The benefits of quitting smoking for your skin

If your little guilty pleasure is cigarettes, what follows may give you one more reason to quit smoking. Beyond its harmful effects on health, smoking is often associated with changes in the way skin looks. A dull complexion, dark spots, premature wrinkles, sagging skin and more noticeable cellulite are among the unwelcome signs commonly associated with smoking. Complexion, blemishes, wrinkles and cellulite: discover the many benefits of quitting smoking for your skin!

Benefit of quitting smoking for your skin No. 1: a porcelain complexion

The smoker’s grey complexion is absolutely not a myth. In fact, it has a fairly simple explanation: cigarette smoke has a vasoconstrictive effect, meaning it causes the small vessels to narrow. And when vasoconstriction occurs, the skin is less well oxygenated. And it is precisely thanks to this supply of oxygen and nutrients that cells (including skin cells) can function and renew themselves. So when you smoke, the skin is less well nourished, leaving it with a grey, dull appearance. Quitting smoking puts an end to this effect of smoke on your skin. The skin’s naturally rosy tone and radiance can then return. In short: for a brighter complexion, quit smoking!

Benefit No. 2: fewer skin problems

For a long time, it was difficult to establish a clear link between tobacco and acne, as some studies suggested that tobacco, through its inhibitory effect on certain pro-inflammatory molecules (prostaglandins), could slow the onset of inflammatory acne. But things are not so straightforward! But tobacco consumption has a triple effect:

• nicotine stimulates the activity of keratinocytes, the cells that produce keratin found in the epidermis, which gives skin its impermeability. But excess keratin production leads to one thing: clogged pores. Blackheads and microcysts then appear;
• acne is linked in particular to the proliferation of a bacterium found on the skin’s surface, Cutibacterium acnes. Yet skin that is less well oxygenated, as is the case for smokers, is less able to defend itself against unwanted bacteria, which means acne tends to be worsened by tobacco;
• finally, smoking leads to slower and more difficult healing, again due to its vasoconstrictive effect. It’s a double blow: more breakouts and more acne scars.

By quitting smoking, you stand a better chance of achieving beautiful skin that looks clearer and is less prone to acne, whether it’s occasional (hormonal), inflammatory or chronic.

Benefit No. 3: putting a stop to wrinkles

It’s well known: tobacco is responsible for premature skin ageing. But how does this happen?

• The substances found in cigarettes break down vitamin C, a vitamin that contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Excess free radicals attack cell membranes, including those in the skin. As a result, fibroblasts, the skin cells responsible for producing the skin’s supporting fibres, which give it firmness and elasticity, become damaged. The result: skin becomes softer, more wrinkled, and tends to sag.
• Furthermore, smoking accentuates expression lines, both around the eyes (repeated squinting to avoid smoke, causing crow’s feet) and around the mouth (repeated pursing of the lips, leading to smoker’s lines).

Quitting smoking cannot erase the damage already done. Wrinkles that have already formed are, unfortunately, there to stay. However, quitting cigarettes means you are no longer feeding this premature ageing: vitamin C is no longer broken down by smoke, the skin’s natural renewal is no longer held back, and the facial movements that cause expression lines come to an end.

Benefit No. 4: one less aggravating factor for cellulite

Let’s focus on the body! Because yes, cigarettes don’t only affect facial skin… We saw above that tobacco can undermine skin firmness and elasticity. And these two qualities also play a part in the appearance of cellulite: skin that is less firm and less elastic tends to make orange-peel skin more visible. By smoking, you tend to worsen:

• a lack of skin firmness, which can give it a puffy appearance and accentuate the look of aqueous cellulite, particularly on the legs;
• fibrosis, which manifests as less supple, less elastic skin, giving cellulite a more entrenched appearance.

Quitting smoking won’t make cellulite disappear, but it does remove a factor that can accentuate its appearance, since smoking encourages the development of orange peel skin. By stopping smoking, you are no longer adding this aggravating factor when you care for areas marked by dimples or follow a routine for smoother skin.

Quitting smoking and your skin: how long does it take?

There is no single timeline that applies to everyone. The benefits of quitting smoking for your skin appear gradually and vary from person to person, depending on your age, your skin type and how long you have smoked. Your complexion, the look of blemishes and how comfortable your skin feels change little by little. However, as explained in benefit No. 3, wrinkles that have already formed will not fade.

Be patient and look after your skin every day. If you would like support while quitting, do not hesitate to speak to your doctor or another medical professional.

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