We all know how horrible traditional cigarettes are for our health. Smoking not only leads to early wrinkles, yellow teeth and other severe problems with appearance, but it has alsobeen found to kill half of all regular smokers.
But what about e-cigarettes? Does vaping cause wrinkles? Though there’s not much research done about the effects of electronic cigarettes on your health yet, there is some good and bad news. Though e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco and many of the chemicals found in cigarettes, they do contain some, including nicotine, which causes premature aging and wrinkles.
The Wrinkle Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes Compared to Traditional Smoking
It’s not all bad for people who vape. Many experts agree that electronic cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes. So if you’re a smoker, it might be better for your skin and health if you ween off with electronic cigarettes and stop smoking the real stuff. Why is this?
Well, instead of burning tobacco, e-cigarettes send nicotine to your body by heating it up and delivering it to you in the form of inhalable vapor. You miss out the toxins from burning tobacco, which is the cause of most of the damage cigarettes are responsible for, according to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). You also avoid the thousands of chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. Both the heat from a burning cigarette and the more than 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke can damage collagen and elastin and contribute to wrinkling, according to Mayo Clinic.
However, the chemicals and heat aren’t the main contributors to wrinkles and premature aging when you smoke. Our skin’s real enemy is nicotine. And electronic cigarettes aren’t free of that. Though they may or may not be safer than traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes have not been proven to be safe.
The Dangers of Nicotine and Other Chemicals in E-Cigarettes To Your Skin
When it comes to smoking, your skin isn’t a fan of nicotine. Unfortunately, nicotine is found in electronic cigarettes, and since they are not regulated yet, you can be exposed to varying amounts of nicotine when vaping. One study showed that nicotine exposure was unchanged when smokers switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, reducing blood flow to your skin. When your blood flow is reduced, your skin doesn’t get all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Less nutrients means more wrinkles. And not just more facial wrinkles, but more wrinkles all over your body, according to Mayo Clinic.
Nicotine has been found to delay wound healing and accelerate general skin aging, according to a study published in Experimental Dermatology. Science News also notes that nicotine sends cells into inappropriate activity, leaving your skin sagging and wrinkled. Along with nicotine, the facial expression you make with your mouth and eyes when vaping can lead to wrinkles on your face.
Beyond wrinkles and premature aging, electronic cigarettes have been found to contain other chemicals that could cause cancer. According to one analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine, formaldehyde from e-cigarettes could be 15 times higher than smoking cigarettes. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.
When it comes down to it, it’s best to avoid smoking and vaping altogether. There is evidence to suggest that electronic cigarettes may cause wrinkles, premature aging and more serious health issues. Until more research is done on e-cigarettes, try to stay away from them. After all, based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, electronic cigarettes don’t seem to be good for you or your skin.
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