Does Vaping Cause Acne? [Truth Revealed]

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Face it, e-cigarettes have been trendy for a while. Since 2020, the sales of e-cigarettes have skyrocketed in the USA.

And, did you know that almost 2 out of 10 Americans between the ages of 18-29 have been around e-cigarettes for once? So, yeah, they’ve been in trend, alright! 

We don’t want to get into the debate about whether e-cigarette is better than traditional cigarettes or not. But, since there is less nicotine present in e-cigarettes, many teenagers try that out thinking that’s healthier. 

That said, many teenagers have a common question- does vaping cause acne? 

Yes! Vaping causes acne breakouts. E-cigarettes contain the Propylene Glycol component which dries out the throat and mouth. Hence, the skin produces more oil to compensate for the situation. Here, the excess oil clogs the skin pores which leads to acne.

This was just the start of the article, though! We’ve prepared a whole list of segments containing information about this matter. If you go through them, everything will be cleared out. 

So, let’s go-

Will Vaping Contribute to Acne Breakouts?

Yes, vaping can contribute directly to acne breakouts. You see, almost all e-cigarettes have Propylene Glycol in them. Here, propylene glycol contributes to the dryness of the skin. 

This also means the component can dry your throat and mouth. As the skin gets dried, it could lead to acne breakouts. Besides, when the skin dries out, the body starts to produce more sebum. 

And, the excess sebum formation causes the skin to be oily. That’s not all, the excess oil in the skin contributes to an overall oily and dirty texture. Due to this, the skin pores are clogged and it holds in the dirt which causes breakouts.

But, that’s one side of the coin. Vaping can directly lead to aging of the skin and deteriorate the overall skin condition. Face it, if you don’t have healthy skin, you’ll struggle with acne breakouts. 

Overall, vaping harms the skin as it dries the skin out and reduces the supply of oxygen in the face. Hence, the excess dehydration leads to oily skin which further leads to acne formation. 

But, acne breakout isn’t the only thing that vaping contributes. If you’re vaping on a regular basis, you can develop flaky skin as well. There are other harmful effects. We’ve dedicated an entire segment to them below. 

Harmful Effects of Vaping on Skin

I already answered the question of why vaping does contribute to acne formation. But, is that all? I mean, will vaping cause some other effects on the skin? 

Honestly, the truth might shock you! Yes, vaping has other harmful effects present on the skin. You already know it dries the skin out. So, I won’t explain that part. 

Instead, I’ll show you the other effects of vaping. Let’s see-

Speeding up Ageing of Skin 

Acne formation and flakiness of the skin isn’t the only problem vaping causes on the skin. If you don’t have an idea, the skin has an aging process of its own. 

With time and some other factors like heat, and UV rays, the skin starts to age faster than usual. As a result, the skin fails to have that glow and dies out.

Here, vaping directly contributes to the reduction of oxygen supply in the face. For this reason, the skin doesn’t get enough oxygen and suffocates. Hence, the skin will develop wrinkles and lines. 

On top of that, irregularities in the skin texture will be a common problem as well. In the end, the aging process of the skin increases and it loses its shine!

Damages the Skin Barrier & Creates Chances of Cancer

Taking e-cigarettes messes up the skin barrier and even damages it. For this reason, there could be an overall collagen loss in the skin. Visually, you’ll also see a red layer over the top of the skin. 

When the skin barrier gets damaged, the barrier won’t be there to provide protection. Hence, there will be a higher chance for skin cancer to develop. 

Slows Down the Healing Process

Now, acne breakouts could take place even if you don’t vape. Let’s clear that fact out, first of all! 

But, the great thing is that those acne breakouts fix after some time. Even if you’ve developed a scar from the acne, that’ll be fixed in no time too. 

That said, when you’re vaping, the natural repair and healing process of the skin gets slowed down. Basically, there are some specific chemicals inside the e-cigarettes that contribute to the slowing down of the repair process.

And, when the natural healing gets slowed down, the scars won’t be healed. So, the next time acne breakouts do happen, they’ll stay there for a while.

Slows Down Skin Cell Turnover 

Skin cell turnover is important for a constant glow and overall healthier skin. Basically, the turnover of skin cells means the dead cells are replaced with new ones which provide a constant glow. It even promotes healthier skin.

Now, when you’re vaping, the skin cell turnover or the renewal process gets slowed down as well. This means the dead skin cells aren’t replaced with the new ones. Hence, your skin won’t be healthy and you won’t get that glow.

Speaking of healthy, the skin pores will be clogged. Also, the skin will be flaky as it’s completely dried. And, acne breakouts are bound to happen. 

Develops Rashes & Infection in Skin

By now, you’ll know that vaping causes dryness in the skin. This means overall flaky skin. But, that’s not all! Along with flaky and dryness, the skin can develop rashes and infections due to vaping. 

