As we age, so too does our skin; this is completely natural. But if you smoke, you may well be speeding up the process, and causing unnecessary damage to your skin.
For starters, our past article “The Best Anti Aging Skin Care Routine for Youthful Skin” mentioned that smoking could play a role in drying out your skin, and this is a common problem. Some of the chemicals in cigarettes are known to constrict blood vessels, which leads directly to dry skin.
Unfortunately, though, dryness is not the only skin issue that can come about as a result of a regular smoking habit. According to a study from Tanaffos, smoking is also toxic for skin cells, and the chemicals involved can cause premature wrinkles.
Additionally, the same factors that lead to dryness can cause the skin to take on a dull appearance.
Clearly, these are side effects most people will want to avoid. Because they’re part of the equation when it comes to smoking though, they ultimately provide all the more incentive to stop smoking and using tobacco products.
And while this is always easier said than done, there are some viable methods and alternatives you can try if you’d like to transition away from using tobacco.
1. The Cold-Turkey Approach
This absolute, quick-fix method to quitting smoking means an immediate cut-off –– from your last cigarette to no more ever again. There is no gradual reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day, nor is there any weaning by way of an alternative product (unless that product is one that contains no tobacco or nicotine, in which case it’s fine to use in place of your smoking habit).
While this method is possible for some smokers, many find it very difficult, with some even experiencing uncomfortable or severe withdrawal symptoms.
Particularly for people who have developed strong smoking habits over the course of many years, this is often too difficult. In fact, it can even be counter-productive, with relapses often crippling momentum, or even the desire to quit.
But the good news is, that if you can quit using this approach, your body will reap the benefits extremely quickly. In a matter of hours, you’ll have increased oxygen levels, and you can begin to recover from having been a smoker immediately.
2. Nicotine Replacement Therapy
While nicotine can be responsible for some of those skin effects, it is not as bad a culprit as tobacco. For this reason, nicotine replacement therapy, or “NRT” products, can serve as suitable options for those looking to quit smoking to benefit their skin.
You’ve likely heard about some of these options before. NRT products come in many forms, including gum, lozenges, and nasal spray, to name a few. More recently, the trendy option in line with these earlier examples has become the nicotine pouch.
Nicotine pouches are valued for their convenience, discretion, and range of available flavors, and while they’re still fairly new to the market, a post about “Is it Easy to Get Nicotine Pouches?” on Prilla notes that they’ve become widely available and easy to obtain online.
Whether for skin health or other purposes, people seeking to quit smoking are increasingly turning to this sort of option.
All of these NRT products contain nicotine and can give a would-be smoker that little “buzz” whenever they have a craving. But they do so without any tobacco, and without a range of other potentially harmful chemicals contained in cigarettes.
3. Alternative Habits
As we alluded to in the cold-turkey section, there are also other alternative habits you can try in place of smoking –– like eating healthy snacks, for instance. Some find that eating a handful of nuts or berries or popping open a bag of natural fruit snacks, can help to distract from smoking cravings.
Even simpler, some have had success with water! It’s simply something to do in lieu of lighting up, and an article at VeryWellMind states that being fully hydrated can also help you to avoid smoking withdrawal symptoms.
It may sound simplistic, but substituting healthy habits in place of smoking is at least worth an attempt. You never know what might work for you, and this might just prove to be a quick and healthy way to start reducing your smoking, and ultimately quit altogether.
It is not too late to save your precious skin from the harmful effects of smoking! Try out some of these suggestions and you’ll be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.