Quit Smoking: The Path to Beauty

Have you thought about making 2020 the year to focus on your health?

If you are a smoker, even a social one, this months blog might inspire you to think about that next step to quit……

Smoking does more than just stain your teeth. Tooth loss, premature aging and heart disease are just some of the increased risks faced by smokers.

The good news is that every day WITHOUT smoking improves your health – and your appearance. That’s got to be a great incentive – right?

Smoking and your health

Gums – Smokers are more prone to gum-disease causing bacterial plaque, which means people who smoke are more likely to experience gum disease. Smoking leads to reduced oxygen in the blood stream, reducing the ability of infected gums to heal, which worsens the gum disease and can unfortunately lead to tooth loss.

Teeth – People who smoke often find their teeth turn yellow, even after a small amount of smoking, with long-term smokers’ teeth often turning an unattractive brown. This staining is due to the nicotine and tar present in cigarettes.

Heart disease – Increased risk of heart attack and stroke, along with many types of cancer, are all linked with smoking.

Skin – Premature aging and deeper lines and wrinkles are caused by the reduced blood and oxygen supply and break-down of collagen and elastin caused by chemicals present in cigarettes. Deeper scarring due to the skin’s reduced healing ability, grey or yellow skin tone due to reduced blood flow, and smoker’s lines around the lips are all factors which affect a smoker’s appearance.

Smoking’s effect on beauty treatments

People invest lot of time and money in their appearance but often forget what is affecting the underlying foundation of the skin – their health.

Smoking, as we all know, has detrimental effects on our skin, particularly in terms of premature aging. Smoking automatically puts you on the back foot – you’re starting off in a worse position and you’re giving yourself less chance to enjoy your skincare results.

While smoking won’t instantly reverse the effects of a Anti-Wrinkle medicine treatment, it will diminish its effectiveness and reduce the life span of the treatment.

Smoking leads to deeper wrinkles on the face. Lines and wrinkles which have been treated with Anti-Wrinkle medicine will reappear more quickly if a patient continues to smoke than if they are a non-smoker. Post-treatment recovery may also take longer as healing-processes for things like bruises are slowed by smoking.

Here’s 6 signs of Tooth Decay.

Quitting: the path to beauty

Giving up smoking is tough. But there are so many terrific things that will start to happen when you do. Not only will your health and wellbeing improve but your skin treatments will be more effective and longer lasting.

Here are some of the things you stand to gain when you give cigarettes their marching orders.

Overall health: Your risk of heart attack and stroke will drop by 50% in just one year after giving up smoking. After 5 to 15 years it will be as if you never smoked – your risk will be the same as a lifelong non-smoker.

Improved skin tone: Smokers often have dry, dull and yellow or greyish skin caused by narrowed blood vessels and decreased oxygen flow. Once you quit and these processes are reversed, nutrients and oxygen will once again flow to your skin, bringing back a healthy colour.

Glowing skin: Elastin and collagen, which keep skin smooth and wrinkle-free, are destroyed by chemicals present in cigarette smoke. The loss of these fibres worsens lines and wrinkles, leading to saggy older-looking skin. After quitting, the skin’s collagen and elastin will start to renew. This coupled with improved blood and oxygen flow to skin will very quickly lead to brighter, firmer skin.

Clean teeth: The yellow or brown staining left behind by cigarette smoking can be reversed through dental treatment. Once a smoker quits and the tar and nicotine are no longer building up, the stain removal process can begin. A whiter smile is one of the best ways you can improve your beauty as you’ll instantly feel like smiling more!

At Timeless Smiles we can help you with your teeth, your mouth and your skin – we are a one stop shop. Contact us for an appointment now.

Learn about different quitting methods and how you may feel during the process. Find out about support that’s available to help you or a friend or family member, quit smoking.