Tobacco

If one of two identical twins smokes and the other does not, which one ages earlier? This is how the approach of an American experiment just published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery could be expressed. The analysis of the plastic surgeon of the Case University Hospital (Cleveland) Bahman Guyuron shows that the aging of the face accelerates up to 5 years in twins who have a history of smoking compared to their brothers who do not use tobacco. The study is based on 79 pairs of twins with an average age of 79.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Internal Medicine, smokers are more likely to consider quitting on Monday than any other day of the week. In contrast, Saturdays are the day that tobacco addicts think least about quitting their habit (145% less than Monday).

In 2011, the famous, applauded and criticized anti-smoking law was put into effect, prohibiting smoking inside public establishments such as bars. Since then, the air inside is much cleaner and healthier, but how much more? An investigation by the Institute for Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies, IDAEA, belonging to the CSIC has analyzed it.

Menthol cigarettes are those that contain menthol, an alcohol obtained from the synthesis of plant oils such as peppermint or sunflower. In our body, this chemical substance acts on the endings of the nerves responsible for perceiving the sensation of cold, located in the skin and in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and respiratory tract. Through this mechanism, menthol produces a sensation of freshness that leads some smokers to mistakenly think that menthol cigarettes are beneficial for health as they are attributed a lessening effect on throat irritation.

The absence of tobacco smoke in bars and restaurants does not mean that nicotine is not concentrated in the air. This is clear from a study by the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) that reveals that smoking on terraces and at the doors of bars and restaurants, as is customary in Spain after the implementation of the 2011 anti-smoking law, increases the concentration of nicotine and particles in its interior, which affects both customers and hospitality professionals.

According to a recent study carried out by experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, 30% of miners, as well as employees in hotels and restaurant services, are smokers, which places these professionals like those who consume the most tobacco. Construction workers follow in the ranking.

So that you do not need to put your imagination into play to know how your appearance will change if you continue to smoke, the British National Health Service (NHS for its acronym in English) has created an application called "Smoking Time Machine" that shows you what it will be like your face in a decade or two due to the effects of tobacco if you are a smoker and do not immediately quit cigarettes. Premature aging, deeper wrinkles around the eyes and mouth, graying of the skin and an enlarged double chin are some of the damages caused by the 4,000 harmful chemicals in cigarettes.

If you have a habit of smoking avidly while drinking alcohol, you should know that you are at greater risk of suffering a hangover the next morning, according to a study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.