin and complexion.

The material was prepared with the assistance of the Center for Medical Prevention and the Promotion of a Healthy Lifestyle

See also:

90,000 5 reasons to quit smoking!

Voluntary, deliberate refusal from cigarettes is overcoming a serious psychological barrier.When the state “I can quit” turns into the actual form “I did it”, a person begins to understand that all the problems associated with smoking cessation are completely surmountable and not as scary as it seemed before.

There are many reasons to quit smoking, there are subjective ones, there are also common for all.

The first and main is health. The dangers of nicotine and tar on the body are written even on packs of cigarettes. Smoking causes the greatest harm to the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system and, finally, is a factor provoking the appearance of cancerous tumors.Oxygen delivery to the heart muscle is severely impaired due to the blocking of blood hemoglobin by carbon monoxide from tobacco smoke. This leads to serious damage to the heart and blood vessels. Tobacco smoking is the main risk factor for respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia. Tobacco and tobacco smoke contain more than 3000 chemical compounds, more than 60 of which are carcinogenic, that is, they can damage the genetic material of a cell and cause cancer growth.

The second reason for is the health of your loved ones. Passive smoking, when a non-smoker is forced to breathe cigarette smoke, causes harm to the body no less than active smoking.

The third reason is a purely economic one. If you buy cigarettes daily or in blocks, getting used to this expense item, it seems that smoking does not significantly affect your budget. Try to calculate the amount already spent on cigarettes – in the last year, two, three.Impressive?

The fourth reason is attitude. The smoker quite deliberately changes communication with close people to communication with a cigarette. Let it be on a subconscious level, but this question “hangs” in the family of every smoker. Spending five minutes with your child (and how many of these five minutes run up in the evening), not breaking away from household chores – this is how you show respect for your loved ones, show that you really love and appreciate them.

Fifth reason – appearance.Smokers have yellow teeth and fingerpads, and sluggish and wrinkled skin. Of course, modern cosmetics help to disguise the effects of smoking. But how much money do you have to spend on whitening toothpastes, nourishing face and hand creams, and skin tightening? Yes, you can hide the consequences of smoking – if you have extra money and time.

10 Important Tips for Quitting Smoking!

Ways and motives for quitting smoking forever can be very different.But almost every thrower at first experiences some discomfort.

For those who have already made the decision to “Quit!”, There are several general recommendations that will help them survive a short, but often difficult period, immediately after quitting cigarettes without complications and as comfortably as possible:

1. For the first time give up strong … tea, coffee and alcohol
   Nicotine is a strong stimulant, and the body, after quitting smoking, will strive to get additional stimulants through coffee, tea and alcohol.Drinking in this regard is a very dangerous thing for a quit smoker. Smokers themselves notice that when they drink, self-control decreases, and cigarettes are smoked much more than usual. Alcohol disinhibits and it becomes difficult for a person to resist the temptation to smoke.
2. Say no to gluttony!
   In order not to get fat, eating up the desire to smoke, you need to limit your diet to high-calorie, fatty, sweet and flour foods. In addition, the first time you should avoid smoked, too spicy, salty and very sweet foods.“This does not mean not to pamper yourself at all, if you want, you can eat it, but a little: one pickled cucumber, a piece of sausage, but not a whole smoked fish!
3. Vitaminize yourself!
   Multivitamin preparations (containing at least vitamins A, E, C, B1 and B6) activate the process of cleansing the body of tobacco toxins. Taking these drugs is recommended for at least one month after quitting smoking.
4. Distract yourself … with gum, candy.
   An excellent distraction – chewing gum (preferably mint) for the first 7-10 days.There are homeopathic remedies designed specifically for those who quit smoking. “The meaning of homeopathy is that when you want to smoke, you take this pill instead of a cigarette. On herbs, with a bitter taste, it kind of replaces your smoking process, satisfies your oral need, ”the psychologist clarifies. In addition, in some people, such drugs can, at a reflex level, develop aversion at the thought of smoking.
5. Replace cigarette nicotine with therapeutic nicotine.
   Nicotine replacement drugs really help, and they are quite acceptable – experts say.What is nicotine replacement therapy? After stopping smoking, a person still receives minimal doses of nicotine either through the skin (patch) or through chewing gum – this helps to mitigate the symptoms of the “withdrawal syndrome”. Nicotine replacement drugs give normal results when used as maintenance therapy.
6. Breathe Deeper!
   When you feel like smoking and get irritated, try diaphragmatic breathing, a belly breathing technique. You can read about this technique on the Internet or learn it from a specialist.There is nothing complicated in it – it is a simple and accessible method of relaxation, an element of meditation, familiar to everyone who practices yoga or martial arts.
7. Help yourself to calm down
   If irritation still takes over you, and deep breathing does not help – try the most harmless sedatives – soothing herbal teas.
8. Get enough sleep and move!
   When you quit smoking and start a new life, you need to take the best possible care of yourself. More movement! Winter and summer walks + sports! One loves the pool, the other loves jogging, the third loves skating, skiing or cycling.Be sure to get enough sleep, observe the daily routine and try not to overwork at work, especially the first days after quitting cigarettes.
9. Leave no escape route for yourself!
   From the apartment, from the car, from your bag and from the workplace, remove absolutely all items related to tobacco: lighters, ashtrays, cigarette cases, packs of cigarettes and others like them. Don’t leave any stash! If you have a gas stove in the kitchen, then instead of a lighter it is better to use matches so that nothing reminds of an old habit.
10. Make the space around you a smoking-free zone
    At first, it is very important to be in smoking companies less often – endure at least 10 days without parties and intimate meetings, where people drink and smoke alcohol with a cigarette. Don’t provoke yourself!
    At work, if colleagues go for a smoke break – go the other way: to the buffet – drink tea or have a snack with an apple, call a friend, in the warm season – just go out to breathe – not into the smoking room, but into the street!
    Tell all your relatives, friends and relatives that you are quitting, and ask them not to smoke in your presence – do not hesitate, you have every right to do so! The only thing that should not be done is to zealously and aggressively agitate everyone around to get rid of the bad habit together with you – this will only cause protest and irritation, leave it to people their right to choose!
    For those who feel that they cannot cope alone, who need help and support to quit smoking, they can turn to specialists.

