The effects of cigarette smoke on your skin

Dr. A. Geronimo Jones, Dermatologist

The effects of smoking in the skin are significant. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, 60 of these are carcinogens (cancer causing).

Smoking means exposing oneself to chemicals such as:

·  hydrogen cyanide

·  butane, nicotine

·  carbolic acid, ammonia

·  other harmful chemicals

As these substances are inhaled, these toxins reduce blood circulation by narrowing the blood vessels in the outer layer of the skin. Smoking causes premature facial wrinkling through vasoconstriction of the capillaries of the face (vasoconstriction decreases the flow of oxygen, vitamins, and nutrients to facial skin cells).

The effect of this reduced blood flow is visible in:

·  deep crow’s feet radiating from the corners of the eyes

·  darkening of the lips

·  pale, grayish, wrinkled skin on the cheeks

Dr. A. Geronimo Jones Dermatologist