Research on acne* and smoking

Strength of will

Relying only on willpower and your own endurance when trying to quit smoking is wrong. Failure in this case undermines self-confidence and makes subsequent attempts to quit smoking much more difficult. Trying to quit smoking through abstinence alone, a person is left without support, faces severe withdrawal symptoms, and increases the risk of returning to cigarettes. It is important to understand that smoking is not a bad habit that you can get rid of with willpower, but a disease. It requires special treatment: with medication support, psychotherapy, and lifestyle correction. Only with such treatment will a person be able to quit smoking forever, and not for a while.

Possible consequences

How can such a common situation be dangerous: you quit smoking and acne appears?

At first glance, nothing, but in fact the consequences can be very different:

• Infection - attempts to squeeze out a “pimple” often lead to the introduction of infection into the blood and cause infection of the entire body, and getting rid of boils or carbuncles that appear in place of a “harmless” pimple is much more difficult;
• Changes in appearance - purulent rashes, redness and uneven skin can ruin even an angelic appearance, what can we say about an ordinary, average person; such a cosmetic defect not only complicates relationships with others and reduces self-esteem, but can also cause serious psychological problems, exacerbating a depressive state former smoker.

Substitution

We are talking about vapes, smoking mixtures, electronic cigarettes, tobacco heating systems and other devices. When smoking, nicotine addiction develops, and it is because of this that it is difficult to quit smoking. Nicotine affects the functioning of the central nervous system. When you try to quit smoking, withdrawal begins, which manifests itself mainly in neurological problems. Among them are difficulties in concentration, anxiety, irritability, aggression, increasing discomfort, and constant thoughts about smoking. If a person switches from regular cigarettes to devices or mixtures that replace them, in fact, he does not give up nicotine, and the addiction continues. Only the method of obtaining nicotine changes. At the same time, when using new devices, it can be more difficult to control the dosage, and they themselves are positioned as safer. Because of this, the amount of nicotine consumed may even increase, and the addiction may intensify.

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How does nicotine affect the skin?

The influence of tobacco on acne is true. The negative effects of a smoked cigarette begin with the first inhalation, external manifestations are observed a month later. During this time, toxins, together with the blood, penetrate into all organs, damaging the mucous membrane of the larynx, poisoning the stomach, as a result of which appetite decreases. The body's defenses are weakened, intoxication begins to manifest itself externally, the concentration of substances is removed by the sebaceous glands, and acne from smoking appears.

In addition to penetration through blood plasma, the skin of the face is exposed to active poisoning by air. Cigarette smoke prevents the healing of existing rashes and disrupts the function of the sebaceous glands. The products contain more than 4 thousand chemical compounds, and there are substances that are added to tear gas:

• hydrocyanic acid;
• acrolein;
• benzopyrene;
• pyridine;
• acetaldehyde and others.

The substances activate an enzyme that decomposes natural collagen. The skin loses elasticity, ages quickly, and pores become clogged.

Fast victory

After holding on for a couple of days, a week or a month, a person may decide that he has already coped with addiction, because the main withdrawal symptoms have already passed. This is a dangerous misconception. Under its influence, a former smoker may start smoking again: many decide to test themselves in this way or believe that one cigarette will not do any harm. In other cases, the feeling of a quick victory is dangerous due to subsequent disappointment. With nicotine addiction, withdrawal symptoms persist for three months. At this time, irritability and uncertainty may occur, a person may feel depressed, and gain weight. If dissatisfaction with these manifestations continues to accumulate, the former smoker may return to smoking simply because he does not see changes for the better.

Not just a cigarette...

Another important aspect in overcoming psychological dependence on tobacco, according to Dr. Yatsenko, is to convince yourself that smoking is not the only possible type of “quick pleasure” and make a list of things that would bring no less satisfaction. How did they answer the question “What can replace smoking one cigarette?” Facebook users at the request of Konstantin Olegovich, look at the illustrations below. Mark in it what suits you and add your own points.