90,000 More than 100 reasons to quit smoking – Gazeta.uz

Tobacco kills more than 8 million people every year. After the emergence of evidence that smokers are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 than non-smokers, millions of people have made the decision to quit smoking.

“The benefits of quitting tobacco are felt almost immediately. Within 20 minutes after stopping smoking, the heart rate decreases. Within 12 hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood decreases to normal.Within 2-12 weeks, blood circulation improves and lung function normalizes, ”according to the website of the World Health Organization.

“Cough and shortness of breath decrease within 1-9 months. Within 5-15 years, the risk of stroke decreases to the level of risk in a non-smoker. Within 10 years, the risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of people who smoke. Within 15 years, the risk of cardiovascular disease is reduced to the level of risk in a non-smoker. If that’s not enough, here are some more reasons! “- lists the WHO.

More than 100 reasons to quit smoking

1. People who smoke have a higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.

Tobacco negatively affects your appearance

2. Everything is saturated with an unpleasant odor: your skin, clothes, fingers and breath, your whole house.

3. Tobacco causes yellowing of teeth and plaque formation.

4. Smoking tobacco and use of smokeless tobacco products cause bad breath.

5. Tobacco contributes to the appearance of wrinkles, which makes you look older than your age. Smoking leads to premature aging of the skin, promoting the breakdown of proteins that give the skin its elasticity, disrupting blood circulation and reducing the level of vitamin A.

6. Such wrinkles are most noticeable around the lips and eyes. Tobacco also makes the skin rough and dry.

7. Smoking tobacco increases the risk of psoriasis, a non-infectious inflammatory skin condition in which itchy red patches appear all over the body.

Smoking harms not only your health, but also the health of your friends and family

8. Every year more than 1 million people die from secondhand smoke.

9. Non-smokers who are exposed to tobacco through secondhand smoke have a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

10. Cigarettes remain a common cause of accidental fires and related deaths.

11. Electronic cigarettes also expose the people around them to nicotine and other harmful chemicals.

12. Exposure to tobacco smoke from secondhand smoke may increase the risk of progression to active tuberculosis.

13. People with type 2 diabetes are more exposed to tobacco smoke from secondhand smoke.

Children who smoke or use e-cigarettes endanger their health and safety

14. Child smokers often have decreased lung function, resulting in chronic respiratory infections in adulthood.

15. Exposure to e-liquid is a serious health risk for children. There is a risk of leaking devices and children swallowing liquid.

16. Cases of injury, including burns, have been reported from fire and explosion of electronic cigarettes.

17. School-aged children exposed to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke from secondhand smoke also have a higher risk of developing asthma from airway inflammation.

