We all know the harmful effects that smoking does to our health, whether we are smokers or not. And while the effects that smoking causes to us on the outside may be superficial compared to serious, life-threatening diseases such as cancer or heart disease, it is the first sign of damage that is most visible to us. If the health reasons aren’t enough to entice someone to quit smoking, maybe getting an idea of how snuffing the habit will make one look and feel beautiful will.

1. Better Skin

While we are accustomed to seeing wrinkles on older folks, they don’t look as appealing when they are on a relatively younger person. The nicotine ingested from smoking reduces blood flow (and thus oxygen) to the lower living layer of skin, making it lose its elasticity and look sallow, dry and flaky. In other words, premature aging of the skin, everywhere. Good news is that if and when the smoking stops, the skin will start repairing itself; but the later its left, the more irreversible the problems are.

2. Brighter Eyes

One part of the skin that sees the most damage from smoking is the delicate eye area, making even the strongest eye creams useless. Smokers also often have reddened, tired-looking eyes due to constant exposure to irritants in the smoke.

3. Healthier Hair

Yes, even hair follicles are affected by the nearly endless list of chemicals in cigarettes. The follicles get weaker and hair starts to thin faster, making hair loss imminent. Wouldn’t want to speed up premature balding, would we?

4. A Prettier Smile

With the amount of tar and nicotine passing through the lips and teeth, it’s no wonder that the state of teeth, lips and gums deteriorate. In addition to mouth sores, discoloured lips and gums, another significantly visible side effect is waxy, yellowed teeth. So unless you are willing to fork out a tiny fortune to have your teeth professionally bleached and whitened, kiss that dream of having dazzling pearly whites goodbye.

5. Non-stained fingers and nails

Nicotine doesn’t just stain the teeth, but also fingers and nails as well, particularly the fingers that hold all those cigarettes. For some, the stains eventually fade, but others resort to other home remedies, including using lemon juice, bleach and scrubbing with steel wool to get them off (all of which sounds troublesome and painful).

First impressions always count. So even if you’re dressed to the nines in the best clothes you have, everything else about your appearance is crucial in enhancing your overall image. While it’s clear that quitting smoking can save your life, it can also make you look healthier, vibrant and more beautiful. What are your reasons to quit smoking? Share with us in the comments section below!