Young or old, there are a good number of reasons to quit smoking; there are an endless variety of health issues connected to the bad habit, from heart disease to lung cancer to emphysema. One little discussed, yet widespread, health condition related to smoking is acne. While many view acne as primarily a teenage plague, acne affects adults in large numbers—particularly if they are smokers.
Acne is a skin condition characterized by the blocking or inflammation of the skin’s sebaceous glands or hair follicles) resulting in blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and cysts. It occurs, primarily, on the face, upper chest and upper back; namely, the areas where the hair follicles are densest.
Acne is typically hormone fluctuations; this is why it is most common during the teenage years. However, hormone shifts can occur at any time during adulthood and acne can also be brought on by environmental factors, including skin products, food and, relevant to our interests, cigarettes.
The British Journal of Dermatology published a study which stated that 42% of female smokers struggle with acne whereas only 10% of non-smokers struggle with symptoms like oily skin, pimples and blackheads. Furthermore, research has shown that smoking causes a very particular kind of acne: while smoking doesn’t always lead to cysts and inflamed red whiteheads, it certainly causes the surface area of the skin to be covered in bumpy blackheads and an oily sheen.
Acne is a condition that contributes to low self-esteem and general discomfort; it surely doesn’t allow people to feel comfortable in their own skin. Therefore, quitting smoking is the only way to steer clear of smoking induced acne. If you are ready to take this step—ready to quit smoking—then make sure you are well prepared by researching smoking cessation methods. Our recommendation would be that you check out quit smoking hypnosis –a surefire way to keep you away from cigarettes for good.
There is no other way to say it: acne is a major bummer, a major bummer exaggerated by smoking. If you are a smoker and have a strong desire to get your acne under control then take the time to contact us or get involved in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter. We’d love to hear you out and help you out!
References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/95174-smoking-make-acne-worse/