Make a table: in one column - the situation in which you usually smoke, in another - the number of cigarettes you smoke, and in the third - what you could replace smoking with. For example: “Went out with colleagues for a smoke break - Two cigarettes - Drank tea with colleagues.” Imagine that two people come to you and one of them offers to go smoke. What should the other person offer to make you get carried away and forget about the cigarette? At first, these “substitutions” will not be so easy to implement, but over time, the situations in which you previously took up a cigarette will begin to be associated with something more useful.

Lifestyle

Tobacco addiction quickly becomes part of the lifestyle and begins to affect it. A person gets used to smoking after eating or immediately after waking up; he needs frequent breaks from work and smoke breaks. Smoking accompanies communication, hard work, and relaxation. It also limits opportunities for exercise and affects appetite and activity levels. Trying to quit smoking without changing your lifestyle is a common mistake: in this case, the smoker is deprived of his usual rituals, receiving nothing in return and acutely feeling the lack of a cigarette. If you start changing your lifestyle and only then move on to quitting smoking, it will be easier to get rid of nicotine addiction. There are several basic recommendations:

• change your diet. It is good if it is fractional: it is advisable to eat more often and in small portions, but at the same time try not to smoke after or before meals. The diet should be balanced and varied: this will improve your overall health and help you cope with withdrawal symptoms faster;
• bad habits. As you prepare to quit smoking, you should also limit your alcohol consumption. Alcohol can become a provoking factor: many people smoke while intoxicated, when control is weakened;
• physical activity. It is worth spending more time on the move, playing sports, being outside more often;
• sleep and rest mode. It is important to normalize it: the duration of night sleep should be at least 7-8 hours, the person should get enough rest. This will improve the functioning of the central nervous system, reducing associated symptoms during withdrawal.

It is worth changing your lifestyle in such a way as to eliminate situations that provoke a breakdown immediately after quitting smoking:

• It is undesirable to go to places or companies where people smoke;
• you need to limit your stress level, choose a “quiet” period to quit smoking: vacation, long weekends or holidays;
• It is worth changing your smoking habits in advance (for example, a cigarette immediately after waking up, with the first cup of coffee, after a meal, on the way to work, while driving).

Is there a connection between acne and smoking?

There are different types of rashes on the face; the cause is judged from it and the correct treatment is prescribed. Cigarette acne differs in appearance from other formations, and experts call the disease the term “smoker's acne or type nia acne.” According to medical statistics, more than 40% of smokers have skin problems. It has been noted that teenage girls are most often susceptible to rashes of a non-inflammatory nature.

Of the recorded number of smokers, only 10% of people have healthy skin. Despite the previously existing opinion that the problem is related to the environment and bad food, the results of numerous studies have established that acne can appear from cigarettes.

There is no plan or it is wrong

If a person quits smoking spontaneously, without a plan, he also runs the risk of spontaneously returning to smoking. Treatment of tobacco addiction must be planned: it is important to determine motivation, adjust lifestyle, set deadlines for quitting cigarettes, decide what support measures will be used (substitution therapy, psychotherapy and others). The most common mistake in planning is trying to quit smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes. Nicotine addiction “requires” a constant increase in dose (as with any other drug). Trying to smoke less, a person only prolongs the abstinence period and intensifies it. At the same time, it perpetuates addiction, because the cigarette begins to be perceived as a “reward” for several hours of abstinence. The wrong plan can cause disappointment and breakdown if a person expects results too quickly: for example, that the craving for cigarettes will disappear in a few days or shortness of breath will disappear in a month. Positive changes are usually invisible and difficult to evaluate.

When quitting smoking, it is important to have motivation for this: to understand that quitting smoking is necessary to improve your health and reduce the risk of dangerous diseases. Nicotine addiction is almost always caused by psychological factors: people perceive smoking as part of their lifestyle, their personality, as a way to cope with stress or work more productively. In such cases, treatment with substitution methods (tablets, chewing gum, patches) must be supplemented with psychotherapy. Medical narcologists note that when quitting smoking, it is important to carefully monitor your well-being. If dizziness, nausea, insomnia, or blood pressure disorders occur, you should consult a doctor and try to quickly restore your normal state of health.

