We’ve long been warned about the dangers of skin aging and deep lines caused by cigarette smoking, but vapes are also to blame for skin wrinkles and breakouts, dermatologists warn.
The biggest vapers of any generation are Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, all under 27 years old, but they appear to be aging faster than millennials, according to social media users.
According to American researchers, lifestyle, diet, environment and stress are believed to be taking their toll on the young generation.
But vaping could also be held responsible for Gen Z “aging like milk,” as toxic chemicals found in vaporizers break down the components that keep us young, experts say.
Here, MailOnline asks top dermatologists why vaping can add years to your skin and cause unwanted blemishes and wrinkles.
Do you have the face of a vaper? Dermatologists say the chemicals in vaporizers can cause breakouts, wrinkles and dehydrated skin.
Nicotine is a major culprit behind skin conditions, says Dr Bav Shergill of the British Association of Dermatologists.
‘Nicotine is the active ingredient and is associated with all types of skin problems. It is associated with acne, psoriasis and breakouts,” says Dr. Shergill.
In particular, vaping has been shown to cause premature skin aging.
Nicotine, an addictive substance found in tobacco and vaporizers, can break down the elastic fibers of the skin.
These fibers are what give your skin a little “lift” or “lift,” says Dr. Shergill.
He said: “People who consume a lot of nicotine degrade them.”
Premature aging is caused by the combination of heat, chemicals, and reduced blood flow to the skin caused by nicotine, making it difficult for the body to repair the skin.
This degradation can be very noticeable and occur at an early age.
Dr Shergill said: “If you have two people, twins for example, and you have one who is a smoker and likes a bit of sun, you look at them at the age of 25 and you can see the difference between them. Aging starts quite early. early with smoking and sun exposure.’
Skin changes can be seen at age 20 if they are frequent smokers, not at age 40, he explains.
This premature aging is caused by the combination of heat, chemicals and reduced blood flow to the skin caused by nicotine, making it difficult for the body to repair the skin, explains Asiya Maula, a general practitioner at The Health Suite medical center. .
The heat from vaporizers can also cause skin dehydration, leading to a dull, aged appearance, Dr. Maula adds.
Dehydrated skin is also an unwanted side effect of nicotine use, which can lead to wrinkles because collagen in the skin begins to break down.
“You lose collagen, which is basically like the filling in your mattress; if you remove it, your mattress sags and your skin sags,” says Dr. Shergill.
He emphasizes that just because you’re vaping doesn’t mean “you’re not ingesting things that aren’t toxic.”
“Yes, there are certain things in cigarette smoke that can damage the skin, but nicotine is a big problem, it is an addictive drug that has adverse effects on the skin.”
Smoking any form that contains nicotine can also cause cancer.
“It can be associated with oral and lip cancers and there are some reports that say it could be associated with melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma,” says Dr. Shergill.
These toxic chemicals, including nicotine, can cause “thermal damage” and the body will attempt to “repair” itself from this damage.
But this process can lead to other skin problems, including red and blotchy skin.
This is because the beginning of a healing response is inflammation.
“This is how you get extra blood flow to all the right cells to heal,” says Dr. Shergill.
He added: ‘Inflammation can also lead to the production of factors that can damage collagen and scarring at a micro level.
“As your body starts to swell, the blood supply starts to increase, so you get spots and redness.”
Vape chemicals stain teeth and make them look more yellow, discolored and unhealthy
It is also this inflammation that can cause psoriasis to worsen and flare up.
However, it is not just the skin that is damaged by vaping, one of the most notable effects is the yellowing of the teeth.
The chemicals in vapes stain teeth and make them look more yellow, discolored, and unhealthy.
“These stains not only affect the smile, but also indicate damage to oral health,” says Dr. Maula.
It’s not just the superficial side effects of vaping that worry Dr. Maula, but also the “unknown long-term risks that are not yet known.”
Everything you need to know about electronic cigarettes
How much nicotine is in an electronic cigarette?
There are many different brands of e-cigarettes that contain different levels of nicotine.
The legal amount of nicotine in an e-liquid capacity in the UK is 20 mg/ml, which is equivalent to between 600 and 800 puffs.
The Elf Bar 600, one of Britain’s most popular vaporizers, is advertised with nicotine strengths of 0 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg.
How many cigarettes are “in” an electronic cigarette?
According to analysts, Elf Bar 600 contains the equivalent of 48 cigarettes.
It takes 600 puffs before you have to throw it away, which means that, in theory, every 12.5 puffs is equivalent to one cigarette.
Experts say that for many e-cigarettes, 100 puffs are equivalent to ten regular cigarettes.
Elf Bars is a brand of e-cigarettes that are often sold in stylish colors and with kid-friendly names and flavors, like Blue Razz Lemonade and Green Gummy Bear.
Is vaping better for your health than cigarettes?
According to the NHS, vaping products are considered better than cigarettes as users are exposed to fewer toxins and at lower levels.
The health service adds that vaping instead of smoking cigarettes reduces exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung diseases, and heart and circulation diseases, such as strokes and heart attacks.
Public Health England, which no longer exists, published an independent expert review in 2015 that concluded that e-cigarettes are around 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes.
However, vaping is not without risks, as although the levels in tobacco products are much higher, e-cigarettes still contain harmful toxins, according to a study by researchers at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland.
And Dr. Onkar Mudhar, a London dentist who posts videos on TikTok, said Elf bars can cause gum inflammation, swelling and bleeding.
He said this is because nicotine dries out the mouth and reduces saliva, which causes irritation due to a buildup of bacteria and food that cannot be removed.
Almost 350 vaping hospitalizations were recorded in England in 2022, which are thought to be mainly due to respiratory problems such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, lung inflammation and, in severe cases, respiratory failure.