In 2021, it was recorded that up to 3.2 million adults in the UK vape, and it’s only increased since then. Recently, members of the public have flocked to social media to share their stories and the long-term effects of vaping on their physical health and skin.

Rhysa Phommachanh, beauty and skincare specialist at Landys Chemist, has revealed four of the highest-risk, long-term skin and health risks associated with using vapes that many might not be aware of.

1. Impaired fertility and effects foetuses in pregnancy
Vapes are commonly recommended as an alternative to smoking, especially to pregnant women who are looking for a ‘safer’ alternative. However, they aren’t as safe as you might think. A recent study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society in 2019 has found that the use of e-cigarettes may impair fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

The study looked at the exposure of e-cigarette vapour to mice and found that, prior to conception, the usage of vapes delayed and reduced fertility in mice. It also found that smoking throughout pregnancy changed the long-term health and metabolism of female offspring. Vapers should consider these risks, even if vapes are presented as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.

2. Premature ageing and sagginess
When you vape, you’re taking in nicotine which breaks down elastin and collagen in your skin AKA the thing that keeps your skin as healthy and hydrated as possible. Nicotine also tightens blood vessels, depriving your body and skin of the oxygen it needs and resulting in dehydration and speeding up the ageing process. This can appear in the form of enhanced wrinkles, enlarged pores, pale skin and sagginess and puffiness in areas such as the eyes and mouth.

3. Dry skin and inflammation
With premature ageing comes dry and flaky skin at the fault of propylene glycol, a chemical prominent in e-cigarettes. Inhalation of this chemical can dry your skin out as it absorbs the water from your body and skin, depriving it of essential hydration and resulting in flaky skin. Those with an existing dry skin problem might find that vaping further aggravates this and causes itchiness and patches.

Vaping also contains many chemicals which can lead to inflammation of the skin. The more inflammation there is, the higher chance there is of your skin producing melanin – a dark spot or discolouration on your skin. This, in combination with the above risks, can contribute to unhealthy skin. This is why it’s especially important to maintain a beneficial skincare routine.

4. Acne
A common result of dry and flaky skin is acne. When your skin becomes dry, the glands beneath it produce more sebum to counteract this, which is an oily substance that clogs pores and holds dirt and dead skin. Having an excess of sebum can lead to acne breakouts.

Another way vaping can kick-start acne is through the transfer of vape chemicals directly to your skin. When you vape and blow out the chemicals you’ve inhaled, they can settle on places around you, including your hands, which you might use to touch your face and further build up bacteria on your already dry skin. As with any other cause of acne, this can cause breakouts.

5. ‘E-cigarette, or Vaping Product, Use Associated Lung Injury’ AKA EVALI
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began to investigate a steep rise in hospitalisations with patients having similar symptoms of difficulty breathing in 2019, they realised they all had been vaping and thus EVALI was identified.

EVALI is a serious medical condition in which a person’s lungs become damaged from substances contained in e-cigarettes and vaping products. E-cigarettes can contain vitamin E acetate, a synthetic form of vitamin E, which can cause severe damage to the lungs and result in shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain and rapid heart rate. Unfortunately, many have died from severe cases of EVALI in the US, and though cases aren’t as extreme in the UK, it’s still something to be aware of.

How long will the risks last?
The skin health risks that come with vaping can last as long as you choose to vape, growing worse with more usage unless you actively attempt to stop. There are professional procedures which you can consider to help ease the risks physically, such as peels and micro-needling, but this is only a temporary solution if you want to maintain healthy skin in the long run.

Studies have shown that it can take just 3 days of regular usage for vaping to start to cause damage to the lungs, and as long as 1-9 months after quitting for your lungs to clear all mucus and fight off infection, depending on how severe the damage is, and how long the vapes have been used for.

It’s important to be aware of the risks associated with vaping products, and the impact the use of vapes has on your overall health. Being aware of these risks helps prevent medical emergencies and long-term health complications.