Smoking can cause facial wrinkles, deep lines, and discoloration, as well as slow wound healing and skin conditions like psoriasis and skin cancer. The effects occur due to thickened and fragmented collagen and elastic fibers, limited blood circulation, and damage from free radicals. Quitting smoking can reverse some of the effects.
Tobacco smoke from cigarettes contains many substances that can be harmful to the body. In addition to increasing the susceptibility to some diseases it can also lead to the smoker’s face, characteristic of people who smoke frequently and for many years. Facial wrinkles are more common and typically occur at a younger age, while the contours of the facial bones often become more prominent. Sometimes even the complexion is affected. The skin can also take on a discolored or grayish appearance when someone smokes for several years.
Lines and wrinkles tend to form near the lips and eyes on the smoker’s face. There are often deep lines in the cheeks that can form, as well as shallower lines in the cheek areas and lower jaw. A smoker’s face often has a more worn and rough appearance, while the skin sometimes has a leathery quality. Red, orange or purple discolorations may also occur.
The effects of smoking on the face occur because the collagen and elastic fibers that hold the skin together are often thickened and fragmented. Blood circulation is also typically affected by cigarette smoke, which can limit the oxygen reaching the skin of the face. A lack of collagen often means there is less water in the skin on the face, which generally increases wrinkles. Researchers also believe that substances called free radicals in tobacco smoke can damage the skin and that there may be even less protection against these particles when smoking.
The smoker’s face may also be characterized by wounds that heal more slowly than normal. Conditions like psoriasis on the skin all over the body and on the face are typically more common in smokers. Other conditions like skin cancer, which studies show tends to be worse than in non-smokers, are also more common. Studies indicate that most people, including children, can identify a smoker’s face in other people under the age of 70.
Research has also shown that many smokers appear older than people of the same age. The facial features of the smoker are generally found in people of different social classes, who vary in weight or who are frequently exposed to sunlight. In studies, smokers were also compared with people who drink alcohol excessively, and tobacco is generally the only substance known to produce such effects. Reversing the smoker’s face is possible for people who quit smoking; researchers believe that some of the effects may disappear after several years.
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