It’s not just about lung cancer. Here’s what else to know.
Smoking affects every organ in the body. Most of us know that cigarettes are bad for lungs and hearts, but did you know you’re more likely to suffer problems with your skin, your eyes and your sex life if you smoke?
Here are some of the less obvious risks of smoking revealed by recent studies:
Smoking wrinkles skin faster
Yes, we all get lines on our faces as we age. But someone who smokes likely has skin showing more wear and tear, and earlier.
One study found that adding heavy smoking to a sun-worshipping habit leads to very leathery face. People with a heavy smoking habit (with 35 pack years – meaning the equivalent of smoking one pack a day for 35 years) with sun exposure of more than two hours per day were more than 11 times likelier at the same age to be heavily wrinkled than nonsmokers and those who spend less time in the sun.
Another study showed that the more you smoke, the more your skin ages, even on parts of your body not exposed to the sun (in the case of this study, the upper inner arms).
The research found that the number of cigarettes smoked per day – not chronological age – was the biggest predictor of how much aging happened in unexposed skin.
Smoking can result in blindness
Smoking increases the risk of cataracts (when the lens of the eye gets clouded) and macular degeneration (loss of the ability to see straight ahead).
People who smoke have double the risk of cataracts compared with those who do not smoke. And the risk is triple for those who smoke 15 cigarettes per day or more. But people who have quit smoking for 25 years have a 20 percent lower risk of cataracts compared with those who still smoke.
People who smoke are up to four times more likely than those who don’t smoke to develop macular degeneration. People who quit smoking, however, will slightly lower their risk (by 6 percent) of macular degeneration after one year. After 5 years, the risk drops by about 11 percent.
Tobacco use can cause impotence
Smoking is a cause of erectile dysfunction. Cigarette smoke interferes with the healthy functioning of blood vessels, including those in the penis. Smoking can therefore alter the blood flow needed for an erection. Men who smoke are about 50 percent more likely to have erectile dysfunction than those who don’t.
Erectile dysfunction is sometimes an indication that a man will develop cardiovascular disease. The penile artery is smaller than coronary arteries, so smoking may affect erections before it affects the heart.
The good news is that quitting cigarettes starts to improve your health almost immediately. And there are many resources and medications available to help you quit. Talk to your doctor about which tactics and medications are best for you.
To work with a counselor to help you create a plan for quitting, call the Tennessee Tobacco Quitline, 1 800-784-8669, or use it online at tnquitline.org.
Those at highest risk for lung cancer are ages 50 to 80; and have smoked within the past 15 years, with a 20 pack-year history, meaning smoking a pack a day for 20 years — or the equivalent, such as smoking half-pack a day for 40 years. See if lung cancer screenings are right for you.