At times, you’ll experience redness and itchiness on the skin if you’ve been vaping regularly. This is mainly because of the damage to the skin barriers. But the e-cigarettes contain many harmful chemicals that can cause it.

‍Weakens the Immune System

You’ve already heard us saying that vaping slows down the healing process of the skin. Well, it even weakens the overall immune system of the body. Here, you’ll find people indulging in vaping have lung infections.

Cigarettes Vs Vaping: What Worsens the Acne Breakouts?

Let’s get one fact straight! Both e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes possess tons of harmful effects on the skin and body. When e-cigarettes first came into the markets, people thought them to be superior ones. 

Still to this date, many people think that e-cigarettes are a healthier option. But, the truth is, e-cigarettes come with health risks as well. Here, you’ll get lung infections and even cancer if you’ve been vaping regularly.

But, when it comes to acne, what’s worse out of the two? 

Honestly, traditional cigarettes are far worse than e-cigarettes when it comes to acne. If you’ve been a traditional cigarette smoker your entire life, shifting to e-cigarettes will cause a reduction in acne. 

Well, there’s a thing called “smokers acne”. Basically, this type of acne occurs directly due to traditional cigarette smoking. 

Another horrible thing cigarettes can cause is “acne inversa”. This is an inflammatory condition that could cause irreversible scarring.

Honestly, traditional cigarettes cause tremendous exposure to tobacco. Hence, people who smoke regularly can experience permanent scarring and tons of acne breakouts. Cigarettes can even lead to skin discoloration. 

Whereas, vaping leads to acne breakouts. But, the breakouts don’t occur in large proportions like traditional cigarettes. This is where vaping could be superior to traditional cigarettes since it’ll contribute to less acne.

Will Quitting Vaping Improve the Skin Condition & Reduce Acne?

While it’s an obvious fact that quitting vaping will improve the skin, but, things could be confusing. Because, a lot of times, quitting vaping will boost acne breakouts. Let us explain the thing in detail.

When you’re quitting vaping after a long time, your body won’t be expecting that. Hence, there will be a change in the skin’s surface. Basically, this change is the side-effect caused due to quitting vaping. 

One common thing smokers do after they quit vaping is increase their food intake. This could be to tackle that urge of vaping. But, this increase in oily food intake will be a problem for the skin. 

When you’re consuming oil and sugar, the body will produce more sebum in the skin since there’s an insulin spike too. And, the production of excess sebum means oily skin that leads to acne breakout. That’s why when you quit vaping, initially, there will be an acne breakout.  

Don’t worry, in the long run, quitting vaping will be beneficial. You’ll even regain the skin condition back and the acne will be reduced as well. But, to salvage the situation, you’ll need to follow the guide. 

How to Fix Skin Once You’ve Quitted Vaping?

Nothing! Yep, you need to do absolutely nothing. Once all of the nicotine wears off from the body, the skin condition will start to get back to normal. 

Also, the acne breakouts that took place will leave soon. But, for better skin, you need to follow the next segment,

Some Healthy Skin Maintenance Practices to Reduce Acne

You’ll need to take care of the skin! That will save you from acne and other harmful skin problems. Every day, the skin has to go through tons of dust and toxins from the environment. 

So, it’s better you maintain your skin regularly since it won’t cost much time or money. Let’s check the tips-

• Stop vaping or taking cigarettes.
• Clean the face with a face wash.
• Moisturize the face.
• Never squeeze pimples.
• Lead a healthy lifestyle and don’t stress.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Work out 2-3 times a week.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Don’t touch the face without washing your hands.
• Clean the overall body every day.
• Use shampoo 1-2 times a week.
• Be gentle with your skin.

FAQs

Will vaping cause wrinkles on the skin?

Yes. Vaping will cause wrinkles on the skin. The surface of the skin dries up due to vapes. Here, the dryness of the skin messes up the level of moisture and causes wrinkles to form in the skin.

Can vape reduce acne formation?

Yes! If you’re a traditional cigarette smoker then vaping will reduce acne on your skin. Because, compared to almost 7000+ chemicals in traditional cigarettes, the e-cigarettes contain fewer chemicals. 

Does the skin improve without the presence of vaping?

Yes, the skin improves when someone quits vaping. Slowly, the skin cell turnover increases. Alongside it, the moisture level improves and dehydration of the skin is reduced. Lastly, the skin gets a constant glow and becomes healthier gradually.

Parting Words

In the end, everyone just wishes to have healthier skin. So, if you’ve been vaping for some time now, it’s better you quit sooner or later. Because now you know the answer to does vaping cause acne.

It’s not only about acne, though! Vaping causes some seriously harmful side effects to the skin. You’ve seen all the problems in this info guide. 

Hence, you can now decide whether vaping will be worth it if you’re thinking of keeping healthy skin. Only quitting vaping and cigarettes alongside regular maintenance will promote healthy skin. 

Otherwise, nothing will matter. Good Luck!