Smoking is a very unhealthy habit to start in your lifetime. Not only can using tobacco products cause cancer and heart disease, but it can also affect the complexion of your skin and cause you to age prematurely.

The byproducts found in tobacco products deprive the skin of oxygen and vital nutrients. This deprivation can lead to a pale and uneven skin tone. If you begin smoking at a young age, changes in your skin can begin to be seen early on.

There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke; many of these harmful chemicals encourage the destruction of collagen and the elasticity of the skin. Even being around secondhand smoke can cause deeper wrinkles and sagging of the skin.

Now let's discuss how smoking physically affects the appearance of your face and body. Smoking loosens the skin around the eyes, causing deep wrinkles and crow's feet. Deep lines and wrinkles can also develop around the mouth from dragging on your cigarette; this look is also known as the "smoker's pucker." Your breasts can also begin to droop and fall prematurely. The skin on the back of your upper arms can also start to sag.

You are also more prone to develop age spots (liver spots) on the face and body. Your fingers and fingernails can begin to turn yellow or brown after years of smoking; however, these stains will begin to fade after you quit smoking. Smoking also increases your chances to develop alopecia (hair loss).

Now that you know how the use of tobacco products affects can your appearance, let's look at some of the benefits of quitting smoking. Once you quit smoking, your circulation improves; this leads to an increased amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to the skin. Some of the damage from smoking can be reversed by using retinoids, antioxidants (such as A and C vitamins), and chemical peels. Make an appointment with your dermatologist to see what skin-care regimen is best for you.

Here are some overall health benefits that come with the cessation of smoking. After 20 minutes, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease. After 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack begins to drop. After a few weeks, the cilia will begin to sweep impurities from the lungs again. After a year, you decrease your risk of a heart attack by half.

If you want to quit smoking, and you are having trouble, consult your physician.

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