Acne from smoking: causes and methods of treatment

Thanks to television advertising, we know how to deal with acne, what products to apply to the skin and how to get rid of blackheads. But no advertisement will tell us where these disgusting bumps on newly clear and matte skin come from. There are plenty of reasons for the appearance of acne - from puberty to poor environment and bad habits. Undoubtedly, bad habits are one of the provoking factors for the appearance of acne. This is especially true for smoking.

Can smoking cause acne?

In medicine, conclusions about the causes of a disease are made after research. The question of the effect of smoking on the occurrence of acne has been studied repeatedly:

• The British Journal of Dermatology published the results of an experiment in 2001 that involved 900 smokers of both sexes. It was found that smokers are more likely to suffer from pimples and acne (regardless of gender and age). We identified the relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked and the severity of rashes and the degree of neglect of acne.
• The journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, in 2004, with a publication on this topic also fully confirmed the findings of the British Journal of Dermatology. 1264 people took part in the study.
• Contrary to two previous studies, the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology found no relationship between smoking and acne susceptibility in 600 subjects.

Is it true or false that cigarettes help get rid of skin problems?

Military doctors of the Israel Defense Forces revealed an interesting fact. An analysis was carried out of the cards of conscripts aged 18 to 20 years from 1998 to 2004. A study has shown that smoking improves acne .
It was found that in young soldiers who smoke moderately (about half a pack a day), the number of skin rashes decreases or disappears altogether compared to non-smokers. Among pack-a-day smokers, cases of juvenile acne were rare. Those who smoked 30 or more cigarettes a day did not experience juvenile acne at all. Doctors stated the fact that nicotine has an unknown anti-inflammatory property , since no other factors that could affect the cleanliness of the soldiers’ skin were identified.

Nicotine is a drug and its negative effect on the body is much stronger than any positive one!

Harmful cigarettes

In fact, the highly addictive nicotine contained in cigarettes is not the only or even the main enemy of the skin.
Tobacco tar and smoke released during combustion are much more destructive. They contain a huge amount of toxins and carcinogens that literally kill cells and poison the entire body. For those who smoke at least half a pack of cigarettes daily:

• uneven skin tone – most often pale with a yellowish or earthy tint;
• expression wrinkles – appear early and quickly deepen, and there are also deep thin furrows around the lips;
• black spots on the face - smoke and tar settle on the face, clogging the pores;
• vascular network - rosacea, develops under the influence of nicotine, which provokes capillary spasms;
• bruises under the eyes - appear due to overload of the heart, which is forced to more actively push blood through the narrowed capillaries;
• dryness and peeling are a consequence of constant oxygen starvation, due to which cells die early and are actively exfoliated.

In fact, heavy smokers can forget about smooth, firm, glowing skin. And when acne and pimples caused by smoking still bloom profusely against this unseemly background, your appearance becomes completely unattractive.

Where do they appear?

Acne in smokers can appear on the face and other parts of the body, it all depends on the cause. The most common places of occurrence are:

• face (mainly chin and cheeks) in the form of single or multiple rashes,
• neck (usually single rashes),
• chest and décolleté (both single and multiple rashes).

The following photo shows acne that can appear from smoking:

There may also be acne due to hormonal imbalances caused by smoking in the following places:

• face - single rashes or a continuous layer,
• back - multiple acne and pimples,
• shoulders - the same as on the back,
• breast.

Type and location of the rash

Addiction to nicotine can cause rashes all over the body. The standard types of rashes are:

• Blackheads are pores clogged with dirt and dead particles;
• Pustules are formations with a white head in the center. This type of acne is characterized by the presence of purulent contents;
• Subcutaneous pimples are a small bump, also filled with pus, but the exudate is located deep in the layers of the skin.

Most often, smoking causes acne on the forehead and cheeks. This is a result of exposure to tobacco smoke. Possible localization on the legs, buttocks and back, caused by the occurrence of internal pathologies. In addition, addiction to cigarettes provokes pimples on the tongue, which contribute to the appearance of weakened immunity and mechanical damage to the organ.