18.Children under 2 years of age who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home can develop middle ear inflammation, which can result in hearing loss and deafness.

19. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of many diseases associated with secondhand smoke in children, such as respiratory diseases (eg asthma) and otitis media.

Tobacco use has negative social consequences

20. You want to be a good example for your children, friends and loved ones.

21. Tobacco use can adversely affect social interactions and relationships.

22. Quitting smoking means no restrictions – you can freely be in society without having to step aside or go outside to smoke.

23. Quitting smoking can increase your productivity – you don’t have to break away to smoke.

Smoking comes with financial costs – you could spend money on more important things

24.One study found that smokers spend an average of US $ 1.4 million, which includes the cost of buying cigarettes, health and drug costs, and lower wages associated with smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

25. Tobacco use affects the health and productivity of workers, increasing the likelihood of missing work.

26. Tobacco use contributes to poverty as households have to spend money on tobacco instead of basic needs such as food and shelter.

27. Tobacco use places an additional burden on the global economy of about US $ 1.4 trillion in health care costs to treat tobacco-related illnesses and labor losses from tobacco-related illness and death.

Smoking has a negative effect on fertility

28. People who smoke are more likely to suffer from infertility. Quitting smoking means eliminating one of the risk factors associated with problems with pregnancy, premature birth, low birth weight and miscarriages.

29. Smoking can cause erectile dysfunction. Smoking restricts blood flow to the penis, which interferes with erections. Erectile dysfunction is more common in smokers and is more likely to persist or become permanent if a man does not quit smoking at a young age.

30. Smoking also negatively affects sperm count, motility and shape in men.

All types of tobacco products are deadly

31.More than 8 million people die from tobacco use each year.

32. Tobacco kills half of its users. The use of any kind of tobacco products impairs your health and causes serious illness.

33. Hookah smoking is just as harmful as other ways of using tobacco.

34. Chewing tobacco can cause oral cancer, tooth loss, darkening of tooth enamel, white spots on the gums and periodontitis.

35. When using smokeless tobacco products, the nicotine contained in them is absorbed faster than when smoking cigarettes, which causes more rapid addiction to it.

By buying tobacco, you are providing financial support to an industry that exploits farmers and children and contributes to an increase in morbidity and mortality

36. Tobacco farmers often suffer from various diseases due to exposure to nicotine, which is absorbed through the skin. as well as pesticides and tobacco dust.

37. In some countries, children are involved in tobacco growing, which affects not only their health but also their ability to attend school.

38. Tobacco use can exacerbate poverty, as tobacco users are at a much higher risk of cancer and associated premature death, heart attack, respiratory or other diseases, for which tobacco use is a risk factor, depriving families of much needed income and requiring additional medical costs.

39. The vast majority of people in the tobacco sector generally earn very little, while the large tobacco companies make huge profits.

Heated tobacco products are harmful to health

40. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) expose consumers to toxic emissions, many of which can cause cancer.

41. Heated tobacco products are inherently tobacco products, so switching from conventional tobacco products to HTP does not mean quitting smoking.

42. There is insufficient evidence to support the claim that heated tobacco products (HTP) are less harmful than conventional cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are harmful and unsafe

43. Children and adolescents who use e-cigarettes are at least twice as likely to smoke in adulthood.

44. The use of e-cigarettes increases the risk of cardiovascular and lung disease.

45. The nicotine in e-cigarettes is highly addictive and can harm the developing brains of children.

Tobacco use, especially smoking, prevents us from breathing deeply

46.Tobacco use is responsible for 25% of all cancer deaths worldwide.

47. People who smoke are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer in their lifetime than non-smokers. Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and more than two thirds of lung cancer deaths worldwide.

48. One in five tobacco smokers will develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during their lifetime, especially in those who start smoking in childhood and adolescence, because tobacco smoke significantly slows down the growth and development of the lungs.

49. Smoking can exacerbate asthma in adults by limiting their activity, contributing to disability and increasing the risk of severe acute asthma attacks.

50. Tobacco smoking more than doubles the risk of transition of tuberculosis from latent to active form and worsens the natural course of the disease. About a quarter of the world’s population suffers from latent tuberculosis.

Tobacco kills the heart

51. Smoking just a few cigarettes a day or occasional or secondhand smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

52. People who smoke have twice the risk of stroke and four times the risk of cardiovascular disease.

53. Tobacco smoke damages the arteries of the heart, causing plaque and blood clots, thereby restricting blood flow and ultimately leading to heart attacks and strokes.

