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Cutaneous effects of smoking.
Anatoli Freiman1, Garrett Bird, Andrei I Metelitsa
1Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. anatoli.freiman@sympatico.ca
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery
|July 1, 2005
Summary
Cigarette smoking significantly harms the skin, causing premature aging, wrinkling, and increasing the risk of various skin cancers and conditions like psoriasis. Dermatologists should educate patients on these adverse cutaneous effects to promote smoking cessation.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cigarette smoking is a leading preventable cause of death and disease.
- Smoking is linked to numerous cardiovascular, pulmonary, and cancer-related health issues.
- Beyond systemic effects, smoking causes various skin manifestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the multifaceted effects of cigarette smoking on the skin and its appendages.
- To synthesize current knowledge on smoking-related dermatologic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of English-language articles from 1966-2004.
- MEDLINE search using MeSH terms: cutaneous, dermatology, tobacco, skin, smoking.
- Prioritization of articles with high evidence levels and recent reports on pathogenesis and epidemiology.
Main Results:
- Strong associations found between smoking and poor wound healing, premature skin aging, wrinkling, squamous cell carcinoma, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, hair loss, and oral cancers.
- Smoking impacts skin lesions in conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and AIDS.
- Evidence is inconclusive for smoking's link to melanoma, eczema, and acne; anecdotal protective effects noted in some conditions.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the adverse cutaneous effects of smoking is crucial.
- Dermatologists are vital in educating the public about smoking's skin damage.
- Dermatologists can actively promote smoking cessation efforts.