Health

Smoking Cessation: The 7 Sneaky Ways Smoking Steals a Woman's Beauty

The physical effects of this bad habit aren't limited to your internal organs -- see how smoking also destroys women's hair, skin and nails (and why you should quit)

by Audrey Fine

3 of 9

Smoking ages your skin -- Part 2 Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which deprives your skin of oxygen making it lackluster and dull. Also, nicotine, (the addictive troublemaker that it is) restricts blood vessels, which slows down blood, oxygen and nutrient flow to your skin leaving it sallow and dry. And, to make matters worse, because smoking damages your lungs and other body parts, most of your body's vitamin C supply is dispatched to help try and repair the harm to those parts leaving little, if any, left over to fix your skin, which is a lesser man on the totem pole.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Smoking worsens under-eye bags and dark circles

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Older comments

I don't know why anyone would start smoking these days, when all of the harmful effects to your appearance and health are known. My mom quit cold-turkey at age 78 after emergency quadruple-bypass surgery. If she can quit, anyone can . . .

by GigiSD Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at 08:14PM Report as inappropriate

lots of good reasons to quit smoking

by butterfly11 Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at 10:25PM Report as inappropriate

So glad I stopped smoking!

by EricaC123 Monday, December 31, 2012 at 02:03PM Report as inappropriate

good to know.

by nicky22 Friday, November 23, 2012 at 04:37PM Report as inappropriate

I have to admit that it is hard to quit. I have been smoking for a while now and I really hate it. I think if anything, it does worse for my anxiety and it makes me feel self-conscious because of the smell. I plan to quit very soon, I just need a lucrative method.

by josie_kurkowski Friday, November 23, 2012 at 02:14PM Report as inappropriate

Great article, love it!

by Lani702 Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 11:04PM Report as inappropriate

My grandfather died of lung cancer so I have never been tempted to smoke.

by beautybody Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at 08:21PM Report as inappropriate

I wish my vanity could override my brain...I hate smoking...I stink, I have yellow fingers, and my breath is disgusting, not to include the running to my grave part...Smoking is such a taboo (rightfully so) but you can't just snap your fingers and that's it....no more smoker...Tried quitting with the patch and could not sleep, which made me very sick...I tried Chantix and had a really bad reaction...I just got an e-cigarette and my breathing is worse after that...Like I said, any helpful advice would be wonderful!

by powerwoman033 Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 08:03AM Report as inappropriate

I'm so glad I never took up smoking. Besides all of the facts mentioned, smoking can affect your eyes and cause cataracts to form faster too.

by taryn.romero Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 08:13AM Report as inappropriate

Wow I'm glad I don't smoke!

by LittleBunny Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 02:09PM Report as inappropriate