54. The use of nicotine and tobacco products increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Tobacco causes more than 20 cancers

55. Tobacco smoking and use of smokeless tobacco products cause cancer of the mouth, lips, throat (pharynx and larynx) and esophagus.

56. Surgical removal of a cancerous larynx may result in the need for a tracheostomy — creating an opening in the neck and trachea that allows the patient to breathe.

57. People who smoke are at a significantly higher risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia, sinus cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney, liver, pancreas, stomach, ovarian, and lower urinary tract (including bladder, ureter and renal pelvis) cancers.

58.Several studies have also shown a link between tobacco smoking and an increased risk of breast cancer, especially among those who smoke a lot and women who start smoking before their first pregnancy.

59. Smoking is also known to increase the risk of cervical cancer in women infected with human papillomavirus.

People who smoke are more likely to lose sight and hearing

60. Smoking causes many eye diseases that, if left untreated, can lead to permanent loss of vision.

61. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop age-related macular degeneration, a condition that leads to permanent loss of vision.

62. People who smoke also have a higher risk of developing cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye that interferes with the light’s transmission of the eye. Cataracts cause visual impairment, in which case surgery is the only way to restore vision.

63. There is some evidence that smoking also causes glaucoma, a condition in which intraocular pressure increases and vision may deteriorate.

64. Adult smokers are more likely to suffer from hearing loss.

Tobacco damages almost every organ of the body

65. Those who smoke tobacco all their lives, on average, lose at least 10 years of life.

66. With every puff of a cigarette, toxins and carcinogens enter the body. At least 70 chemicals cause cancer.

67. Smokers have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

68. Smoking is a risk factor for the development of dementia, a group of disorders manifested by decreased mental capacity and impaired brain function.

69. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and approximately 14% of Alzheimer’s cases worldwide can be attributed to smoking.

70. Women who smoke are more likely to experience painful periods and more severe symptoms of menopause.

71. For women who smoke, menopause occurs 1–4 years earlier because smoking has a negative effect on the formation of eggs in the ovaries, which leads to loss of reproductive function and a subsequent decrease in estrogen levels.

72. Tobacco smoke impairs the supply of oxygen to body tissues.

73. Tobacco use restricts blood flow, which, if untreated, can lead to gangrene (death of body tissue) and the need to amputate the affected areas.

74. Tobacco use increases the risk of periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums (the affected gums sink over time, exposing the neck of the tooth) and destroys bone tissue, leading to tooth loss.

75. Smokers have a significantly higher risk of postoperative complications than nonsmokers.

76. In smokers, the process of weaning from mechanical ventilation is more difficult. This often leads to longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in the hospital in general, potentially putting them at risk of contracting other infections.

77. People who smoke are more likely to develop gastrointestinal problems such as stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease with abdominal cramps, persistent diarrhea, fever and rectal bleeding, and gastrointestinal cancer.

78. Smokers are more prone to decreased bone density, bone fractures and serious complications such as slow bone healing at the fracture site or no union.

79. Components of tobacco smoke weaken the immune system, putting people who smoke at risk of lung infections.

80. Smokers with a genetic predisposition to autoimmune diseases have a higher risk of developing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, bacterial meningitis, postoperative infections and cancer.

81. Smoking also puts people with weakened immune systems, such as those with cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis or cancer, at a higher risk of comorbidities and premature death.

82. The suppressive effect of tobacco on immunity puts HIV-infected people at an increased risk of developing AIDS. Among HIV-positive smokers, the average number of years of life lost is 12.3 years. This figure is more than double that of HIV-positive nonsmokers.

Tobacco and nicotine harm your baby

83. Tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of fetal death.

84. Women who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of miscarriage.

85. Stillbirth (the birth of a fetus that has died in the womb) is also common due to fetal hypoxia and placental abnormalities caused by exposure to carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke and nicotine in tobacco smoke and smokeless tobacco products.

86. People who smoke are at a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, a potentially fatal complication for the mother, in which a fertilized egg attaches outside the uterine cavity.

87. Quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke from secondhand smoke is especially important for women of reproductive age who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

88. The use of e-cigarettes poses a significant risk to pregnant women as it can harm the growing fetus.

89. Women who smoke, use smokeless tobacco products or are exposed to secondhand smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of preterm birth and low birth weight babies.

