“Both cigarettes and e-cigarettes contain thousands of chemicals, which cause damage and inflammation when they’re inhaled and exhaled, particularly to the layers of the skin,” says Dr. Parisha Acharya, an aesthetic doctor at London’s Waterhouse Young Clinic. “This external smoke targets the prime receptor in the skin, which is involved in aging. All kinds of pollutants will target the skin once the barrier is damaged. But we know that these chemicals are particularly harmful in terms of pigmentation, premature aging, deep wrinkles, and worsening existing skin conditions, such as eczema.” Many of the liquids used in vapes also contain propylene glycol, a synthetic food additive that’s a known (albeit uncommon) skin allergen.
