Introduction
Once tobacco was introduced to Europe in the fifteenth century, the uses of tobacco have grown and changed over time. Snuff and pipe smoking were the most common tobacco-using practices up until the 18th century. Cigarette smoking emerged as the most common type in the 19th century and has continued to rise in popularity ever since. A number of other pathological conditions that are particularly common in the elderly and are influenced by smoking include dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, peptic ulcers, gastro-esophageal reflux, erectile dysfunction, senile macular degeneration, nuclear cataract, and changes to the skin and hearing. Smoking reduces life expectancy and quality of life simultaneously.
There will likely be more health and social requirements as people age in wealthy nations as
life expectancy rises. In industrialized regions, the average age of the population grew from
29 in 1950 to 40 in 2010, and by 2050, it is expected to be 44. As nations work to fulfill the
requirements of their aging populations, population ageing offers both achievements and
significant obstacles in terms of health care advancements.
There are many different chemicals in tobacco smoke, including at least 3800 components. It
is still unknown what components lead to connective tissue injury. To find the active
ingredients and learn more about their effects, more research is required. Another warning to
mention in patient counselling about the risks of smoking is the premature aging of the skin
caused by tobacco use. This will help patients feel motivated to give up smoking. The
biological phenomena of aging is highly intricate and arises from the interplay of hereditary
and environmental factors. Smoke from cigarettes is one of the latter and is a significant age-
accelerating factor.
Tobacco components directly alter the normal cellular functions and pathways and leads to
the excessive formation of free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules capable of
damaging cells and DNA. And also tobacco use indirectly promotes the onset of various
pathologies by compromising immune function, impairing tissue repair mechanisms, and
promoting chronic inflammation.
Tobacco without a doubt, is a significant risk factor for many diseases, especially respiratory,
neoplastic, and cardiovascular illnesses, which are the leading causes of mortality in
industrialized nations where smoking is also widely practiced.
Tobacco use And Ageing
Tobacco usage has not only a strong association with a number of systemic diseases , but is
also associated with many dermatological conditions , including poor wound healing,
premature skin aging, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma , oral cancer, acne , psoriasis , and
hair loss.
Smoking can cause shortening of telomere length, which is an indicator of tissue self-repair,
regeneration and ageing. Telomeres are significant for maintaining chromosome stability and
cell health. In other words, smoking can contribute to premature aging and may increase the
risk of developing age-related diseases due to its impact on telomere length.
Visible Signs Of Ageing Due To Smoking.
The characteristic cutaneous signs of tobacco smoking include Harlequin or Quitter's
nail (a demarcation line between the distal pigmented yellow nail and a newly
developed proximal pink nail that occurs after a patient has suddenly quit smoking).
Smokers’ comedones (large, open comedones with furrows and nodules that are
characteristic of Favre-Racouchot syndrome)
Smoker's melanosis (a melanin pigmentation of the gingiva, palate).
Smoker's face is largely described as follows; lines or wrinkles on the face typically
radiating at right angles from the upper and lower lips or corners of the eyes, with
deep lines on the cheeks or numerous shallow lines on the cheeks and lower jaw. An atrophic, gray appearance and wrinkles of the skin is also typical.
Molecular Mechanisms Of Tobacco Induced Ageing
Cell telomere length, a measure of tissue regeneration, self-healing, and ageing, can be
shortened as a result of tobacco components. Telomeres are lengths of repetitive DNA
sequences that protect the ends of chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres
become slightly shorter, eventually becoming so short that the cell can no longer divide
successfully, and it dies. This is part of the ageing process. Study by Dai et al on telomere
length of leukocytes proved that smoking caused progressive shortening of telomere length.
In recent years, observational studies have linked shortened leucocyte telomere length with
many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and muscle loss. This means that the
effect of smoking on telomere length probably plays a critical role in these diseases, although
more research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Tobacco smoking probably exerts its deleterious effects on skin directly through its irritant
components on the epidermis and indirectly on the dermis via the blood circulation. The
decreased moisture in the stratum corneum of the face contributes to facial wrinkling due to
direct toxicity of the smoke.
Tobacco constituents also alter the normal functioning of fibroblasts. Altered fibroblasts
causes deposition of coarse irregular collagen and elastic fibers which reduce the elasticity of
the tissue and cause premature wrinkles.
Tobacco causes pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-11, IL-15, IL-17, and
TNF — stimulate bone resorption and almost certainly contribute to osteoporosis. For
example, bone resorption is increased in patients with inflammatory diseases, such as
rheumatoid arthritis. The mechanisms for these actions are not fully understood, but a
comprehensive analysis of the literature reveals that inflammation is often associated with a
catabolic state.
Conclusion
There are over 3800 dangerous components found in tobacco. The components that lead to
tissue injury are still unknown. To learn more about their effects and find the active
ingredients, more research is required. Another warning to mention while educating patients
about the risks of smoking and offering them practical encouragement to give up is the early
aging of the tissue caused by tobacco use.