Smoking and Your Skin
Nowadays, whoever is not aware of the consequences of smoking has been living under a rock.
We know smoking causes many issues with the respiratory system, developmental system, nervous system etc. But why don’t we talk a little bit about what it does to the integumentary system (our skin).
Smoking wrinkles us in several ways. The first, and very obvious, consequence of smoking is the wrinkles around the mouth area. The contour of the mouth gets wrinkled, not only because of the constant pressing of the lips in a “u” shape, but also because of exposure to the hundreds of harmful chemicals. This cocktail of chemicals are accelerating the aging process by 10 years (source). Therefore, obviously, making smokers always look at least 10 years older.
Let’s look closely at some of the consequences of smoking:
Wrinkles
When it comes to a smokers complexion, the collagen and elastin, which are the cells that keep our skin plump, are literally being killed by the toxins in cigarettes. To add to that, is the fact that the oxygen and vitamins that are meant to repair the body damage are so busy repairing your lung and your heart from the damage that your skin is left last, if ever, to get repaired and regenerated back to health and youth.
Dullness
Now that a smoker’s body is overusing its vitamin C to repair the damage caused from the smoking, it has none left to repair the skin. This makes the complexion dull, saggy and lifeless.
Facial Spider Veins
Another consequence of smoking is broken capillaries. If you are already a rosacea sufferer (or have “rosy cheeks”, smoking will make it worse and worse. These little broken veins get worse and worse as time goes by and smoking and ageing continues.
Excessive Blackheads
For some reason, smokers have worse blackheads around the mouth area than non-smokers. Now, surely blackheads have a lot to do with your homecare routine and your skin type, but smoking certainly makes it worse.
What are you waiting for? Quit Now! Get back your glow. Even better? Book a Dr. Baumann facial (AHA would be ideal) to start on the right foot and help your skin get back to its natural glow! Don’t forget the homecare. I recommend Vitamin E ampoule in combination with Multivitamin Lotion to help cell regeneration and healing.
The Famous “Decollette”
Not a lot of people know that the chest area, also called the décolletage, has the same skin as the face. The face “ends” underneath the breasts. It is all the same type of skin; therefore, it needs the same amount of care.
Always keep in mind that both stretch marks and wrinkles are prevented by keeping the skin supple and moisturized.
Treat the décolletage the same way you treat your face. Cleanse it, tone it, and moisturize it properly. Don’t make the extremely common mistake of stopping at the neck.
If you are going through some changes in your body, like pregnancy, puberty (or you are simply extremely lucky and your breasts are getting bigger for no reason in particular) and you are worried about stretch marks on the chest area, I recommend a more specific treatment like Dr Baumann’s Décolletage Special. It’s also wonderful as a wrinkle treatment, firming and anti aging.
Take the products down to the chest! After all, everyone wants a beautiful cleavage.
(source)
If you have any comments or concerns, you can always email me by simply replying to this email, or through facebook, or Twitter.
Have a wonderful week!
M
Is Tanning Actually Bad For Your Skin?
I get asked all the time where I stand on this? Well… it is a bit of a difficult answer. I have to come clean and confess that I did like the way my skin looked sun-kissed (I am Latina after all), and I also love the feeling of the sun on my skin. But taking away all my childhood connotations to the sun…
(I’m the tanned little girl on the left. Venezuela, circa 1984)
…and taking away the romanticism (“sun-kissed”? Seriously?) of a tan, during my years of career I have had the chance to see many, many faces and I will confidently, without a doubt say that sun-lovers age significantly faster than hat-wearers. I have personally learned to see the beauty in my pale skin. Now, to me pale skin = wrinkle free skin.
So…Does the sun help you metabolize vitamin D? Yes. Does it make you look “healthier” and “less green” (common complaint)? Yes. Does the sun make you age faster? Also, yes.
And you don’t have to trust my experience blindly! I have come across an incredible study on twins and sun exposure. One twin had significant exposure to the sun during her lifetime, the other one didn’t. I will let you all be the judge. I’d love to hear your opinions! (Disclaimer: I do not own, nor did I take these pictures, they belong to two studies you can find here and here)
(Source) Twin on the right was a sun-lover, left: hat-lover.
(source) Twin on the left was a sun-lover.
(Source) Twin on the left was a sun lover.
My professional opinion then? If you don’t like the way you look without a tan, opt for a spray tan, or a self tanner. There are great options out there (I will write more about that, I promise) and they will help your skin stay wrinkle free. If you love your beautiful porcelain skin, protect it with a hat, or with a physical (not chemical) sunscreen.
Have a lovely week and remember: Embrace your skin the way it is naturally. You are gorgeous just like that!
M.
