We all know that smoking is bad for us in so many ways, but we still continue to light up. Perhaps it’s a habit or maybe quitting only worked for a short time before- you’ve tried everything! But now there are better tools out on the market with alternatives like vaping and e-cigarettes which can help you kick your addiction without any negative side effects from traditional cigarettes.

Some call them wisdom lines, others credit them to excessive laughing. However you spin it, smoking cigarettes can have a serious impact on our skin. According to the Mayo Clinic some of the 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes can “damage the collagen and elastin, which are fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely because of smoking”.

As well, “repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles”.

With every puff you take, your body is taking in carbon monoxide which is absorbed 200 times faster by your blood compared to oxygen. The less oxygen in your blood means the less nutrients are getting to your skin. Presto - winkles.

But cutting out that carbon monoxide will improve oxygen flow to your skin. Many people see a dramatic improvement in their skin’s appearance when they give up the cigarettes - some saying they look 10 years younger!

One of the craziest things we have seen are people who religiously hit the gym, workout hard, eat right… and then step out of the gym and have a cigarette. What they don’t realize is that cigarettes could be holding them back on their physical goals. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology “found that cigarette smoking decreased blood oxygen and increased pulse and heart rate, making it harder to catch that next breath. The slower your heart beats while working out, the better shape you are in”.

As well, the carbon monoxide that is found in cigarettes is what decreases blood oxygen levels, meaning your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen which can have an impact on your workout. A study of 3,000 U.S. Navy servicemen showed those who smoked had a proportionately lower level of physical endurance compared to their non-smoking counter-parts.

So cutting out the cigarettes will lead to more oxygen, higher levels of energy and an overall better physical state!