How Does Smoking Make Acne Worse?
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Smoking and Skin
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Smoking does nothing to benefit the human body, especially regarding the skin. Cigarette smoke can age the skin prematurely, causing wrinkles and a leathery feel. However, the issue of smoking's hand in acne is harder to determine, and several scientific studies exist that conflict with each other on the issue.
Smoking Causes Acne
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The studies that say smoking causes acne, like the one conducted at the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute in Rome, find that smoking promotes non-inflammatory acne (NIA). NIA is primarily made up of blocked pores and spots, and has been nicknamed "smoker's acne." The study found that 42 percent of smokers had "smoker's acne," compared with 10 percent of non-smokers. In addition, the British Association of Dermatologists found that, in most cases, acne prevailed past teenage years only in smokers.
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Smoking Does Not Cause Acne
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However, other studies show that acne is not related to smoking, and smoking may even prevent acne. For example, the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that there was less acne among smokers, and the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology had similar results from their survey. It has been posited that nicotine constricts blood vessels, thus limiting the presence of acne.
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