The aging affect of cigarettes on smokers

If you're worried about losing your youthful looks, research shows that quitting smoking could be the first step to slowing the aging process.

Studies show that smoking can make you look older. Smokers of more than 20 cigarettes a day are three times more likely to wrinkle prematurely than non- smokers, an effect that's both unavoidable and irreversible naturally, and more pronounced in women.¹ For those who are concerned about looking older, quitting should be at the top of the 'to do' list.

Showing the signs of aging

On the eve of World Tobacco Day 2010, Nicabate released research that showed that many smokers don't realise how their habit affects their skin. To highlight the findings, celebrity Chloe Maxwell donated her image to be altered. It was digitally treated using software developed in Canada, to illustrate the difference between how a smoker and a non-smoker appears at different stages of their life.

After seeing the images, Chloe said: "It's scary just how much smoking can prematurely age you. I am so glad I managed to quit. I know how hard it is to give up smoking but once you manage to give it up, it feels incredibly empowering. It took me countless attempts to finally kick the habit and I applaud products like Nicabate as they can really help you on your journey to quit".

What to look out for

In the long term, smoking can cause deep grooved crow's feet, vertical furrows above the lips and lots of fine wrinkles on the cheeks. The constriction of blood vessels also leads to broken capillaries and the skin being deprived of oxygen, causing it to look thinner and have a greyish colour.

Keeping your skin looking younger

There are plenty of wrinkle treatments and anti-aging creams out there, but if you're a smoker then one of the best things you can do is quit. Quitting will go a long way to helping you regain a more natural, colourful complexion.

There are lots of different strategies to quitting. This site has plenty of advice to help you find a way to quit that best suits you. If you'd like to use Nicabate products to help you on your quit journey, head to the products section for details on what Nicabate options may be available to you. If you need some extra help, check the product selector at Path2Quit to find out which Nicabate product might work best for you.