
Efeitos do fumo na pele: do envelhecimento à doença
Revisado por Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGPÚltima atualização por Lynn StephenÚltima atualização 6 Mar 2026
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Smoking is bad for you but its effects on your skin's health may not be the first thing you think of. We explore how this deadly habit can damage the largest organ of your body - the skin.
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Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation member, explains that smoking damages nearly every organ in your body
"Unlike damage to your heart or lungs, the effects on skin are often outwardly visible," she says. "Not only is smoking related to the development of certain skin disorders, it is a major culprit in premature ageing of the skin."
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Premature ageing
Smoking deprives your skin of oxygen and nutrients. While some smokers appear pale, others develop an uneven colour. The habit also stains the smoker's fingers and teeth, and makes them more susceptible to age spots or patches of darker skin, especially if they spend a lot of time in the sun.
There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, several of which can trigger the destruction of collagen and elastin, which gives your skin its strength and elasticity. Smoking damages the building blocks of skin causing it to sag, not only on your face but also your arms and breasts.
Smokers also develop earlier and deeper wrinkles in addition to a smoker's pucker, caused by using certain muscles around their mouth that non-smokers do not.
Mahto says that the link between smoking and wrinkles has been known for many years. Smoking is an independent risk factor for developing wrinkles. Women seem to be more susceptible to this than their male counterparts.
This commonly shows itself as fine lines around the eyes - sometimes called crow's feet - and mouth at an earlier age than non-smokers.
Mahto adds: "Aside from early wrinkling, other facial features have been described in smokers. These include thinning of the skin, facial redness, and prominence of the underlying bony contours of the face."
Skin cancer
Voltar ao conteúdoSpending too much time in the sun increases your odds of getting câncer de pele, but smoking also increases this chance. Smokers are much more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma (SSC) - the second most common type of skin cancer - caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal squamous cells in the outermost layer of the skin.
Mayto says: "Even people who only smoke a few cigarettes a day remain vulnerable to this. It is thought that tobacco found in smoke suppresses your immune system, allowing cancer cells to evade recognition.
"Whilst SCC is easier to treat if found early, it does have the potential to spread to other parts of the body and can potentially be life-threatening."
Our expert warns that smokers have a higher chance of developing wart-related cancers - including cancer of the vulva, anus, and penis, as well as genital warts caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). This could be related to the immunosuppressive effects of nicotine.
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Poor wound healing
Voltar ao conteúdoMany studies have shown that smoking can interrupt the wound healing process, causing higher rates of wound infection, decreased wound strength, skin graft failure, tissue death, and blood clot formation.
Nicotine is thought to cause blood vessels to narrow and decrease blood flow, reducing the amount of oxygen and other nutrients reaching wound tissues. It can also cause tiny blood clots to form, which can block small blood vessels.
Tobacco also prevents the formation of produção de colágeno. Reduced collagen production causes changes in the normal inflammatory processes that occur during wound healing. Furthermore, smoking delays the formation of new blood vessels within a wound.
Other skin disorders
Voltar ao conteúdoPsoríase
Smoking can aggravate other skin conditions such as psoríase, a relatively common disorder of the skin that causes red, scaly patches of skin.
Mahto explains that smokers have a higher chance of developing this condition compared to non-smokers. They are also more likely to have severe and more extensive disease that is less likely to respond successfully to treatment.
Ela diz: "Nicotine is thought to directly affect your immune system, potentially triggering psoriasis in those people who may already have an underlying tendency towards developing this condition. It binds to skin cells known as keratinocytes, promoting their cell division and turnover."
Lúpus eritematoso discoide
Smoking can also aggravate discoid lupus erythematosus. This is an autoimmune skin condition where scaly, red patches often appear in sun-exposed sites.
Mahto says: "The areas can often clear but leave behind scarring. This occurs at least ten times more commonly in smokers compared to non-smokers.
"Treatment of this condition with antimalarial and other drugs has also been shown to be less effective in smokers."
Hidradenite supurativa
Also common among smokers is hidradenitis suppurativa, a long-term condition that results in painful boil-like swellings and abscesses under the skin - particularly in the groin and armpits - that can often discharge and leave scarring.
Mahto explains: "The areas can often clear but leave behind scarring. This occurs at least ten times more commonly in smokers compared to non-smokers.
"Treatment of this condition with antimalarial and other medicine has also been shown to be less effective in smokers."
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One more reason to quit
Voltar ao conteúdoSmoking is bad for your skin, but quitting can cause its appearance to improve. Blood flow recovers, meaning your skin receives the oxygen and nutrients it requires, leading to a healthier looking complexion. The stains found on fingers and nails may also disappear and teeth may look whiter.
Of course, quitting smoking also improves your general health. Within a year, the likelihood of developing heart disease is half that of a smoker. And within ten years, an ex-smoker is no more likely to die of lung cancer than someone who has never smoked.
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Histórico do artigo
As informações nesta página são revisadas por pares por clínicos qualificados.
Next review due: 6 Mar 2029
6 Mar 2026 | Última versão
14 Nov 2018 | Publicado originalmente
Escrito por:
Kerry Taylor-Smith

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