Give up smoking and beat premature ageing

Jun 28 2007 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Close-up shot of woman smoking

Laura Davis finds out how to reverse the ageing effects of Britain’s worst habit

ON SUNDAY, the smoking ban will be imposed, forcing smokers to stub out cigarettes and, for many, their habit.

While it’s possibly one of the most difficult things you’ll ever have to do, giving up smoking could be the best thing for your skin and body. Smoke doesn’t just get in your eyes, it gets into your pores and the deepest layers of the skin.

“Smoking is the number one factor in premature skin ageing. There’s no doubt that a smoker’s skin looks prematurely aged compared to a non-smoker of the same age,” says dermatologist Sally Penford, from the International Dermal Institute.

“Aside from lines and wrinkles, smoking also gives you a rough texture, dull appearance, that yellow tone and areas of discolouration.

“Smoking depletes the oxygen supply, and it’s oxygen that gives you that rosy glow – so a smoker’s skin often looks yellow. Smoking also depletes your Vitamin C levels and inhibits the regeneration of collagen.”

With the ban in place, a clear complexion isn’t just a pipe dream. For smokers, you should be able to notice a difference within weeks after giving up.

“Superficially, your skin will appear much better,” continues Sally. “How quickly you will see a difference in your skin depends on how long you have been smoking.

“Colour, texture and clarity will all have improved within a month, but lines and wrinkles are caused by much deeper damage, and although you can smooth the appearance of these to a certain extent with creams, you really need cosmetic treatments to get rid of them entirely.”

Kymm Barber, head of non-surgical and surgical cosmetic surgery at My Spa, in Liverpool city centre, is expecting to see an increase of clients wanting to reverse the effects of smoking on their skin and nails.

“I think it will take people a couple of months but then they will decide to do something about it,” she says.

“I have smoked occasionally in the past but I don’t smoke now and when you give up you can see instantly that your skin is getting better, your eyes are brighter and your hair shinier.

“We get a lot of people with teeth that need whitening and also skin peels because smoking is very ageing.”

For those looking to give up the habit, here are some ways to get your beauty regime back to its pre-smoking best – have a splurge with all that money you’ll save on cigarettes.

lauradavis@dailypost.co.uk

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