Is smoking linked to an increase in acne?
March 14, 2025Male or female we all want to look good- whether it’s building that dream body in the gym or simply having your hair done – it makes us feel good and have confidence.
So what if we told you that scientists have discovered that smoking, not only increases wrinkles, it can also be linked to causing spots and acne.
A brand new study undertaken by the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute sampled 992 sufferers over an eight year period – many of those who had severe acne and were referred to a hospital dermatology department.
What is Acne?
Acne occurs when oil-producing glands in the skin become over-stimulated by certain hormone resulting in a build-up of oil creates an ideal environment for acne bacteria to flourish
This subsequently causes spots that can burst and damage the skin – often leaving scars in the form of craters or an uneven lumpy surface. Scarring also occurs when people pick or squeeze their spots.
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The study findings
Findings showed that that scarring associated with acne is more severe in people who smoke. More than half (53.7 per cent) of smokers had moderate to severe scarring - this being just over a third (35 per cent) of non-smokers.
The scarring was observed in 91 per cent of the studied patients, whilst smokers were not likely to have more acne scars than non smokers however it was observed that the damage to their skin was seen as significantly worst. With the ow being referred to as smoker's acne.
Dr Raman Bhutani, from the Harrogate District Foundation Trust research team, said: 'The correlation seen between smoking and severity of facial scarring could suggest that smoking can increase the severity of scarring in a susceptible person with acne. Further work is required to confirm this finding and to understand the mechanisms by which this may occur.'
British Association of Dermatologists' Annual Conference
The research undertaken by the SGDI was presented at the British Association of Dermatologists' Annual Conference in Manchester.
British Association of Dermatologists Head of Communications, Nina Goad, said: 'Acne affects a huge proportion of the population, with 80 per cent of teenagers affected at some point.
While for most people the disorder will eventually clear, some are left with scarring which can be for life’
'This can be hard to treat and can make people feel self-conscious and affect their self-esteem’ she continued. 'We already know that smoking is bad for our health, so perhaps this latest finding will provide an extra impetus for people to quit.'
