Smoker's face

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Smoker's face describes the characteristic changes that happen to the faces of many people who smoke tobacco products. [1] [2] Smoking causes damage to the skin by depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients. [3] The general appearance is of accelerated ageing of the face, with a characteristic pattern of facial wrinkling and sallow coloration.

Contents

A summary of a study published by the National Institutes of Health found that certain facial features appeared in about 46% of continuing smokers and 8% of former smokers who had smoked a full decade while those same features were absent in a control group of non-smokers. [4]

Causes

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP's) are enzymes that promote breakdown of the extracellular matrix. [5] This matrix contains important nutrients and proteins like collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans. All of which are involved in skin health and structure. [6] The MMP levels in a smoker are elevated, causing excessive breakdown of the matrix. Therefore, those essential proteins and antioxidants, like Vitamin C, also begin to disappear. [7] [8] This leaves the skin empty and depleted of its structure, causing hollowness and sagging of the skin. [3]

Nearby blood vessels can become damaged by the tobacco extracts and then constrict, reducing flow of oxygen to the face. [3] Oxygen breakdown without circulation causes reactive oxygen species, or ROS and free radicals, to build up. Then skin, now deplete of antioxidants, cannot clean up the free radicals leaving them to build up in the tissues. [9] This eventually leads to oxidative stress. [10] [9] This is attributed to what is called extrinsic aging; known to be caused by external and environmental factors. [8] This can cause skin allergies, skin thinning, wrinkles, issues with pigmentation, cancers and more. [10] Important enzymes like glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase, which help clean up the extracellular matrix also become reduced. [10]

Symptoms and Appearance

Debi Austin, a well known anti-smoking activist. Seen in her neck is a surgically made stoma made to treat her laryngeal cancer caused by her tobacco use. Debi Austin.png
Debi Austin, a well known anti-smoking activist. Seen in her neck is a surgically made stoma made to treat her laryngeal cancer caused by her tobacco use.

Skin

Hair

Mouth

References

  1. "Smoker's Face: Beauty is only skin deep" (PDF). UK Department of Health. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-03.
  2. Jane E. Brody (June 19, 1996). "Personal Health: Smoker's Face". The New York Times.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "How Smoking Affects the Way You Look". Action on Smoking and Health .
  4. Model, D (21 December 1985). "Smoker's face: an underrated clinical sign?". BMJ. 291 (6511): 1760–1762. doi:10.1136/bmj.291.6511.1760. PMC   1419177 . PMID   3936573.
  5. Purcell, W.Thomas; Rudek, Michelle A; Hidalgo, Manuel (October 2002). "Development of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors in cancer therapy". Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 16 (5): 1189–1227. doi:10.1016/S0889-8588(02)00044-8. PMID   12512389.
  6. Yue, Beatrice (2014). "Biology of the Extracellular Matrix". Journal of Glaucoma. 23 (8 Suppl 1): S20 –S23. doi:10.1097/IJG.0000000000000108. PMC   4185430 . PMID   25275899.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Morita, Akimichi (December 2007). "Tobacco smoke causes premature skin aging". Journal of Dermatological Science. 48 (3): 169–175. doi:10.1016/j.jdermsci.2007.06.015. PMID   17951030.
  8. 1 2 Chen, Juanjuan; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Zhao; Qiu, Jie (October 2021). "Oxidative stress in the skin: Impact and related protection". International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 43 (5): 495–509. doi:10.1111/ics.12728. PMID   34312881.
  9. 1 2 Tiwari, Budhi Sagar (April 2002). "Oxidative Stress Increased Respiration and Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species, Resulting in ATP Depletion, Opening of Mitochondrial Permeability Transition, and Programmed Cell Death". Plant Physiology. 128 (4): 1271–1281. doi:10.1104/pp.010999. PMC   154255 . PMID   11950976.
  10. 1 2 3 Puri, Poonam; Nandar, ShashiKumar; Kathuria, Sushruta; Ramesh, V (2017). "Effects of air pollution on the skin: A review". Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. 83 (4): 415. doi: 10.4103/0378-6323.199579 .
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Services, Department of Health & Human. "Smoking and oral health". www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  12. "Smoking and oral health". Oral Health Foundation. 2017-01-10. Retrieved 2024-02-18.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 CDCTobaccoFree (2022-03-30). "Health Effects of Smoking and Tobacco Use". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2024-02-18.