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Can Using Tobacco Affect Hair?

Studies have proven that nicotine -- a chemical product present in tobacco -- not only leads to different types of cancer; such as a mouth and lung cancer: But it also may cause balding and premature graying -- not to mention strong odors that settle on hair; and the long-lasting presence of nicotine in the hair follicles.

  1. Nicotine in Hair

    • According to the Prime Health Channel, more nicotine is absorbed through chewing tobacco, than through smoking it. It usually remains in the body for 2 to 4 days, but can last for months.

      Many institutions have different ways to test the presence of nicotine in their employees' body, such as blood and urine tests. The hair follicle test is one of the most accurate tests used to detect the presence of nicotine in the body, as it can be conducted; even after 30 to 90 days of smoking.

    Hair Loss

    • A study conducted by the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital and the National Taiwan University in 2007, showed that as smoking tobacco may destroy hair follicles, it may increase risk for hair loss. Tobacco products can also cause poor blood circulation, which leads to hair loss. It is also associated with premature biological aging, which triggers balding in individuals genetically predisposed to hair loss.

    Premature Graying

    • The British Medical Journal in 1996, conducted a study that showed that using tobacco causes premature graying. Gray hair occurs when hair follicles stop producing melanin, which is a pigment that stops being produced due to aging. As using tobacco may lead to premature aging, then it indirectly triggers graying.

    Smoke Odor

    • According to the American Cancer Society, smoke odor can stay on hair even long after stopped smoking. There are no studies that show that smoke odor may cause cancer or other diseases; But as such odor tends to be very strong, particularly noticeable to others nearby, it becomes a nuisance. Smoke also settles on clothes, on house dust and can be inhaled and absorbed through skin, though the level of how this exposure to smoke affects the body is still under study.

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