How to Treat Smoker’s Skin

It’s probably no surprise to you, but smoking is bad for your skin. It blocks the flow of oxygen and nutrients through capillaries, reduces skin-moisture content, decreases the amount of collagen produced, causes discoloration and loss of elasticity. If knowing this isn’t enough to make you quit, or if you’ve quit, but the damage is still visible, what can you do about it?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Compensate for the increased concentration of strong oxidants in your skin with strong anti-oxidants. Look for skin-care products with lipophilic (fat soluble) antioxidants like alpha lipoic acid, vitamin E and essential fatty acids, plus hydrophilic or water-soluble products, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and vitamin C. Eat lots of fruit with vitamins A, C and E.
2. Use a pumpkin mask once a week to make skin glow. It provides mild enzymatic exfoliation plus beta-carotene to protect skin from further free-radical damage.
3. Try a product with Coemzyme Q10 or its derivative, idebenone, to repair mitochondria that's been damaged by smoking.
4. Take special care of your lips with anti-oxidant, anti-aging products, as this part of your face will show damage the fastest.
5. Try products with resveratrol or grape-seed extract to repair damage to tiny blood vessels near the surface and restore their ability to carry more oxygen and nutrients to skin cells.

Tips & Warnings

• Drink plenty of water to flush cigarette toxins out of your body.
• If you decide to have any cosmetic procedures to repair the damage, try to stop smoking for at least two to three weeks beforehand. Smoking slows recovery; your skin will heal faster after a break.
• The free radicals that damage skin also affect hair, causing it to gray prematurely. Hair products containing vitamin anti-oxidants may help.