How Smoking Cigarettes Damages your Looks

The long-term health effects of smoking cigarettes have been known for years. But, have you ever thought about how this bad habit could affect your looks? Years of smoking can take a toll on your hair, skin, and nails. Dr. B. Aviva Preminger, a plastic surgeon in New York City, wants you to know how smoking cigarettes may damage your looks.

Dark circles under eyes

Smoking leads to dark circles forming under the eyes. Researchers have determined that smokers tend not to sleep as soundly as non-smokers. Because of more frequent sleep interruptions, less sleep leads to these noticeable dark under-eye circles.

Increased risk of psoriasis

Not all psoriasis is linked to smoking cigarettes; even nonsmokers develop this skin condition. However, smoking cigarettes does, in fact, increase your risk of psoriasis, and the more you smoke, and for a longer period of time, the higher your risk. Smoking a pack a day increases your risk by as much as 20%, while smoking at this rate for more than 11 years increases your risk by 60%, according to research.

Yellow teeth

This effect isn’t as surprising and is one of the most noticeable. Yellow or dingy looking teeth are inevitable when you smoke. But that is not all! Smoking also increases your risk of developing gum disease, which leads to gum recession, loose teeth, or teeth that become so loose that they have to be extracted.

Dull looking skin

Since smoking depletes the body’s vital nutrients including vitamin C, which helps repair and protect skin that is damaged, it causes the skin to become dull, gray, and lackluster. How this works is the nicotine in cigarettes slows blood flow, and throws off the oxygen levels in the body causing the skin to become discolored.

More likely to develop stretch marks

Stretch marks can happen to anyone who gains or loses weight at a rapid rate, but smokers are more likely to develop stretch marks. Since nicotine damages the skin by breaking down connective tissue and skin fibers, it weakens the skin and its elasticity. Therefore, the skin isn’t able to remain taut as your weight changes, leading to those silvery lines or stretch marks.

Aging skin

Smoking is known to lead to fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth due to constantly puckering to puff on cigarettes. Nicotine is known to weaken the skin, leading to more wrinkles on the neck, chest, face, and around the eyes. Researchers found that on average smokers looked about two years older.

Plastic Surgeon in Manhattan

If you would like to learn about ways to reverse signs of aging, please contact Preminger Plastic Surgery by calling 212-706-1900. Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, Preminger Plastic Surgery is a boutique practice dedicated to serving all of your aesthetic plastic surgery needs. Dr. B. Aviva Preminger’s goal with all of her patients is to provide a truly individualized treatment plan that reflects your personal cosmetic surgery goals.