Second-hand Smoke and Your Skin

My boyfriend is a smoker and believe me, it bothers me. He tried to quit on multiple occasions but always falls back into the same routine and while it is his life, it does affect mine. I'm sure we've all heard about second-hand smoking and how dangerous it can be for our health. I know it causes premature wrinkles and can make your skin look dull, but I wanted to take it one step further and learn the biology (sort of) behind how smoking damages the skin.

Ever go clubbing and come back smelling like a pack of cigarettes? Smoke sticks to your clothing, hair and even skin and sometimes the smell takes a good couple washes before it's finally gone. And if it sticks that badly to hair and clothing, imagine the abuse our skin is taking.

Cigarettes are made up of over four thousand chemicals. One main poison that is used is formaldehyde, an adhesive that can be found in our everyday house-cleaning products. When formaldehyde is released into the air and is absorbed by our skin, it can cause skin rashes, promote scarring and make your skin smell (as noted above). Note: I will never overdose on cleaning products again.

Smoke damages the surface of your skin by changing the way skin cells move - it slows down the healing process. I've read somewhere that there is a certain amount of days when we can help promote skin healing and reduce the scar intensity before it leaves a deep scar. If the healing process slows down, the amount of healing days will be reduced and your skin is more susceptible to deep scars that will take longer to fade away.

Smoke also breaks down collagen and elastin (which are fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity) and does not allow blood vessels to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to the skin's surface. This will therefore create premature wrinkles and a dull looking complexion. In a nut shell, oxygen helps cleanse the body and if the amount of oxygen is reduced, more filth will remain in your body.

And while I'll keep pushing my boyfriend to stop smoking, know that there is no glamour in smoking. No one wants to look ten years older than they really are.