Stop Smoking

Why is smoking the enemy of beauty?

Is it possible to quit smoking and regain a better look? What are the damages that smoking causes to our skin? Why consider smoking an enemy of beauty? What are the most evident consequences of smoking on our epidermis?

Smoking is a harmful and dangerous vice so much so that more and more associations are being born that help heavy smokers to find a healthier and healthier lifestyle. Smoking has devastating consequences on the skin, which affect women much more than men: they are genetically more predisposed to wrinkles; these are often caused by tanning products without adequate protection and too aggressive cosmetics that favor premature aging of the epidermis.

Quitting smoking is often a long and tortuous path that requires a radical change in both lifestyle and way of thinking. Smoking is in effect a drug addiction. This is why it is often not enough to have the willpower to quit, but detoxification paths for the body are also needed, as well as a path based on a change in attitude and mental attitude.

Harm of smoking

The damage caused by smoking affects the skin above all, so much so that smoking is considered by all dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons to be the enemy number 1 of beauty. The damage that a more or less heavy smoker causes to his body has been well known and argued for many years. A greater incidence of cardio-circulatory and respiratory problems is now known.

However, it is also better to delve into the more visible negative consequences of well-established nicotine addiction. On an aesthetic level, smoking means speeding up the skin aging process, not to mention the forms of gingivitis and the deleterious effects on nails and hair.

Effects of smoking on the skin

A heavy smoker is immediately recognized by the so-called “smokers face”, a type of face well known by dermatologists who have nicknamed it this way. When you start smoking, the color of the skin becomes paler, sometimes tending to gray, the tone begins to lose much of its elasticity and the appearance is very tired.

As we have said, the skin aging process speeds up, and wrinkles appear and begin to thicken very quickly, given the difficulty of the epidermis to hydrate and oxygenate. In addition, as you inhale the smoke, the muscles of the upper lip contract, creating the unsightly wrinkles of the smoker, also called “bar code”.

A 1969 double-blind study by Dr. Harry Daniell shows that smokers between 40 and 49 years old have the same intensity of wrinkles as non-smokers 20 years older. Furrows, marked wrinkles, the appearance of spots, or localized redness are just some of the unpleasant consequences of nicotine addiction. Smokers have also been found to have a greater propensity to various pathologies, including degeneration of vision, limitation of blood flow, or risks related to pregnancy.

Quit Smoking Benefits

Quitting smoking has countless benefits that affect every single organ and organism in the body.
The former is related to respiratory and cardiovascular activity but follows those on the rejuvenation of the skin, teeth, hair, and nails. The chances of contracting infectious and lung diseases decrease, as are the chances of suffering from heart attacks or strokes.

Fortunately, the damage to the skin caused by smoking is not irreversible. After three weeks the skin becomes smoother, more oxygenated, and elastic, the aging process of the cells slows down and the skin becomes more and more luminous.
Quitting smoking is not easy, but taking this path is a cure-all that is good for the body, mind, and health of our loved ones.

A week without smoking

It is often thought that you have to wait months, years, or even decades to see the benefits. To detoxify the body definitively, the times are not quick and immediate, but after a few minutes, the body begins self-purification processes.

After just 20 minutes, the heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels. After two hours, the nicotine begins to be eliminated from the body via the urine. After 8 hours the carbon monoxide circulating in the blood is lowered, while the quantity of oxygen increases; at 12 hours the monoxide disappears completely from the body, allowing the blood to conduct oxygen to the tissues more effectively.

After a week all the senses, in particular the taste and smell, improve; breath becomes fresher while teeth and hair are cleaners. The skin takes on a more rosy and healthier color and the sense of abstinence disappears completely.

One month without smoke

After a month, the healing process of the lung tissue begins, the cells renew themselves and the mucus begins to be expelled from the bronchi. Coughing eliminates harmful substances and significantly decreases the risk of respiratory infections, and then disappears completely. The breath increases by 30% and the ability to play sports are amplified.

Two months without smoking

After just a few months, the risk of heart disease and stroke is reduced by 50%.
After one year, the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack or stroke drops dramatically; after 6 years of quitting smoking, the risk of developing lung cancer returns to that of a non-smoker.
As months and years go by, the chances of developing pancreatic and lung cancers decrease to equal that of a person who has never smoked.