WHEN disposable vapes burst onto the scene a few years ago, little was known about the damage they could cause to the skin.
But as millions of Brits have since found, the colourful pens can dramatically accelerate the physical signs of ageing - by starving your skin of vital nutrients and moisture.
It has even earned its own term on TikTok, with people noting how much older people in their 20s look with “vape skin”, compared to someone in their 30s who doesn’t smoke e-cigs.
According to the Office for National Statistics, there are 4.5 million vapers in the UK.
And Google Trend data reveals that searches for “is vaping harmful?” received a 780% uplift in February this year alone.
People often turn to vaping as they feel that it is a healthier alternative to cigarettes - but London Lip Clinic’s Rupesh Shah has warned there is no smoke without fire.
In fact, your “strawberry ice” is wreaking havoc on your skin - and it could be ageing you even quicker than cigarettes would.
Fabulous spoke exclusively to Rupesh, a pharmacist and aesthetic clinic owner in London's affluent Harley Street, to find out just how much vaping is ageing the nation...
Every time you take a puff on your beloved “Blue Razz” you are “robbing the skin of moisture”, Rupesh warned.
“The nicotine found in vapes activates metalloproteinase, a class of enzymes that break down collagen, elastin and proteoglycans.
“The dehydration caused by this leads to fine lines and wrinkles around the face, as well as the face appearing ‘sunken’.”
Furthermore, nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it reduces blood flow to the skin.
Without proper blood flow, your skin is unable to receive and relish in essential nutrients and hydration.
"Vaping sparks vasoconstriction, a process that sees the blood vessels in the face contract and narrow, restricting blood flow and at times, stopping altogether,” Rupesh explained.
“This causes redness in the face that is difficult to control if vaping continues.”
He warned that this could even turn your skin YELLOW over time as your skin fights to soak up any nutrients it can.
Rupesh warned that vaping is potentially worse for the skin, due to the volume in which people puff on the colourful pens.
“Vaping is often considered a healthier option to smoking but in short, it’s not,” he said.
“The liquid in vapes is full of chemicals that can harm the skin.
“Vaping is often taken up by people who wish to cut down on their cigarette use.
"But this often has the reverse effect, as the array of flavours used in vapes causes the user to inhale more often and therefore increase their nicotine intake.”
Vaping impairs the regeneration of the skin tissue just as much as cigarettes... if not worse
Rupesh Shah
Nicotine has been clinically shown to stunt the production of collagen, a protein that provides structure and elasticity to the skin.
And the more of it you consume, the less collagen you produce.
This ultimately leads to sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles -everything collagen works hard in your body to produce for as long as possible.
Vaping will also stunt the repairing of any cuts, wounds, abrasions or spots you have, Rupesh warned.
“There is significant evidence to suggest that vaping impairs the regeneration of the skin tissue just as much as cigarettes,” he said.
“If you experience a skin abrasion, vaping will restrict the amount of oxygen able to make it to the wound in order for it to heal."
Vaping is the fastest way to rob the skin of moisture, paving the way to dehydration
Rupesh Shah
“As well as depriving the wound of oxygen, vaping causes the blood's platelets to stick together, leading it to thicken and struggle to move through the small blood vessels in the body," he continued.
“When the skin experiences a wound, a flow of fresh oxygen and blood is vital.”
Research has found that a vaper’s wound would take twice as long to heal than a non-vaper's would.
While wrinkles formed as a result of vaping are there to stay, quitting e-cigs will dramatically improve your skin.
When you quit, your complexion will undergo several changes as it begins to recover from the effects of nicotine, and other chemicals present in vaping products.
“Of course, stopping the use of e-cigarettes altogether is the fastest way to safeguard your skin from its influence,” Rupesh said.
“If you wish to restore your skin further, drinking plenty of water is a must.
“Treatments such as Profhilo also see that hyaluronic acid is administered to the skin, to rebuild its elasticity and volume.”
Over time, quitting vaping can lead to smoother and more even skin texture, helped by the reduction in inflammation and improved hydration levels can contribute to this improvement.
As you stay away, your skin's ability to produce collagen may improve, leading to a gradual reduction in the fine lines and wrinkles you developed from e-cigs.
Quitting can also allow your skin to regain elasticity, which may have been compromised due to nicotine-induced collagen damage, resulting in firmer, more supple skin over time.