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Treatment of NIA rash

For successful skin treatment, it is better to give up nicotine. It will not be possible to force people to do this, so everyone decides for themselves whether to continue smoking or not. Nevertheless, using some methods to solve the problem will not be superfluous.

1. Drinking plenty of clean water will help reduce concentration and remove toxins faster.
2. Fruits and vegetables activate immune cells, making it easier for the body to cope with toxins.
3. Sports will reduce oxygen starvation.

Among other things, external cleansing and nourishing of the skin shows effectiveness: masks, scrubs, lotions. In the fight against rashes, pharmaceutical drugs are used in combination with folk recipes.

Medicines

Antibiotics:

• Erythromycin;
• Levomycetin;
• Metronidazole;
• Tetracycline;
• Doxycyline.

Hormonal drugs are prescribed to girls in whose body the level of testosterone is increased, which causes nicotine. Such means include:

• Yarina;
• Diana;
• Midiana;
• Janine;
• Jess.

Taking these medications must be agreed upon with a dermatologist, gynecologist and endocrinologist!

Pills:

• Lactrofiltrum;
• Activated carbon;
• Filtrum-STI;
• Polypephane.

It is worth considering that medications have contraindications, which you need to familiarize yourself with before use.

Brewer's yeast contains:

• zinc;

• iron;
• succinic acid;
• selenium and other trace elements.

Alternative medicine

Acne can be eliminated by rubbing freshly squeezed plantain juice daily.

A lotion made from mint leaves is effective in combating acne. To do this, steep a tablespoon of chopped herbs in a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes. Next, add 20 ml of boric alcohol and calendula tincture. Lastly, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and wipe problem areas in the morning and before bed.

A decoction of birch buds or walnut leaves will help remove acne from the face. They are prepared in the usual way for decoctions, a small amount of ingredients is poured into 250 ml of hot water and boiled for 5 minutes, then infused for 20 minutes. The rash is treated several times a day.

The rash is treated with juice from raspberry leaves scalded with boiling water, which is added to butter. The resulting mixture is left on the face while you sleep.

The following are used with success in treating rashes:

• chamomile flowers;
• mint leaves;
• green tea.

The greens are poured with 250 ml of boiling water and infused for 15 minutes. The product is used as a lotion for daily use and stored in the refrigerator. You can make ice cubes and wipe your face with them every morning.

There is no worse torment for people than wanting to quit smoking and not being able to do it on their own. A person who quits smoking gets a chance to become the owner of clean and healthy skin and maintain youth for a long time. To combat addiction, manufacturers provide a selection of specialized drugs, from which everyone will find a suitable option. Do not forget that the shorter the smoking experience, the easier it is to cope with the problem.

Making the right diet

• Three main meals and one snack are enough, but the portion should be reduced by 20 percent.
• The diet should contain a sufficient amount of plant fiber, known for its cleansing properties. Cucumbers, celery, zucchini, oatmeal and prunes are rich in it. Additional intake in the form of dietary supplements is possible.
• When smoking, vitamin C is intensively removed from the body. To replenish it, citrus fruits, black currants, rose hips, sea buckthorn, spinach, and also taken in the form of dietary supplements in a daily dose of at least 1000 mg are perfect.
• Eat more broccoli to prevent cancer caused by cigarette smoke. In addition, this vegetable has low calorie content and many other beneficial properties.
• Replace sweets with dark chocolate, but not more than 10 g per day, and green apples.
• Replace mayonnaise sauces and ketchup with cold-pressed vegetable oils.
• Replace simple carbohydrates, sweets, baked goods and the like with “slow” ones - porridge, whole grain bread.
• Magnesium has a positive effect on the nervous system. Wheat bran, wheat sprouts, pumpkin and its seeds, carrots, chicken, pine nuts, and dried fruits are rich in it.
• Vitamin B6 also relieves nervous tension, irritability and negative emotions that make you take up a cigarette. It is found in large quantities in nuts, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, beans, bananas, tuna, salmon, and mackerel.
• Drink clean water - 30 ml per 1 kg of weight per day.