Another type of acne that is characteristic of smokers is a scattering of small white pustules on the chin. Acne is always accompanied by the presence of pustules.

Smokers' rashes can be distinguished from other types of rashes by characteristic features:

• Pimples do not disappear completely, they just change location;
• Skin care products provide only a temporary effect: if you miss a few days, the rash appears again;
• Nicotine rashes do not respond to dietary changes;
• Minimizing cigarettes smoked gives positive dynamics.

How does smoking affect the appearance of acne?

Often, smokers do not admit that their nicotine addiction is the cause of acne, because skin problems can arise for a number of other reasons. But, one way or another, smoking causes complex damage to the skin.

Physiological reasons

The main physiological reasons influencing the appearance of pimples and acne in smokers:

• Absolutely all smokers have dry skin, which is due to impaired blood supply to tissues, in particular the skin, and the fact that tobacco smoke dries out the skin. The face, neck, and chest are most in contact with smoke. On dry skin, a pimple will form much faster than on normal skin.
• Nicotine affects hormonal changes in the smoker's body. In men, testosterone levels drop; in women, the balance between progesterone and estrogen levels is disrupted. This leads to the formation of acne on the face.
• A smoker’s blood vessels are in a state of spasm, and the transport of oxygen to the tissues is difficult, so any damage to the skin (including acne) takes longer to heal and can spread.

Smoking provokes inflammatory processes in the body. Cytokines, inflammatory molecules, are produced in the body of a smoker in greater quantities than in the body of a non-smoker.
The reason for this is oxygen free radicals formed under the influence of tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke clogs the pores of the smoker, and an active inflammatory process begins in the clogged pores. Under the influence of cytokines, foci of inflammation are formed that do not heal for a long time.

Changes in hormonal levels

Smoking has a negative effect on a person’s hormonal levels in the following ways:

• in men, nicotine, which regularly enters the bloodstream, reduces the level of testosterone in the blood, which leads to erection problems, sexual dysfunction and even impotence,
• the level of female sex hormones, which are necessary for conception and gestation, is significantly reduced,
• progesterone levels decrease, which leads to menstrual irregularities, problems with conception and the onset of early menopause,
• the production of oxytocin increases, a hormone that contracts the uterus, which leads to termination of pregnancy,
• endorphin production is stimulated, which leads to the formation of nicotine addiction.

Acne on the face and body is the first sign of hormonal imbalances caused by smoking.

Tobacco causes clogged pores

In the process of smoking cigarettes, tobacco smoke containing gaseous and solid particles enters the skin. Solid particles such as nicotine, water, tar (tobacco tar), and metal molecules get inside the pores and, over time, cause them to clog. The sebum produced inside the pores does not reach the surface of the skin, which leads to the formation of blackheads and pimples.

Depletion of vitamins

Nicotine interferes with the absorption of vitamin A , which can lead to:

• decreased immunity,
• the appearance of skin problems (dryness, flaking, wrinkles, premature aging),
• deterioration of vision,
• sleep and performance disorders,
• risk of developing lung diseases (bronchitis, asthma, cancer).

The need for vitamin C in smokers is 2-3 times higher than in non-smokers. Vitamin C deficiency can be:

• acute - characterized by diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal problems, tooth and hair loss,
• pronounced - dry skin, apathy, pain and aches throughout the body, bleeding gums.

A smoker may also have a deficiency of B vitamins and vitamin E.

How to reduce harmful effects

It is difficult for many to give up such a harmful habit as smoking, since doctors believe that addiction in such a situation is similar to a drug.

However, when a person persistently tries to overcome himself, but has not fully overcome such a habit, he can significantly reduce the harmful effects on the skin and the body as a whole.

