If you have been smoking for a while now, you must have observed a few changes on your face. The darkening of lips, appearance of wrinkles, staining of teeth, the smokers pout, etc. But do you know what causes these changes? With every cigarette you smoke, the tar gets stuck to your lips, staining and discolouring them and the heat only worsens it. All the sucking and puffing also gives you a lot of wrinkles around the mouth and also a smoker’s pout that is least attractive. Here are 25 things that happen inside your body when you smoke.

Will kicking the butt reverse all these changes? Yes, it will. But it’s a slow process and there is no substitute to quitting, you can try these remedies to get rid of those smoker’s lips.

1. Exfoliation: If you want to get rid of the discoloration you should regularly scrub or exfoliate your lips. The easiest way to do it is to scrub them applying some petroleum jelly and rubbing them with the help of a soft toothbrush for a couple of minutes. Wash them off with water and gently dry them. You can apply some petroleum jelly or a lip balm to protect your lips from drying. You can try these different scrubs for softer and pinker lips.

2. Hydration: Smoking leads to dehydration and the immediate effects are seen on one’s lips. It is best to drink at least eight glasses of water every day and prevent further pigmentation and cracking of lips.

3. Depigmentation: No you don’t need to use those harsh chemicals on your lips to get rid of those dark spots. A pack made from a few easily available kitchen ingredients works fine. Mix some lemon juice and  honey and apply it on your lips. It not only bleaches them but also leaves your lips supple. You can also use glycerine or turmeric instead of honey.

4. Avoiding too much lipstick/lip colour: Regular use of lipsticks and lip colours damages the lips even more. It is best to avoid using them, but if you cannot avoid them, ensure the ones you use are of good quality. Use lip products that have vitamin E, shea butter, jojoba oil as they nourish lips and prevent darkening.

5. Cutting down on tea/coffee: Caffeine too stains your lips and teeth, and tannin in tea has an even worse effect on your lips staining them permanently. Limit your daily intake of tea and coffee to prevent the damage.

You may like to read: