Beauty tips: Here's how smokers can protect their lips

Constant exposure to tar and nicotine present in the cigarette causes lip darkness and dryness which leads to cracked and sensitive inflamed lips. Here are some beauty tips you can incorporate in your lifestyle to achieve soft, healthy and nourished lips

Updated on: Jun 17, 2022 1:35 PM IST

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Nicotine and tar present in the cigarette causes the blood vessels to shrink, narrow and over time, cut off the oxygen supply to the lips that leads to oxidative stress and capillary rupture. Eventually, the lips become dull and faded while the heat emitted from cigarette smoke triggers the body to release melanin which causes the area around the mouth to become darker and pigmented.  (Pixabay)

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In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Shivam Chakrala, Founder and CEO of SkinnCells, revealed, “Smoke irritates the sensitive lip skin, causing them to dry out and crack and also attack the skin's structural fibres -producing less collagen and elastin leading to premature ageing. Constant exposure to tar and nicotine causes lip darkness and dryness which leads to cracked and sensitive inflamed lips.” He shared some tips that you can incorporate in your lifestyle to achieve soft, healthy and nourished lips:  (Pixabay)

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1. It is essential to moisturise and keep your lips hydrated. Choose a perfect lip care which is not just wax. A rich butter and serum provides a long lasting hydration.  (Image by silviarita from Pixabay )

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2. Damaged lips needs to be repaired and rejuvenated properly by applying effective lip masks and lip serums enriched with antioxidants and ceramides.  (Monstera)

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3. Exfoliation is the key to minimise lip darkening. You need a very gentle, non-abrasive lip scrub to exfoliate the area. AHA based lip scrub gently and effectively works on smokers lips. Granulated scrubs create friction between the lips and more melanin and causes further lip darkening.  (Polina Kovaleva)

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4. UV rays impact the colour of your lips. Long term exposure to the sun might cause solar cheilitis and make them dry and cracked. Use a lip balm which has minimum SPF 15-30 to protect from harmful UV damage.  (Alena Darmel)

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5. Adopt a good lip care routine and try applying a good lip serum or a lip balm loaded with hydrants and antioxidants.  (Sora Shimazaki)

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The act of smoking involves the fingers and possibly contaminated cigarettes coming in contact with the lips, increasing the risk of transmission of various viruses from hand to mouth and smokers are known to be more susceptible to infections, especially respiratory infections like flu, pneumonia and tuberculosis or suffer from heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic lung disease and diabetes. The chemicals in tobacco smoke suppress the activity of different types of immune cells leading to weakening of immunity and thus impairing one’s ability to fight the Covid infection. Smokers have up to a 50% higher risk of developing severe disease and death from Covid-19, so quitting is best thing smokers can do to lower their risk from this coronavirus, as well as the risk of developing cancers, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.  (Mahdi Bafande)