To do this you need:

• drink at least 2 liters of drinking water throughout the day, it helps eliminate toxic components and has a beneficial effect on maintaining the functioning of internal organs;
• diversify the menu with vegetables and fruits that saturate the body with essential vitamins and minerals, and also contain fiber, which cleanses the gastrointestinal tract and is involved in eliminating harmful particles;
• spend more time on the street, the body needs to compensate for the lack of oxygen due to smoking;
• You need to take more careful care of your facial skin – cleanse, moisturize and nourish it.

Such instructions should be carried out constantly, in particular when acne has already appeared on the dermis.

Why can you get sprinkled after giving up cigarettes?

Acne may appear after quitting smoking for the following reasons:

• Digestive disorders, such as constipation. Constipation leads to the development of dysbiosis in the intestines due to the influx of toxins. Intoxication of the body leads to the formation of rashes (pimples).
• Quitting smoking leads to hormonal changes in the body, which also leads to the formation of acne.
• Changes in skin type, from dry to normal. The production of sebaceous secretions increases and the pores become clogged. It takes time for the skin to adapt to the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands.
• Quitting smoking can often trigger an exacerbation of allergies, accompanied by skin rashes.

What to do

As you can see, the question of whether smoking affects the appearance of acne is not worth it at all. The connection is the most direct and obvious. Therefore, the first step should be a categorical rejection of the bad habit. This is not easy to do, but it is quite possible. Then you need to seek advice and help from cosmetologists. And it is perfectly possible to maintain the effect obtained after salon procedures using folk methods.

To give up smoking

Quitting smoking is very difficult. However, with a great desire and a little willpower, it is quite possible to do it yourself. Psychologists advise moving towards the goal gradually, gradually introducing more useful principles and habits into life one by one. Here are the steps you need to take:

• Be sure to prepare. Set yourself a specific date and mentally prepare yourself for the fact that from that moment you will become a non-smoker.
• Monitor your triggers. These are the events or actions that provoke you to smoke again. Try to eliminate them or replace them with others.
• Replace smoking with more enjoyable activities . Just don’t overdo it with goodies - it is this kind of substitution that often becomes the reason for rapid weight gain.
• Play sports. Firstly, significant loads are simply incompatible with smoking. And secondly, sport develops willpower and it will be easier to give up nicotine.
• Drink milk. It has been proven that it spoils the taste of cigarettes, and also compensates for the lack of vitamins and minerals.
• Eat more vegetables. They give a feeling of satiety and satisfaction. After a crispy apple or cabbage salad, you usually don’t want to smoke.
• Use nicotine replacement therapy. It really helps to dramatically reduce the craving for cigarettes, which is especially noticeable in the first days of quitting. But remember that these are only temporary measures.

If you are completely unable to cope with a bad habit on your own, you should seek help from specialists.

Electronic cigarettes and hookah

Many people sincerely believe that acne only comes from “real” cigarettes. And new gadgets, such as vapers and IQOS (types of electronic cigarettes) are completely harmless and can be an excellent replacement for a bad habit. One can argue with this, although experience shows that most do not listen to reasonable arguments.

The main advantage of electronic cigarettes is the absence of tobacco smoke, and therefore all its harmful components. But their disadvantage is that the quality of the liquid poured into the capsules is practically not regulated by anything and is not controlled by anyone. As well as the compliance of the nicotine content in them with the declared one. Whether it is worth exchanging natural tobacco for a cocktail of flavorings and other chemicals is a matter for everyone to decide for themselves. But it definitely doesn’t solve the acne problem.

Hookah is also not a completely harmless hobby. Yes, there are mixtures in which tobacco is completely absent and is replaced by herbs. But in any case, the mixture intended for smoking is subjected to chemical treatment and contains components that can provoke allergic reactions.

Help from a cosmetologist

The fastest and easiest way to get rid of acne caused by cigarettes is with the hands of cosmetologists. And the process usually begins with skin detoxification. It is carried out using masks with adsorbing components: cosmetic clay, activated carbon, etc.

