In addition to the multitude of more severe issues that smoking can create, it can also cause quite a damper on your looks. As mentioned earlier, the smokers tend to wrinkle much earlier than non-smokers. This is because smoking hampers blood flow, and a proper supply of blood helps keep skin healthy. Smokers also tend to have much more visible eye bags; this is in part because smoking can cause unrestful sleep. On average, smokers will look 1.4 years older than non-smokers. If that’s not enough, the nicotine will also stain your fingers, causing an unhealthy looking yellowish buildup on your fingertips and your nails.
The woman on the right has been a smoker for 16 years. By simply looking, it is clear that her hair is much thinner and more brittle than her non-smoking twin’s. She also has a large amount of clearly visible skin defects. This could be a number of things, and is in all likelihood caused by her smoking. At the very least, it definitely could not have helped. In addition to what we’ve already covered, cigarettes increase your chances of psoriasis, along with making it more difficult for scars and stretch marks to properly heal. Not only that, smokers lose their natural “healthy person glow.” You know, the one that is inherited by all persons upon birth.
Some people take up smoking as a dieting technique. This is not quite as insane as it may sound, as smoking acts as an appetite suppressant, and can indeed cause you to lose weight. However don’t pick up a pack in the hopes of that perfect beach bod just yet. Because if the threat of early wrinkles and yellow teeth hasn’t deterred you, this next fact just might. Yes, smoking can help you lose weight, but exactly what kind of weight are you losing? A 2009 study from the Netherlands discovered that smokers tend to have more visceral fat than non-smokers. The fat accumulated around your organs, and can create a mushy midsection, along with increasing your risk for diabetes and other diseases.
Shockingly enough, it is estimated that 54% of children aged between 3-11 are exposed to secondhand smoke. This is upsetting all on its own, but smoking can have much harsher effects on young people, who are still developing. These can include an increased rate of respiratory issues and infections, along with a higher chance of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, in babies. Not only then, but smoking when pregnant can cause complications in the fetus. Infants can potentially be born with underdeveloped organs, or severely underweight. This isn’t even taking into account the host of other disorders the infant could be born with, such as brain-damaged induced cerebral palsy.
While lung cancer is perhaps the best known possible complication arising from smoking, in reality, smoking can cause cancer in almost any part of the body. This can include more obvious places such as the mouth, larynx, and esophagus. But it can also include less natural areas such as the colon, cervix, and even the rectum. But even if you’re already a smoker, that doesn’t mean you can’t limit your chances. Studies show that within five years of quitting, your chances of getting mouth, throat, and other cancers is cut in half. That’s right; it’s never too late to stop!
Buerger’s Disease is found almost exclusively are users of tobacco products. This includes smokers as well as users of chewing tobacco. It causes the blood vessels in your arms and legs to swell, preventing blood flow and creating clots. This can cause mild symptoms, such as cold hands and feet, and varying levels of pain in your extremities. However, it can also lead to tissue damage, possible causing gangrene, wherein your body tissues begin to decay. In some cases, amputation of the limbs is required.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC, people who smoke excessively are more likely to get Buerger’s Disease. The most likely candidates are those who smoke upwards of 1.25 packs of cigarettes a day. There is no cure for the disease, and they only known method of prevention is to not use any form of tobacco product. Some people attempt to curb their smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke each day, or by switching to using E-cigarettes. Many people use E-cigarettes under the belief that they are less potent, or produce less nicotine-infused smoke.
However, this is not true. E-cigarettes still contain nicotine, and the smoke they produce is harmful to both those smoking them as well as bystanders. Additionally, the nicotine solution they use in e-cigarettes is harmful, and there have been cases in which both adults and children have been poisoned by accidentally swallowing it or absorbing it into their skin or eyes. Furthermore, despite any claims e-cigarettes may state about health benefits, the truth is that e-cigarettes are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means there is no way to know just how much nicotine they contain, or what other health risks they may pose.
Once someone has started smoking, it can be very difficult to quit. In addition to the addictive properties of cigarettes, many people start to use smoking as a daily release of pent-up anxiety, or an excuse to leave an upsetting conversation or step out for a moment during a particularly stressful work day. Unfortunately, many people see smoking as a way to relax or curb unsettling feelings. The truth of the matter is that smokers are more likely to experience mental health disorders than non-smokers. These can include depression and anxiety, both of which can create some difficulties in your day to day life.
