Smoking, a Dangerous
Habit for the Skin
JAMA
Dermatol. 2013;149(3):366-367.
doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.2653
Ronni Wolf
We are all
acutely aware of the causal
association of UV radiation exposure
and skin cancers, and we warn our
patients about the hazards of sun
exposure. In the August issue of
this journal, Leonardi-Bee et al1
published an important systematic
review and meta-analysis on the
effects of smoking on the risk of
nonmelanoma skin cancer. Their study
clearly demonstrated that smoking
increases the risk of cutaneous
squamous cell carcinoma, although it
does not appear to modify the risk
of basal cell carcinoma. Verkouteren
and Nijsten,2
in commentary published in the same
issue, shed light on the practical
implications of the findings and
explain how they translate into
clinical practice. The authors of
this comment justifiably urge us to
take advantage of this association
and “collaborate with smoking
cessation programs as an element of
good patient care,”2
suggesting that “physicians could
make use of the current cancer
experience in motivating patients to
discontinue smoking, which has many
additional important health
benefits.”2
I would like to raise
another point that I believe will
be even more alarming to the
smoking public, who, in spite of
our efforts to promote our
antismoking campaign, appear not
to be deterred by the threats of
cancer and death. As
dermatologists, we are “lucky” to
possess what may be even more
convincing reasons and motivations
for supporting the antismoking
campaign. We propose that, for
many smokers, particularly the
young ones, the evidence that
smoking is associated with
irreversible aesthetic damage (ie,
premature aging and wrinkling of
the skin and discoloring of the
teeth3)
and deleterious effects on male
sexual potency4
will be much more compelling than
the proof that smoking can cause
skin cancer and kill. One glance
at the figures of how much is
spent on fillers for wrinkles and
teeth-whitening procedures is
enough to reveal what the public
really cares about. As such, we
dermatologists are armed with
extremely potent ammunition in the
war against smoking, and we should
use it to the fullest. Articles
such as the analysis of
Leonardi-Bee et al1
and the comments of Verkouteren
and Nijsten2
are a most welcome addition to our
armamentarium.
Referenced
JAMA Dermatol study &
Comment: