3 ms·

The photo at the top is most likely a smoker. Increased CO in your bloodstream, and the effect of nicotine, seems to kill capillary circulation in the skin (an

by gumby 3y ago

The photo at the top is most likely a smoker. Increased CO in your bloodstream, and the effect of nicotine, seems to kill capillary circulation in the skin (and likely elsewhere, including the brain, kidneys). One reason folks in their 40s-60s today look so much younger than people the same age from the 80s and before is likely from the reduced prevalence of smoking. And the article mentions diabetes...which also damages the microvascularization though not to the same extent.

refurb 3y ago
And the article mentions diabetes...which also damages the microvascularization though not to the same extent. That claim isn’t backed by empirical evidence. It’s very common for diabetics to have chronic skin ulcers and amputations, but smokers do not.
- gumby 3y ago
  I guess I wasn't clear: 1 - Paper mentioned smoking and diabetes (the latter surprised me, though I hadn't thought of your example which is a good one). 2 - smoking increases CO to bloodstream, and nicotine. The latter stiffens the vascular system; the CO doesn't just damage it but is believed to damage the small muscles of the skin, leading to the pervasive and fine grained wrinkling. 3 - Acute diabetes also damages the microvasculature (stiffining and blocking) which leads to various problems like PAD; that diminished circulation makes the immune system less efficacious, so for example people get difficult to heal lesions and such that can lead to amputation. My point in that regard was "huh, I can imagine that you could see signs of diabetes for similar reasons", though TBH by the time an ulcer shows up you probably have noticed other signs. But perhaps there are earlier traces for the non observant. I wasn't claiming that diabetics and smokers would have the same external symptoms. I'm a diabetic nonsmoker myself, and largely wrinkle-free :-)
OfSanguineFire 3y ago
> and the effect of nicotine I would be surprised if nicotine alone had such deleterious effects. After all, nicotine has been used in energy drinks in Japan for years and viewed as innocuous as caffeine.
- 11235813213455 3y ago
  exact, the issue with smoking are all the smoke compounds, all more or less harmful for everyone not just the smoker, and the heat/friction/dryness in the throat of the smoker

by gumby 3y ago

refurb 3y ago

And the article mentions diabetes...which also damages the microvascularization though not to the same extent. That claim isn’t backed by empirical evidence. It’s very common for diabetics to have chronic skin ulcers and amputations, but smokers do not.

gumby 3y ago
I guess I wasn't clear: 1 - Paper mentioned smoking and diabetes (the latter surprised me, though I hadn't thought of your example which is a good one). 2 - smoking increases CO to bloodstream, and nicotine. The latter stiffens the vascular system; the CO doesn't just damage it but is believed to damage the small muscles of the skin, leading to the pervasive and fine grained wrinkling. 3 - Acute diabetes also damages the microvasculature (stiffining and blocking) which leads to various problems like PAD; that diminished circulation makes the immune system less efficacious, so for example people get difficult to heal lesions and such that can lead to amputation. My point in that regard was "huh, I can imagine that you could see signs of diabetes for similar reasons", though TBH by the time an ulcer shows up you probably have noticed other signs. But perhaps there are earlier traces for the non observant. I wasn't claiming that diabetics and smokers would have the same external symptoms. I'm a diabetic nonsmoker myself, and largely wrinkle-free :-)

OfSanguineFire 3y ago

> and the effect of nicotine I would be surprised if nicotine alone had such deleterious effects. After all, nicotine has been used in energy drinks in Japan for years and viewed as innocuous as caffeine.

11235813213455 3y ago
exact, the issue with smoking are all the smoke compounds, all more or less harmful for everyone not just the smoker, and the heat/friction/dryness in the throat of the smoker