Tobacco pollutes the environment

90. Cleaning up tobacco waste is paid by governments and local authorities, not by the tobacco companies themselves. Stop smoking to protect the environment.

91. Cigarette butts are among the most frequently dumped waste in the world and are the most frequent waste collected on beaches and water’s edge worldwide.

92. Hazardous substances have been found in cigarette butts, including arsenic, lead, nicotine and formaldehyde. These substances from discarded cigarette butts enter the aquatic environment and soil.

93. Tobacco smoke can increase urban air pollution.

94. Most cigarettes are lit with matches or gas lighters. For example, if it takes one wooden match to light one or two cigarettes, the six trillion cigarettes smoked worldwide each year would require the destruction of about nine million trees to produce three trillion matches.

94. Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products may contain batteries that require special disposal, as well as chemicals, packaging and other non-biodegradable materials.

96. Currently, most plastic e-cigarette cartridges are not reusable or recyclable – multinational companies tend to sell disposable cartridges, presumably to increase sales by attracting loyal customers.

97. Emissions from tobacco production are equivalent to 3 million transatlantic flights.

98. Tobacco smoke contains three types of greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides – and pollutes the indoor and outdoor environment.

99. Worldwide, about 200 thousand hectares of land are used annually for growing and processing tobacco.

100. Deforestation to increase agricultural land for tobacco has many serious environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss, soil erosion and degradation, water pollution and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.

101. Tobacco growing generally requires the use of significant amounts of chemicals, including pesticides, fertilizers and growth regulators. These chemicals can enter drinking water sources from melt and rainwater runoff in tobacco-growing areas.

102. For every 300 cigarettes produced (approximately 1.5 blocks), one tree is required to just dry the tobacco leaves.

103. The 6 trillion cigarettes produced annually require about 300 billion packs (assuming 20 cigarettes per pack).Assuming that each empty package weighs about six grams, that’s about 1.8 million tons of waste, consisting of paper, ink, cellophane, foil and glue. Together with the waste, consisting of films and cardboard boxes, which are used as packaging and transport containers, the total annual volume of solid waste is at least 2 million tons.

90,000 One day without tobacco

The word tobacco is of Indian origin. “Tobacco” – this is the name of this plant of the family Solanaceae, which contains nicotine in the Arawak language.

How does nicotine work?

Nicotine is a hygroscopic, oily liquid with a bitter taste obtained from tobacco leaves.

Once in the body, nicotine quickly spreads through the blood and reaches the brain within 7 seconds. In this case, the body will need more than 2 hours to eliminate nicotine.

Is nicotine really harmful to the body?

The positive properties of nicotine include:

• Improving mental performance and accelerating the processing of information by the brain
• The main product of the conversion of nicotine in the body – cotinine – improves memory and helps in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases;
• Prevention of memory loss in old age;
• decreased appetite, increased metabolism;
• help in the treatment of chronic intestinal inflammation;
• A nicotine derivative – vitamin B3, also known as vitamin PP, is used to lower the level of “bad” cholesterol, stimulate the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow, accelerate the healing of ulcers and wounds, etc.p.
• entering the brain, nicotine generates an adrenaline rush, an increase in the concentration of dopamine (a hormone that causes a feeling of satisfaction), increases human activity.

But all this is true only if nicotine is not used for a long time and in large quantities. Otherwise, physical and mental dependence on him gradually forms.

Why quit smoking?

In the overwhelming majority of cases, nicotine enters the human body through smoking cigarettes.Why, then, despite the benefits of nicotine, smoking is a bad habit?

The thing is that cigarette smoke generated from the combustion of tobacco, cigarette paper and substances released by the filter under the influence of high temperature contains a number of chemical compounds. Most of them are poisonous.

Effects of tobacco smoke on the human body

Facial skin

The primary task of the skin is to protect the body as a whole.It also plays an important role in regulating body temperature. It is an organ of tactile sensations. Active and passive smoking affects the skin of the face. Without cigarette smoke, the skin metabolism proceeds as it should, there is no effect of premature aging, the skin of the face is clean and smooth.

Even smoking for a short period affects the skin condition. The smoker’s blood circulation worsens, there is a tendency to rashes, the skin of the face becomes thinner and drier.Skin wounds heal slowly. Over time, the skin turns gray and loses firmness. Lack of oxygen and nutrients leads to an increase in the number of wrinkles. Many smokers look significantly older than they really are.

Mouth and larynx

In addition to the fact that the mouth serves for taking and chewing food, it helps to carry out communication between people.

A non-smoker has healthier and cleaner teeth and gums, and therefore fresher breath.

A person who smokes from time to time already has discoloration of the teeth, bad breath and inflamed gums. The sense of taste is dulled.

In heavy smokers, the body’s defense system is weaker, so inflammation constantly occurs in the mouth and larynx. The gums form pockets and bacteria can easily access the inside of the gum for the bloodstream. The risk of premature tooth loss and cancer of the mouth and larynx increases.

Light

The task of the lungs is to deliver oxygen to the body and remove carbon dioxide. They process thousands of liters of air per day.

Non-smokers have virtually no breathing problems both at rest and during physical exertion, such as climbing stairs. Pneumonia in such people is less common than in smokers, and recovery is faster.

But even with infrequent smoking, the bronchi narrow and a cough appears.At the same time, the body’s defense system deteriorates, a person catches colds more often and recovers more slowly. The oxygen supply to the blood also deteriorates.

The longer a person smokes, the more likely they are to develop serious lung disease and even cancer.

Heart

The heart pumps blood to various parts of the body. The number of strikes per day is over 100,000.

The heart of a non-smoker copes effectively with its task, i.e.because the combustion products of cigarettes do not interfere with the transport of oxygen.

The heart of a smoker suffers from a lack of oxygen. To cope with the stress placed on it, the heart must work harder, even when you are lying on the couch. The blood vessels and coronary arteries gradually narrow. This can lead to sudden blockages in the arteries, lack of oxygen and necrosis – or severe arrhythmias that can cause cardiac arrest.

Digestive system

The digestive system converts food into a form that is digestible for the body.And this is very important for the immunity and defense of the body.

Non-smokers usually do not experience stomach or intestinal problems. In this case, the body produces a sufficient amount of hormones that protect the stomach.

Cigarette smoke irritates the lining of the esophagus and stomach. Symptoms of stomach problems such as heartburn appear. Nicotine impairs the quality of stomach acid, blood circulation and decreases the amount of hormones that protect the stomach.

This significantly increases the risk of rectal cancer and colon cancer. There is also an increased risk of developing cancer of the throat and esophagus and Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease that is becoming more common).

Bones

The bones of the skeleton are a corset for the body and a support for muscles during movement.

If a person does not have bad habits, his bones remain strong for a long time, and their structure is dense.Calcium and vitamin D are better absorbed and nourish the skeleton. At the same time, the risk of fractures is minimal.

Smoking impairs the absorption of vitamin D and interferes with the transport of oxygen and nutrients. Bones gradually lose density, and the risk of osteoporosis and fractures from the smallest impact increases.

Reproductive system

The task of the reproductive system is to reproduce healthy offspring.

When planning a pregnancy, women often use contraception. In women who smoke, this increases the likelihood of blood clots. The sensitivity to infection increases, and the body’s defense system becomes weaker.

In general, the body becomes more susceptible to the effects of viruses and bacteria, including sexually transmitted diseases.

In men, blood flow deteriorates, which can cause erection problems and a decrease in the number and quality of sperm.

Hands and nails

The hands perform sensory, grasping and other functions.

Thanks to blood circulation, the hands have body temperature, and the nails have an even light tone.

Smoking constricts blood vessels, blood circulation in the fingers decreases, and the temperature of the fingers decreases. Tar and nicotine stain the fingertips and nails yellow.

Therefore, long-term smokers have cold hands, dark yellow fingers and nails, susceptible to fungal diseases.

Muscle

The human body is made up of muscle tissue and different types of muscles. The main task of the muscles and ligaments is to ensure human motor activity. Oxygen and nutrients are essential for the growth and development of lean body mass.

In smokers, due to vasoconstriction, the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles is impaired. As a result, a person becomes physically less resilient, and muscle injuries take much longer.

Blood vessels

Through the blood vessels, blood enters the various parts of the body. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients and helps to remove waste products from the body. The longer the blood vessels remain elastic, healthy and functional, the lower the risk of blood clots and other serious diseases.

The walls of a smoker’s arteries lose elasticity, become damaged and accumulate cholesterol.Blood clots more easily, which causes blood clots to form.

All the described facts of the harmful effects of cigarette smoke on the body should make you think about the consequences of smoking and make an attempt to give up this bad habit for at least 1 day.