Then you can move on to more intensive procedures:

1. Manual cleaning. It becomes necessary if there are a large number of subcutaneous pimples, comedones or very dense sebaceous plugs on the face.
2. Ultrasonic cleaning. Helps quickly get rid of flaking, blackheads, shallow acne and small pimples.
3. Darsonvalization . Has excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Strengthens subcutaneous blood circulation, strengthens blood vessels and capillaries.
4. Mesotherapy. Subcutaneous administration of multivitamin or anti-inflammatory drugs. At the same time, it helps to rejuvenate the skin and reduce the depth of facial wrinkles.
5. Laser peeling. It is necessary when there are not only acne on the face, but also numerous scars and spots from them. But it makes sense to do it only after completely quitting smoking.

In addition, the cosmetologist will advise which products and preparations are best to use for home skin care.

Traditional methods

With a small amount of pimples and non-inflamed acne, you can try to improve the appearance of your skin using proven folk methods. Experts consider the most effective of them to be:

In parallel, you can use portable devices if you have them at home: Darsonval, ultrasound, magnetic therapy. But what you shouldn’t do on inflamed and acne-covered skin is massage. Yes, it stimulates subcutaneous blood circulation, but at the same time it can cause increased inflammatory processes and the spread of acne throughout the face.

How to get rid of skin problems?

The following will help you fight acne after quitting smoking:

• proper nutrition, avoidance of fatty, spicy, sweet,
• clean water, you need to drink at least 2 liters,
• outdoor sports,
• sleep at least 8 hours.

All this will help to quickly normalize metabolic processes and hormonal levels .

To effectively combat the inflammatory process on the face, it is better to visit a cosmetologist who will help you choose the right and effective daily care for your skin type.

You can relieve inflammation or completely remove it with the help of folk remedies: lotions made from chamomile decoction or infusion, masks based on aloe and honey, white clay and milk. To combat acne, you can use garlic juice or pulp, but you should apply it very carefully, precisely, only to the area of ​​inflammation, so as not to irritate healthy skin.

Folk remedies are mostly available, safe and effective, but you need to be careful in case of individual intolerance and consult a doctor.

How to fight

Ideally, to achieve good results in restoring the skin, you need to quit bad habits. At the same time, metabolism is normalized, health problems will go away and, as a result, complexion will even out, its elasticity will improve and inflammatory elements will disappear. However, quitting smoking is not so easy, and you want to have good skin as soon as possible. Simple recommendations will help you get rid of acne.

Hygiene. It is necessary to wash your face with acne in the morning and evening. It is advisable to use a special product that suits your skin type. Towels and pillowcases need to be changed as often as possible - they retain particles of dead skin. It is advisable to touch your face with dirty hands as little as possible; the fewer germs on your face from dirty hands, the faster the healing process will go.

Nutrition. The main principle of nutrition in the presence of acne on the skin is to avoid foods that cause inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines - fatty and heavy foods, spicy, salty and smoked foods, marinades, sausages and fast food.

By adhering to the principles of proper nutrition, you can achieve long-term remission of a disease such as acne, or even get rid of acne completely.

Drinking regime. It is worth accustoming yourself to drinking large amounts of clean water without gas. Water nourishes our body, makes joints healthy, flushes out toxins and waste from cells, and cleanses the kidneys. Accordingly, the skin is cleansed. An additional bonus will be a good level of moisture.

Use of medications. When choosing pharmaceutical skin care products, it is best to consult a specialist - a dermatocosmetologist. The doctor will advise the necessary care, prescribe tests to help identify the cause of the rash, and offer a course of procedures to get rid of the pustules faster. Among the well-known advertised products, salicylic acid preparations, tea tree oil and cosmetics containing benzoyl peroxide help well.

Is there a relationship between acne and smoking an e-cigarette?

Liquids for electronic cigarettes contain nicotine, glycerin, and flavorings. Acne may appear while smoking an e-cigarette if:

• you have recently switched from regular cigarettes (for the reasons above),
• in case of individual intolerance to the components of the cigarette liquid.

If the reason is the first, then you must follow the recommendations described above. If acne appears due to an allergy to a component of the liquid, it is necessary to find an analogue that excludes the allergen .

