Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. Not only does it lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health issues significantly, but it also does wonders for your skin. Smoking can cause saggy skin, wrinkles, and a dull skin tone. Research from the Advances in Dermatology and Allergology journal emphasizes that smoking can also slow down wound healing and lead to or exacerbate skin issues such as psoriasis, chronic dermatoses, and skin cancer. Giving up cigarettes helps prevent these problems from developing, but there are also some important things you can do to help your skin recover even further. Here’s how to take care of your skin after you quit smoking:
Stay off cigarettes
When you quit smoking, staying off cigarettes seems like a no-brainer part of the journey, but it’s not an easy feat. Preventing relapses is crucial if you want to care for your skin and overall health. There’s no shame in using tools and products to help you out. Using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products can help if cold turkey quitting is too challenging. Nicotine pouches are a popular choice among cigarette quitters due to the range of products available with different pouches catering to different needs.
The spectrum of nicotine pouches on Prilla demonstrates the variety of brands, with VELO, ZYN, On!, and Rogue being the bestsellers. For those looking for a cool refreshing pouch, VELO comes in two flavors: mint and citrus, while ZYN offers more unique flavors, such as cinnamon and coffee. With such a choice, you can be sure that you’ll find a product that suits your preferences and taste. Nicotine patches like Habitrol are also a great way to receive a steady dose of nicotine. The patch is stuck onto the skin, releasing nicotine for up to 24 hours, providing a discreet and pleasant experience.
Eat the right diet
The food you eat can play a hand in skin recovery post-smoking. Cigarettes deplete essential vitamins and nutrients in the body and make it harder for them to be absorbed, so eating a balanced, nutritious diet with the right foods can help you recover from deficiencies that are affecting your appearance. Many smokers lack vitamin A and vitamin C, which are essential for protecting the skin from free radicals and aiding in collagen development that keeps skin aging at bay. Eating a diet rich in these vitamins can help improve your skin’s appearance. Insider lists foods rich in vitamin A, including sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. You should get 700 to 900 micrograms of vitamin A daily. For vitamin C, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and bell peppers can give you the boost you need in your diet.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential to your skin’s recovery process after quitting smoking. During bedtime, your skin cells replenish, replacing dead and damaged ones with healthy ones. Collagen is also renewed during the process, which helps plump and firm the skin that may have sagged due to your smoking habit. There are also other ways to make sleep work better for your skin’s healing. Our “8 Beauty Hacks to Make Your Skin Glow While You Sleep” post highlights skincare tips that ensure you wake up with a healthy glow in the morning. Some steps you can take include hydrating properly, using honey or coconut oil, and meditating or practicing breathing to ensure a restful and peaceful sleep. Sleeping well and having a nighttime skincare routine can give your skin a radiance that was lost after smoking, making you look rejuvenated and youthful. Following a tried and true skincare routine in the morning can also help keep your skin looking pristine during the day.
Kicking your smoking habit to the curb is amazing for your skin, but taking extra steps to care for and protect it can help improve your glow as you recover. Following a healthy lifestyle after quitting keeps you in your best condition overall, and it’ll also show on the outside.
