"Cigarettes - The silent killer. You may have heard that smoking each pack of cigarettes shortens life by 2 hours 20 minutes. Smoking just one cigarette costs you 7 minutes of life. Why is that? Harmful chemicals in cigarettes increases the risk of developing many serious diseases and health complication and also affects the body functions. Scalp and hair is one of them.
Lately smokers have shifted to using “E-cigarettes” instead of regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes are being marketed as they are safer than conventional cigarettes but it has been unclear if e-cigarette should replace conventional cigarettes or whether e-cigarettes actually help significant numbers of people to quit smoking. Moreover, currently importing, trading, or possessing e-cigarettes is still illegal in Thailand.
Current trends in electronic cigarette use raise a question, “Do e-cigarettes have harmful effects on hair and lead to hair loss and thinning hair like the conventional cigarettes do?” Are e- cigarettes the safe option when you are recommended by the doctor to refrain from smoking for a period of time?
Conventional Cigarette VS E-Cigarette
Conventional cigarettes which are rolls of paper with dried tobacco leaves inside are what we have seen for a very long time. When the cigarette is lit, the most dangerous part of cigarettes "tobacco smoke" which is made up of thousands of chemicals is released. Some are toxic chemicals such as benzene, arsenic and formaldehyde that can cause many types of serious diseases. Some are carcinogens which are known to cause cancer.
The combustion of tobacco results in the formation of smoke containing nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar which are apparently considered as the leading cause of respiratory diseases and cancer.
In e-cigarettes, tobacco combustion is replaced by e-liquid heating. It relies on an atomizer which is a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution called e-liquid, which quickly cools into an aerosol of tiny droplets, vapor and air. As a result, the risk caused by burning tar or carbon monoxide can be reduced. However, when the solution vaporizes and is pumped, some harmful and toxic chemicals can also enter the body directly.
For conventional cigarettes, a burning cigarette produces more than 4,000 different chemicals. Among them, there are hundreds of substances that can affect the healthy functioning of organs and organ system. In particular, 42 substances found in cigarette smoke are known to be carcinogens. Not only that, there are also other toxic chemicals contained in every single small cigarette. For example:
- Nicotine - The primary reinforcing component of tobacco. We will talk about it in detailed later.
- Tar - The resinous, combusted particulate matter that damages your lungs by narrowing the small tubes (bronchioles) that absorb oxygen.
- Carbon monoxide - The same gas emitted from car exhaust. It binds to hemoglobin in the blood, reducing the ability of blood to carry oxygen. The most common effects of carbon monoxide exposure are fatigue and due to inadequate oxygen delivery to the brain, as well as increased heart rate.
- Hydrogen dioxide – This causes cough, phlegm, and chronic bronchitis.
- Nitrogen dioxide – A chemical compound that irritates and damages the bronchial mucosa, leading to emphysema.
- Ammonia – An exposure to ammonia causes oronasal and bronchial irritation that can lead to bronchitis.
In terms of e-cigarettes, nicotine is the main compound like conventional cigarettes. Other substances of e-cigarettes include:
Propylene glycol - A common ingredient in e-liquids that can cause throat irritation and coughing.
Glycerin, flavorings and colorings - Even though they are chemicals that can be safely used in or for food, it has not yet been confirmed how it will affect body function, such as irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs, especially in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and emphysema.
In addition, many toxic compounds are found in the vapor of e-cigarettes, such as heavy metals, arsenic, formaldehyde, and benzene, etc. They all can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Get to know “Nicotine”
As we know that nicotine makes cigarettes become a villain. So, what is “Nicotine”? Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical found in cigarettes. It keeps smokers using tobacco products, even when they want to stop. Inhaled smoke delivers nicotine to the brain within 7 seconds, which makes it very addictive. (That’s the reason why there is still an argument whether the electronic cigarettes will really help you quit smoking?)
Nicotine (a colorless, tar-like substance) is considered to be the most insidious substance in cigarette smoke. Once it enters the body, 95 percent of the nicotine binds to the lungs. The rest may stick to the lips and some will be absorbed into the bloodstream. Nicotine acts as both a stimulant, depressant, and sedative for the central nervous system. It increases the secretion of epinephrine and adrenaline which causes elevated blood pressure, and increased heart rate. In addition, it increases the risk of serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, mouth cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
“Nicotine” - A hidden danger to the hair.
Nicotine, which is the main substance in both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, will act to cause vasoconstriction (narrowing or constriction of the blood vessels) throughout the body including coronary artery and cerebral artery. This includes the blood vessels that deliver nutrients and oxygen to nourish the hair follicles to help them grow. It then results in lack of nutrients that causes weak hair roots, brittle hair and falling out.
Smoking is therefore one of the main causes of hair loss, thinning hair, and baldness. According to evidence-based research, it has been concluded that smokers have a higher risk of experiencing hair loss and thinning hair than non-smokers.
“Nicotine” is the enemy of newly grown hair.
As you know, nicotine is harmful to the hair. It is therefore not surprising that the doctors always ask their patients to be aware of smoking. That’s because the newly implanted hair is fragile and it has a risk of falling out. Although there is no definitive research on the effects of nicotine on newly grown hair, it is obvious that smoking can cause the decreased survival rate of newly implanted hair grafts, slow hair growth, and weak and thin hair as well.
In addition, as nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict or narrow, the scalp, with some small wounds left after undergoing hair transplant procedure, will receive inadequate amount of nutrients and oxygen that results in slow wound healing process.
Medical advice from a doctor
Commonly, the doctors recommend stopping smoking (both conventional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes) for about two weeks before undergoing a hair transplant surgery. This is to ensure that the scalp and hair follicles will be fully ready for implantation. In addition, to increase the survival rate of the newly grown hair, you should refrain from smoking for at least another two weeks after the hair transplantation is completed.
Good for you, if you can quit smoking, it will definitely help you restore your healthy hair and maintain the perfection to be with you as long as it could be.
