It’s hard to consider smoking’s effect on our lungs, for example, because we can’t see them and unless we’re in pain we tend not to think about them. What we can see though is yellow teeth and dull looking skin, and it can be a shock to see clear signs of the damage we do by smoking.
One study found that 13% of men and 21% of women said that their appearance was one of the main factors that motivated them to quit smoking. Let’s take a closer look at what smoking does to the way we look.
Smoking and teeth
Smoking stains our teeth and increases the risk of our teeth falling out due to inflammation of the gums. Smoking also leads to bad breath as chemicals found in tobacco stick around in the mouth, encouraging bacteria to grow.
Not only does smoking cause aesthetic changes, but it also makes it more likely that you’ll develop potentially life-threatening cancers of the throat, tongue, soft palate and tonsils. The good news? People who quit half their risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and oesophagus within five years.
Smoking and eyes
Smoking disrupts your sleep patterns and starves your skin of vitamins like vitamin C, which works to repair and regenerate skin cells. This is bad news for the delicate skin around your eyes and eyelids, and makes it more likely you’ll have dark circles around your eyes and under-eye bags.
Smoking doubles your chances of losing your sight, and research has found that smoking can restrict blood flow to the eyes. Tobacco smoke also irritates the eyes, making them drier and redder.
Smoking and your body type
Smoking can change how fat is distributed across the body, with smokers typically storing fat around the waist and upper torso. This makes it more likely that you’ll have a higher waist-to-hip ratio than someone who doesn’t smoke.
A higher waist-to-hip ratio is linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other health complications.
Smoking and skin
As smoking restricts blood flow, it deprives the skin of oxygen and essential nutrients, making it dry and giving it a grey, dull appearance.
The more you smoke, the more likely it is that you’ll get wrinkles. This is because smoking produces an enzyme that breaks down collagen in skin. Collagen is a type of protein that helps skin cells renew, keeping your skin from sagging and giving your skin smoothness and elasticity. Without collagen, wrinkles are likely to be deeper and happen earlier in life.
I’ve already smoked, the damage is done!
One of the main concerns we hear is that it’s too late to quit, but the truth is it’s never too late to go smoke free. Your body begins to heal itself as little as 20 minutes after you have your last cigarette and the health benefits continue the longer you stay smoke free.
Get started on your journey to a healthier, smokefree future. We’re here to help you quit for good. Just click here or text QUIT to 80011 to join for free.
