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If you smoke cigarettes, you won't look so good in 10 years.
By Christine Schoenwald — Last updated on Jul 17, 2023
Sometimes it doesn't matter how many statistics or health warnings you read — you just can't give up a bad habit. You know it's not good for you, but you still continue to smoke.
Surprisingly, there are times when the most superficial warnings are the ones that resonate the most.
You pay no attention to information about smoking leading to lung, throat, mouth, or esophageal cancer, but when you're shown what smoking does to your face and the way you look overall, that's difficult to ignore.
BuzzFeed had makeup artists come in and give three smokers a "smoke-over," showing them what they might look like after smoking for thirty years.
Here's what happened when the smokers got a glimpse of their future selves:
Smoking messes you up pretty badly. In case you still want to smoke, here are some ways smoking makes you look like hot-ash, not hot.
Here are 10 things that happen when you smoke for 30 years:
1. Bags under the eyes
Did you know that nicotine disrupts your natural sleep patterns? This can lead to fluid collecting under your eyes. Combined with the lessening of skin elasticity, bagginess under your eyes can be very noticeable when you are a smoker.
2. Psoriasis
It's an autoimmune-related skin condition you can get, even if you don't smoke. But if you do smoke, your risk goes up.
3. Bad teeth
Nicotine can stain your teeth, and smoking can lead to oral cancer and gum disease, causing you to lose your teeth.
4. Premature aging and wrinkles
Upper lip lines are known as smoker's lines.
All the toxins in a cigarette destroy the collagen and the elastin in the skin. This causes a smoker's skin to lose its firmness and suppleness, leading to aging and wrinkles.
5. Yellow fingers and hand problems
The tar in cigarette smoke collects on your fingers and stains them.
Smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, which reduces blood flow. This is very serious for the hands because the blood vessels in your hands are very small, which can obstruct complete blood flow to your fingers.
A scientist wrote that “Nicotine is, without a doubt, one murderous compound. When concentrated, it’s corrosive to soft tissues, and targets the nervous system with frightening speed.”
6. Damaged hair
Smokers have thinner hair that goes gray quickly. And male smokers are twice as likely to lose their hair.
7. Scars
You can develop bigger and redder scars, and your skin doesn't heal quickly.
8. No natural glow
Say goodbye to your youthful skin.
All the chemicals in a cigarette cause a smoker's skin to become darker because of the lack of oxygen in the body due to smoke inhalation.
9. Stretch marks
Nicotine damages the fibers and connective tissue in your skin, causing it to lose elasticity and strength.
10. Cataracts
Smoking increases the risk of cataracts by putting oxidative stress on the lens of the eye.
There's no benefit to picking up the habit of cigarettes — not for your health, not for your mind, and certainly not for what smoking does to your face. The sooner you quit, the longer you can hang on to your good looks. And you'll feel a whole lot better.
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Christine Schoenwald is a writer, performer, and frequent contributor to YourTango. She's had articles featured in The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Bustle, Medium, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and Woman's Day, among many others.