Are you still sneaking the occasional cigarette? Whether you’ve got a pack-a-day habit or are “just a social smoker,” the news is the same: Smoking is even more dangerous for women than it is for men.
In fact, women who smoke have a 25 percent greater risk of coronary heart disease compared to male smokers. That’s a huge (and troubling) increase.
I’m sorry to say it, but this discovery isn’t just from one small study… it’s based on data for about 2.4 million people.1
The good news is, quitting can help reverse the damage. Your heart attack risk begins to drop within two weeks to three months after your last cigarette, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Need more motivation to quit?
Let’s face it. Smoking is the fastest way to age your skin. It causes premature wrinkles… damages connective tissue… and dulls your skin tone. You deserve better than that!
I know it can be hard to quit. You probably think about it every New Year’s Eve. (Or are reminded to think about it by a friend or relative.) I encourage you to take it one day at a time and get help.
In the meantime, here’s what you can do to erase the signs of smoking from your complexion: Feed your skin topical antioxidants. Two of my favorites are CoQ10 and resveratrol. They work to fight free radical damage, protect your skin from toxins and restore that youthful glow.
Have a Youthful Day,
Jackie Silver
[Ed. Note: The latest addition to our panel of top experts, Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.]
1 Huxley RR, Woodward M, “Cigarette smoking as a risk factor for coronary heart disease in women compared with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies,” Lancet. (2011);378(9799):1297-305.