Reasons for the development of pathology

Many people who abuse tobacco wonder whether smoking can cause acne. Scientists insist that a similar phenomenon is often observed, which is due to the harmful effects of nicotine and tar on the human body. This exposure often leads to the following problems that cause cigarette acne:

• Narrowing of small capillaries on the skin, as a result of which tissue nutrition is disrupted and the acid-base balance is disturbed.
• The sebaceous glands, located in the epidermis, begin to function at an increased rate.
• A disorder in the level of hormones in the body as a result of improper functioning of the endocrine system.
• Insufficient nutrition of the skin, slowing down the process of restoration of damaged cells.
• Disorder of collagen and elastin production.
• Clogged pores on the epidermis, the inability to clean them due to the influence of tobacco smoke.
• Increased carboxyhemoglobin levels in skin cells.
• Reducing the thickness of the skin, increasing the risk of damage.

Smoking can cause acne. When you inhale tobacco smoke, it first enters the respiratory system and then into the blood, with its current spreading toxins throughout the body, poisoning organs and systems. This leads to the body receiving insufficient amounts of oxygen, which supplies vitamins to the cells. Epidermal cells receive them in insufficient quantities, which leads to clogged pores.

Also, a common cause of rashes is diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which develop as a result of long-term use of nicotine. Due to the harmful elements of tobacco smoke, spasm of the stomach vessels appears, its mucous epithelium is constantly irritated, which leads to the appearance of gastritis and even ulcers. All this leads to the appearance of acne on the face, body, and limbs.

The mechanism of action of nicotine on the body

With the first breath, nicotine rushes into every cell of the body with a blood stream saturated with oxygen and other substances obtained from the lungs. The body’s reaction follows immediately - the blood vessels narrow to prevent the poison from penetrating vital organs. The skin, which is forgotten, is the largest organ in the human body and suffers no less than others from smoking.

• Narrowed blood vessels stop delivering oxygen to organs and tissues in the quantity they need. Hence the dizziness that occurs from the first puffs after a break in smoking.
• The skin, deprived of oxygen and other useful substances that the blood does not carry, very soon acquires an unhealthy shade, becomes dull, sagging and ceases to cope with its functions at the proper level.
• The rate of cellular metabolism decreases, toxins accumulate and the result of these processes are white pimples and acne.
• Free radicals produced by smoking destroy collagen, which is responsible for the elasticity of the epidermis. As a result, the damage caused to the skin becomes irreparable.

Smoking affects absolutely all human organs and tissues. Due to the narrowing of blood vessels, the supply of substances necessary for its normal functioning to the skin is stopped.

In adults

One cigarette can be bad for your skin. Clear effects will become noticeable about a month after smoking, but this is usually attributed to hormonal changes or poor skin care. This problem is especially relevant under the age of 25.

Organs in the body suffer from this bad habit, but the skin serves as an indicator of the general condition. With active smoking, a person looks 10 years older than his real age, collagen and elastin are destroyed.

Cigarettes contain many toxins that cause premature aging. Blood vessels narrow, so oxygen is poorly supplied to the body.

The result is a sallow skin tone. Cigarettes contain many substances that cause skin inflammation. Therefore, smokers often suffer from acne.

Due to poor access of oxygen to deep cells, regeneration slows down. Various wounds heal slowly, and bacteria, due to an oxygen-free environment, multiply faster.

Collagen destruction occurs, which is fraught with premature wrinkles. Active oxidation of carbon begins, so the immune system weakens, because it is no longer able to resist pathogenic microorganisms.

And they cause acne. In 2001, studies were conducted, the results of which revealed that about half of smokers suffered from rashes.

Cigarettes affect testosterone levels in the body. The male hormone, if it is in excess, provokes acne and other skin problems.

This problem of skin rashes is always present in case of smoking among teenagers. This happens because the body is in the stage of active development and cannot resist the influence of tobacco.

Other consequences do not appear as quickly as with the skin. It becomes clear that smoking itself does not cause acne, but creates ideal conditions for their appearance.

Test for smokers