Smoking and Skin Health

Posted by Kanika Kumari on January 21st, 2022

Skin Specialist in Bangalore, Dr. Rasya Dixit often recommends their patients to quit smoking cigarettes as it is injurious to their health. It is known for many years that smoking can cause lung and heart disease and cancer, but less is talked about its impact on skin health. Although much more research is being done in this area, the toxins present in the cigarettes are thought to be associated with premature aging of the skin, delayed wound healing, worsening of already existing skin concerns, and other skin conditions like psoriasis and skin cancer.

This article covers how skin health is affected by smoking. If you are a smoker and notice that your skin is being affected, one can consult Dr. Rasya Dixit, dermatologist in Bangalore who can help manage the symptoms and provide one with the resources to quit smoking. Mostly, with smoking cessation, the skin starts to heal itself.

Smoking adds years to one’s looks and impairs the wound healing ability:

Cigarettes contain nicotine that causes constriction of blood vessels. As a result, the skin does not receive proper blood supply which means there is insufficient flow of oxygen and nutrients to the skin. This decreases the healing ability of the skin after any injury. Moreover, cigarettes contain thousands of chemicals that can damage collagen and elastin fibres, the skin structural proteins that keep the skin strong and elastic. Hence, the skin appears dry, coarse, wrinkled, unevenly toned, and dull, all of which are the signs of premature skin ageing.

Smoking leads to skin pigmentation

Smoking can result in dark spots as nicotine and tar present in cigarettes can increase melanin (skin-colored pigment) in the skin.

Smoking poses risk for the development of various skin concerns

• Psoriasis:It is a prolonged inflammatory skin condition associated with scaly and itchy patches. In light-complexioned people, the patches appear  red or pink with silvery scales while in dark skin tones, psoriasis appears as dark brown or violet with grey scales. Smoking can trigger psoriasis as it is an immune-mediated skin condition. The nicotine present in cigarettes can affect the immune system, skin cell growth, and skin inflammation, all of them being the contributing factors for psoriasis development.
• Vasculitis (such as Buerger’s disease): It is an autoimmune skin condition wherein the blood vessels become inflamed and narrowed.
• Acne Inversa (medically referred to as Hidradenitis suppurativa): It is a common skin inflammatory disease wherein acne lesions develop in body parts with frequently rubbed skin surfaces (i.e. body folds) such as groins, armpits, and under the breasts. A research study talks about smoking to be the biggest environmental risk factor for the development of this skin condition.
• Eczema: Atopic dermatitis (a most common form of eczema) and hand eczema can be triggered by smoking. These are conditions wherein there is the formation of dry, itchy patches of skin. It can also be caused to people who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
• Palmar Telangiectasia (spider veins): It is a condition wherein the veins dilate or widen causing damage to capillary walls and appearing on the skin has permanent purple blotches. This specifically occurs on the palms of the hand due to holding and smoking cigarettes containing nicotine.
  
  

Smoking can cause skin cancer

Cigarette smoke contains over 70 carcinogens, the chemicals known to cause cancer. Smoking tobacco can result in a greater risk of developing a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. This cancer may appear as rough or scaly lesions, open sores, wart-like growths which can be brown or red, and raised lumps on the skin. Talk with the dermatologist, if one witnesses any of these or any other irregularities in the skin texture.

Smoking can make the symptoms worse

If the patient is already suffering from medical conditions like vascular skin conditions (rosacea), systemic lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease, and oral conditions (cold sores).

Dr. Rasya Dixit, Cosmetic Dermatologist in Bangalore also provides advanced treatment to manage skin cosmetic concerns. To know more, schedule an appointment today at dr.it Cosmetic Dermatology Clinic, best skin clinic in Bangalore, India.