Smoking is considered one of the dangerous habits that inflict havoc on one’s body. Some of its primary effects include heart diseases, lung problems, immune-related issues, stroke, visual impairment, etc. Find the perfect vape equipment by the reviews on the google.
However, some of us don’t realize that smoking can also affect the process of wound healing intensively and destructively.
In fact, vaping can also affect the healing of wounds since it contains heated nicotine. Nevertheless, the nicotine is more concentrated with regular cigarettes and can make it tricky for users to quit.
To understand this better, this article will discuss some points regarding how smoking interferes with wound healing.
Factors That Affect Wound Healing When You Smoke
Nicotine
Nicotine allows increased vasoconstriction, which later causes slow or blocked blood flow. This happens when the blood vessels narrow and allow the platelets to form clots. The clots will then prevent blood and oxygen from reaching the injured areas.
Carbon Monoxide
Smoking or even vaping can lead to the release of carbon monoxide. After its release, carbon monoxide travels directly to where your blood cells are located, where it reduces the intake of oxygen.
This process is quite simple. CO usually affects a red protein known as hemoglobin, responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs’ capillaries to all body tissues. As a result, CO prevents oxygen from reaching the vital organs, including the injured tissues.
Weak Immune System
A healthy immune system will fasten the process of wound healing through indorsing cellular cross-talk. This only happens when zinc activates the immune system and aid in collagen production. Generally, collagen is a structural protein that is responsible for skin elasticity and healthy joints.
However, smoking can reduce the production of collagen, making wounds weaker and slower to heal.
Vitamin C Deficiency
Vitamin C can also aid in collagen production. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is transported in the bloodstream to allow skin strength and quick healing. For smokers, the function of enough blood flow and skin elasticity is limited and can delay wound recovery.
What Happens If You Stop Smoking?
The best and only solution is to quit smoking. Surprisingly, your body will begin healing itself within the first 20 minutes. Therefore, the sooner you stop smoking, the better for you.
Then, in the first 24 hours of quitting, your body will immediately realize the transition and begin to decrease vasoconstriction. This will lead to the recovery of nerve endings for better sensitivity.
Within two weeks, the smoking effects like difficulty breathing will decrease, even though the urge to smoke would persist.
Three months after quitting, you will start experiencing significant benefits like better blood flow and easier mobility. At this period, your body begins breaking the smoking cycle though the urge would remain.
Conclusion
Ending any addiction can be very difficult. However, now that you’ve understood the effects of smoking on wound healing, it is essential to quit as soon as possible. Start today, and within one year, your body will recover and become healthy again.
