How Smoking Ages Your Skin

Smoking is the enemy of good skin health. When you smoke, the toll on your skin is extreme, and your complexion can look dull, dry, and older than your years. It can also contribute to the risk of developing skin cancer. Although your dermatologist can recommend skin care treatments to attempt to mitigate some of the damage done by smoking, you can’t completely prevent smoking from aging your skin.

Smoking ages your skin in a number of different ways, thanks to the 4,000 chemicals that are in cigarettes. When you smoke, part of the oxygen in your blood is replaced by carbon monoxide, which starves your face of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. This impact is compounded by smoking can restrict the blood supply to the face. The chemicals in cigarettes can also break down the collagen and elastin in your skin, which can lead to skin that looks thin, sallow, and lined.

If your skin makes you look older than you feel, ask your doctor for help quitting smoking and make an appointment at Swinyer-Woseth Dermatology. To talk to one of our dermatologists about anti-aging treatments, please call 801-266-8841.