A new report suggests that the use of e-cigarettes by Gen Z may be a cause for the generation’s abnormally sallow skin and signs of early aging.
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Dr. Bav Shergill, member of the British Association of Dermatologists, recently spoke with the Daily Mail about the possible connection between early aging and vaping and how it could be causing irreparable damage to young people, mainly because of the products that contain nicotine.
“Yes, there are certain things in cigarette smoke that can damage your skin, but nicotine is a big problem. It is an addictive drug that does have adverse skin affect,” Shergill said.
Shergill noted that the use of e-cigarettes has Gen Z “aging like milk,” as nicotine can break down the elasticity that gives skin its “lift.”
“Nicotine is the active ingredient, and it is associated with all kinds of skin problems. It is associated with acne, psoriasis, and breakouts,” Shergill continued.
Last year, a study from the American College of Chest Physicians highlighted that Americans are smoking and using nicotine products more now than ever before, even with an increase in studies sharing the dangers of the substance.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that those aged 18 to 24 were the most likely to report using e-cigarettes among all adult age ranges.
Those aged 18 to 44, which includes both Gen Z and millennials, were the most likely to use both vapes and cigarettes.
Along with being potentially lethal, the long-term effects of cigarette use can include numerous cancers, bad breath, yellowing of teeth, and premature wrinkles.
While e-cigarettes have been sold to customers as a way to drop cigarettes, they may have even worse effects, thanks to a mix of chemicals and pathogens in the flavor cartridges.
Shergill says that with the toxic chemicals continuing to cause damage to the skin, the immune system is triggered, causing chronic inflammation.
“As your body starts to get inflamed, it starts to increase the blood supply, so you get blotchy and red,” Shergill said, adding that skin cells are also “degraded by people who have a lot of nicotine usage.”
Overall, Shergill says that the effects of the devices can be equivalent to overexposure to the sun.
“If you get two people, twins, for example, and you had one who is a smoker and likes a bit of sunshine, and you look at them at the age of 25, and you can see the difference between them,” he said. “The aging starts quite early with smoking and sun exposure.”
Once that damage happens, Shergill says there isn’t much that can be done to reverse the effects.
“You lose your collagen, which is basically like the stuffing in the mattress. If you get rid of that, the mattress goes saggy, and your skin goes saggy,” he said.
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