Depression not only creates feelings of hopelessness and frustration but can also manifest in physical symptoms. These can include difficulty sleeping or oversleep, under or overeating, and other various aches and pains. Depression can also make it difficult to focus on things or remember details and can make previously fun activities seem less enjoyable. In a worst-case scenario, someone may even begin to experience thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Because of the many well-known complications that can be caused by smoking, some people opt instead to use smokeless tobacco. This is also known as chewing tobacco. Smokeless tobacco, however, is not a healthy alternative. It contains 28 carcinogens, also known as cancer-causing agents. It can cause both oral and pancreatic cancer, as well as leukoplakia, which is a precancerous lesion that can appear in one’s mouth. It looks like a white patch of plaque, and cannot be scraped off. It can also cause gum recession and tooth decay.
Smokeless tobacco is also the most well-known cause of Periodontal or “Gum” Disease. Gum Disease is caused by bacteria invading your gums, causing plaque and tartar to develop. Eventually, your teeth may begin to ache and grow loose, and your gums may become tender and even bleed. In severe cases, Gum Disease can also affect the bones supporting your teeth, and your teeth may need to be pulled out or may fall out on their own. Gum Disease can be prevented by good dental hygiene, such as proper brushing and flossing. However, by far the best way to avoid it is just not to use any tobacco products.
In addition to these rather bone-chilling complications, chewing tobacco is just, well, it’s gross. After inserting a wad of nicotine into your mouth, you eat it until it resembles a black rotting chunk of gum. Afterward, you attractively spurt out the excess liquids, which drain from your mouth like some black gunk you might see in The Grudge. All that being said, in the end, smokeless tobacco isn’t a valid alternative because in many cases it’s not an alternative at all. Adolescents who use smokeless tobacco are more likely to switch to cigarettes later in life, not only to render the choice moot but allowing users to enjoy years of spitting dark, polluted chemicals out onto baseball fields across America.
Isn’t that just beautiful? Smokeless tobacco is most commonly used by men, and although it is generally less common than cigarettes, roughly 15% of high school boys are estimated to be users. This is in contrast to the 3.5% of adults who use it. I myself remember my high school days of staring out onto the baseball fields and watching a particularly cute boy kick at the dirt and adjust his catcher’s mitt. Only to watch as he turned his head to the side, and hocked a giant loogie onto the field, where it fell with a splat like a dead snail. “How attractive,” I would think quietly to myself. Only not. Because it wasn’t. It was icky. Don’t do that.
This long list of disorders and diseases may seem frightening, but. The sentence ended there because there is no “but.” The benefits of smoking, if there are any at all, are far outweighed by the many ways in which it can hinder life, and the many other ways in which it can end it. In an absolute best case scenario, a smoker will grow to old age breathing poorly and affecting those around them, and probably end up looking something like the woman on the below left.
Luckily, there are many resources to help quit smoking. Quitting is not easy, but many organizations can help offer help and support. These organizations can also provide a non-judgmental environment, which can significantly help people focus on their individual needs while quitting without having to deal with the added stress of being berated for their habit. The American Lung Association and Quit.com are two such places that offer this kind of care. Although one can attempt to quit on their own, and never hurts to have help.
There are many ways to help curb smoking, should you choose to quit. One of the best ways is to stay busy directly. Exercising, chewing gum, and drinking lots of water are a few ways to keep yourself from smoking. Indulging in other hobbies and activities is also a great way to distract yourself. Of course, the most significant help will always be to surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and other loved ones. Quitting can be a long and challenging journey, and having people around to encourage you will always be helpful. Of course, not everyone has the best support system, and this is where the above organizations can help.
It is also a good idea when quitting, to know what to expect. Depending on how long someone has been smoking, and how much they smoke each day, the severity of their symptoms may vary. Either way, when quitting you should be ready to expect symptoms of withdrawal. These symptoms begin to show within the first 24 hours of leaving and can include trouble sleeping, irritability, and of course, craving another cigarette.
The first three days of quitting are generally the worst, and after the initial 24 hours, you will probably begin to experience increased anxiety, along with headaches and stress. After the first three days, many of the physical symptoms of withdrawal should start to subside. This is excellent news. However, it is always good to set rules and goals for yourself, as well as identify your triggers. Creating boundaries for yourself is especially important in the beginning since most relapses happen within the first 30 days of quitting.
Since everyone is different, it’s essential to discover what will work best for you as an individual. It’s also important to remember that quitting an addictive habit is both difficult and admirable. There is never any shame is struggling, or needing help. Even a potential relapse is not the end, because after getting over the initial pain of feeling like you may have failed, there is always an opportunity to try again.
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