People smoke for many different reasons: to relax, to comfort themselves, to feel more energy, or just because it is something to do. Despite the thousands of deaths per year caused by smoking, millions of people continue to do it, often times understanding the risks associated with it because they are emotionally or physically unable to stop. Not only does it deteriorate you on the inside though—it can greatly affect your skin. The part of you that shows the most!

If you are looking for a way to have younger, healthier looking skin, smoking is not the way to go. The two major things that keep your skin looking healthier longer are its elasticity and the level of nutrients it contains. Smoking worsens both of these factors. It saps the nutrients from the skin by narrowing blood vessels, thereby reducing blood flow and nutrient transfer. Because skin cells are not given enough oxygen, they die off quicker. Nicotine as well as the other 4000 chemicals in tobacco smoke also damages the protein fibers in your skin responsible for maintaining the skin’s youthful tautness, aging the skin at a much faster rate.

Aside from a host of other reasons to quit smoking, premature wrinkles and aging is one to worry about. Not only do the wrinkles appear early in life around the mouth from pursing the lips repeatedly, they also appear on the neck, the corners of your eyes, and inner arms. The body loses its ability to heal quickly, drying out and dehydrating the skin, resulting in premature sagging and age spots.

If you are already noticing premature wrinkles caused by smoking, it is not too late to seek help before they worsen. The sooner you quit smoking, the better!

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/smoking/AN00644