Another thing I constantly read from the Anti's is that a smoker's skin will age faster than a nonsmoker's. From anecdotal experience, I have seen no evidence of this whatsoever. Some people look their age, no more, no less, (like me); others look 20 years older than they are, while still others look 10-15 years younger than their chronological age. In all of these groups, there are smokers and nonsmokers. There are so many other factors that will determine this outcome; genetics, weight, sun exposure, excessive partying, etc. It is ridiculous to claim that smoking alone can cause this.

The antis rarely have their feet held to the fire over making claims for which they have absolutely no proof of whatsoever, and this is one of them.

About a year ago, anti-smoking groups ran a "Face it, you're a smoker" television campaign where they included a line of dialogue from an actor-portrayed 'smoker' who said that she "didn't look like a smoker".

Audrey Silk, founder of NYC CLASH, did some very effective letter writing asking "What, exactly, does a 'smoker' look like?"

To put this in the PC context that we've been so indoctrinated into, what do gays and lesbians 'look like'? What do poor people 'look like'?

http://www.empirenewswire.com/release/storiesh/NYCCIT.003.html

So, Pat, your post brings up an excellent point that is often missed in these discussions. To my knowledge, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that can point to cigarette smoking as an exclusive cause of making one look more aged prematurely. The idea that smoking "will make you look older" is a stereotype.

Whether or not someone "looks old" is completely subjective. Also, as you mentioned, so many socioeconomic and lifestyle factors come into play here that no one can make this determination.

It is utterly impossible to demonstrate that a history of smoking is the cause for someone "looking older" in the eyes of someone else.

I think that idea--along with discolored teeth and fingers--comes from waaaay back before filters when people worked hard, mostly in the sun, to survive and didn't practice personal hygiene habits every day (brushing teeth, bathing, etc.) like we do today...because they were too busy doing what it takes to put food on the table. The scummy little antis just keep it going whenever they get the chance.

Regardless of how it looks, it still works and I am not aware of an affordable alternative.

quote:

The idea that smoking "will make you look older" is a stereotype.

Just like the folk-lore that Blacks are more subject to 'Sickle Cell' problems than other people.

Reality is this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race

Race in biomedicine
There is an active debate among biomedical researchers about the
meaning and importance of race in their research.

There has been criticism of associating disorders with race. For
example, in the United States sickle cell is typically associated
with black people, but this trait is also found in people of
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or Indian ancestry.[67]

The sickle cell trait offers some resistance to malaria. In regions
where malaria is present sickle cell has been positively selected and
consequently the proportion of people with it is greater. Therefore,
it has been argued that sickle cell should not be associated with a
particular race, but rather with having ancestors who lived in a
malaria-prone region. Africans living in areas where there is no
malaria, such as the East African highlands, have prevalence of
sickle cell as low as parts of Northern Europe.

I just spent half an hour trying to find something I read on smokers/nonsmokers and wrinkles. It was a typical anti study. It's conclusions, smokers have more wrinkles, didn't jive with the actual data. In fact, their data actually showed the opposite.

Well, I couldn't find it, but I'll post something else I read (and saved):

A few extra pounds make you look youthful

Tuesday, 31st January, 2006

Copenhagen: A little extra weight can make you look up to seven years younger, according to researchers in Denmark.

[A] happy marriage...for a woman - making her look almost two years younger by the time she reaches middle age. Marital harmony can make men, in turn look up to a year younger. When there are children, fathers tend to look a year younger....

Belonging to a higher social class - with both looking up to four years younger than their true age.

Heavy drinking was found to put a year on the faces of both sexes along with chronic asthma, diabetes and regularly taking painkillers. Over-exposure to the sun was seen to add 1.3 years to a woman's perceived age while depression made women look 3.9 years older and men 2.4 years older. Though 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years was found to add only a year of extra wrinkles to men and half that to women.

quote:

Originally posted by WinstonSmith:
The idea that smoking "will make you look older" is a stereotype.

quote:

Just like the folk-lore that Blacks are more subject to 'Sickle Cell' problems than other people.

I've made some analogies in other posts regarding sickle cell anemia rising up as a defense against malaria. I don't think that I made them mentioning any distinct racial group. (I'm also not taking for granted that you're making a reference to those posts.) Nonetheless, if I did so, I should have spoken more carefully. My apologies. It's an important distinction and I thank you for pointing it out.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll shut up now and go take my seat.

I was speaking of society in general.
There are many such myths and folklores. For instance, 'smokers cough', my wife firmly believes in this one and she coughs more in the morning than I(a 40+ year smoker) cough. Her coughing is caused by meds and that is OK.

Another is the smokers' black lungs. Tho, many coroners and M.E.'s will tell you that they can not tell if a corpse had smoked or not.

IN DEFENSE OF SMOKERS
© 1999, Lauren A. Colby. Version 2.3 Chapter 8: Smoking Myths and the
Role of Detection Bias
http://www.lcolby.com/b-chap8.htm

In my life I have found that sun worshipers have the worst winkles as they age. People who have always done everything possible to have the perfect tan each year seem to have the most severe creases in their faces and their skin seems to hang from their skulls.

Smoking has an effect on the body's absorption of anti-oxidants, if you smoke take suppliments before bed to allow them to be absorbed and do their job.

I need to watch that and place less emphasis on tanning. I was too embarassed to wear shorts until I was in my late 30's, because my legs were so white. I would sit and tan on my back deck where nobody could see me until I got the desired coloring. The problem is that Wisconsin is extremely cloudy, even in the summer, so I would sit out for several hours on the few "sunny" days we had and then fry. I know you can tan even when it's overcast, but it's psychologically more satisfying with blue skies. I finally grew tired of sitting and doing nothing upon realizing that a few minutes a day is all you need to tan. There is no reason to lay out for hours upon hours. All this will result in is sunburn and a greater risk of developing skin cancers.

I love a good tan, and used tan really good when younger. I haven't been out in the sun for a long time. Since moving to Phoenix 2 years ago, now I am out in my yard every weekend getting a nice tan. Now, the sun here in Phoenix is so hot, that I do this in the early morning hours for an hour or two and I am always done before 10 am. It allows me to tan without burning.

I had melanoma during my second pregnancy back in 1981. It was a level 4 malignant melanoma. I was lucky is that the biopsi done at the doctors office got it all..........only we didn't know that until AFTER he cut out a 2 x 2 chunk of my thigh (where the offending spot was) and it tested clean. I never needed any other treatment, and never had a recurrance.

Here's the kicker.............my melanoma was caused by hormones, NOT the sun.

quote:

Originally posted by Lynda F:
Here's the kicker.............my melanoma was caused by hormones, NOT the sun.

I just read an article recently that said they suspect that melanoma is caused by something other than the sun. Or mostly caused. Can't remember exactly.

Either your doctor was way ahead of his time or the article I read is the typical, "Make it sound like we discovered something new" story.