Smoking is an addictive habit that has long term effects on your lungs and respiratory system apart from being a poison to your skin. It contains about a thousand of harmful chemicals including cancer producing substances such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other irritating substances. These substances damage the lining in the lungs and leads to an irritation in the throat, resulting in smoker’s cough. This is actually your body’s reaction to these harmful things. If you are looking for anti aging treatments, smoking is the first thing that you might have to give up.

Smoking takes a toll on your health and skin especially if you are working in a closed space where there is constant passive or active smoke. So, how does smoking affect your health?

What actually happens is when smoke enters the body and releases free radicals that disrupt the formation of collagen which leads to early formation of wrinkles. Collagen is a protein that helps the skin be elastic, firm and old looking.

Tobacco smoke also has other long lasting ill effects on skin as the constant supply of oxygen is not there. The body’s ability for proper circulation and optimum oxygen is diminished and that in turn leads to scarred dermis. Smoking inhibits the body’s ability to make and store vitamins and minerals making the person susceptible to aging and sun damage. It also dries up your skin due to lack of proper blood circulation. Did you know that even holding a cigarette that is lit can damage your skin on your fingers?

Yes, the puckering of lips and even grasping a cigarette can cause burns or harden and yellow the skin around. Lips change colour and becomes dark while the skin shows other symptoms of aging. To understand why this happens, it is best to know that when one sucks in the puckered up lips required drawing in the smoke, helps in forming premature wrinkles. It also leads to hollow cheeks and squinting due to constant inhalation. Not only does smoking inhibit proper respiration but it leads to serious consequences of diseases like cancer, asthma and other respiratory diseases.

However, if you are looking to quit smoking, there are many different ways to ease off your withdrawal symptoms. A slight weight gain, sweating, shivers and similar symptoms may prompt you to take that one puff. What you need is some herbal based remedies that will not only cure the symptoms but help you take that first foot towards being nicotine free.

Today there are a wide range of products available that will help you conquer the addictive habit of smoking. You can try some non medicated pills, herbal sprays and even picking up a hobby that will divert your mind off smoking. It is for your own good health and for the families peace of mind that quitting smoking is the best.

Important Note: Passive smoking is also dangerous!

It is estimated that non-smokers have a risk of 35% if they are with smokers. Children are more prone to this danger!

You may be torn between having a botox injection or not. You are certain that you want to get rid of these ugly frown lines that makes you look older than you really are. However, you are scared because of the possible side effects that it would cause.

In the first place, what is BoTox? A cosmetic treatment involves injection of bacteria called Botulinum Toxin to remove unwanted frown lines or wrinkles. Administration is usually done through a number of injections of small amounts of botox. They say that the procedure only takes 10 minutes, does not require anesthesia and causes only a minimal amount of discomfort.

They would be lying if they tell you that having a BoTox treatment would not cause any side effect. This procedure may sound simple since it is non-surgical in nature. However, what is injected into your skin is a kind of bacteria, which is foremost, a foreign body that the body would expectedly reject at first. This is aside from the fact that this bacterium is commonly found in spoiled food.

So you ask yourself this question: Why in the world do they have to use bacteria found in spoiled food? The answer is simple: you want the effect that this bacterium does, which is paralysis. Scientifically speaking, this is how it works. The botox attach to the nerve endings causing acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contractions are to become impeded. When this happens, muscles stop to contract. In fact, people may die of botulinum toxin if it attacks the respiratory system or the muscles in the chest. So going back to the botox treatment context, if this injected area of the face cannot move, it definitely cannot wrinkle. However, note that these effects are also temporary – lasting only about six to eight months.

So now you think it does not sound so bad, after all. Then, what side effects are we talking about? The more normal ones include redness at the injection site, local numbness, swelling, bruising, muscle weakness and facial pain. There can also be temporary headache, nausea and other flu-like symptoms. Some have even reported cases of upper respiratory tract infection. Other complications would include squinting, double vision, ptosis (drooping of the eyes) or even dysphasia (impairment of speech and language comprehension) in extreme cases.

These complications do not happen very often, but are still possible. It is also important to note that botox treatments are strictly not encouraged for pregnant or breastfeeding women, people who are allergic to botox or have infections in the forehead, and those who are under specific medications. You will need to consult your doctor if you have any related concerns.

They say that wrinkles on your face are supposed to be called character lines – that each you find on your tells a different story. They say that these lines mark wisdom, experience and achievement. But if you believe more in youth and appearance than wisdom and experience – then Botox is your choice.

All cosmetic procedures involves some amount of risk. Any procedure that goes contrary to what is natural is risky. However, if you think it is all worth it, go ahead.