Smoking and Aging

by Sophia
(Davenport, CA)

We probably have all heard about the health risks associated with smoking. However, It came to my knowledge recently that smoking might also affect the appearance of facial skin and could result in rapid aging as well as the early development of wrinkles.

I was curious to learn more about the subject and how to best remedy a skin that has been ravaged by the effects of smoking be it first hand smoking, or second hand smoking? Are there any special considerations or treatments that you could suggest?

Obviously, quitting smoking would be a necessary essential first step in the right direction for those who do smoke. But what if smoke inhalation was unavoidable as is the case in second hand smoking?

When not just one but also many in your immediate environment smoke and would not consider quitting?

Please advise and thanks in advance for your help.

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Sep 21, 2009
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Smoking and Aging.....
by: George Parigian Jr.

Hi Sophia,

This is a most interesting question you have asked. Thank you!

Smoking affects the skin in several ways. First when the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke combines with the hemoglobin in your blood.

It lowers the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry, creating a condition called hypoxia, which starves your tissues for oxygen, and is detrimental to your skin.

Cigarette smoke produces free radicals when inhaled, and I am sure that you get some degree of that with second hand smoke. Free radicals accelerate skin aging.

The best thing you could do is to get the person or persons in your immediate environment to quit. If that is not possible then here are some suggestions to protect yourself from the effects of second hand smoke.

1) Buy yourself a good air filtration unit that will take some of the airborne pollutants out of the air in your home or apartment. You can refer to this website for some good info on air filtration units:

Home Air Purifier Expert

2) Use a good multi-vitamin and antioxidant product on a daily basis

3) Protect your skin from excess sun exposure and other damaging environmental conditions

4) Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink an adequate amount of pure clean water each day.

5) Make every effort through nutrition and supplementation to increase the amount of oxygen in your blood to help maintain the health of your body in general and your skin in particular.

Reversing damage already done to your skin is another matter altogether.

I believe that since chemical ?cross-linking? is responsible for the damage to skin that comes from smoke, then chemicals or nutrients that could break down these cross linked proteins could possibly restore some youthful suppleness and tone to your skin.

Three substances come to mind off the top of my head as being able to reverse or inhibit cross linking:

Carnosine - an amino acid
Pycnogenol - extract of the bark of the Maritime Pine Tree
OPCs - (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins)

Hyaluronic acid is another substance that can improve the health and appearance of your skin.

It is found in young skin, but is depleted as we age.

It is available as a supplement in capsules and also as an ingredient in an isotonic product called Beauty Blend.

There is also a new technology for removing skin wrinkles using a laser:

Laser Wrinkle Therapy

You can research the topic of skin aging further on the Life Extension website at:
http://www.lef.org

Hope this helps you!
Good luck and Good Health,

George

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