Most likely, you are aware of the dangers of smoking and even inhaling its “secondhand” smoke from others. Now, in a new research, it has been said that this class of dangers is also present in the burnt tobacco particles that sit on the surface and are referred to as “third-hand smoke”.
The effects of exposure to third-hand smoke have recently attracted the attention of researchers, and previous studies have shown that these residual particles can remain on clothing exposed to smoke for months to years, potentially recirculating into the air, especially in indoor environments.
Now, in a new small study, it has been shown that tobacco smoke residue on clothing can increase biomarkers associated with inflammation and mimic the mechanism of skin diseases.
The possibility of increasing skin diseases with third-hand smoke
Although none of the participants in this study developed skin diseases such as contact dermatitis and psoriasis, the researchers say that damage to the skin may lead to more health problems.
Their report states:
“Exposure to third-hand smoke had modest effects for us, did not cause skin irritation and is unlikely to cause skin disease, however, it increased markers associated with the activation of contact dermatitis, psoriasis and other early-stage skin diseases. »
In this research, 10 non-smokers between the ages of 22 and 45 were asked to wear clothing exposed to third-hand smoke for three hours. They were also asked to run on a treadmill for 15 minutes every hour so that more third-hand smoke particles would be absorbed into their skin through sweating.
After taking blood and urine samples, the researchers found that biomarkers indicating oxidative damage to DNA were elevated. Changes have also been detected in their blood protein levels. Furthermore, these changes persisted up to 22 hours after exposure to secondhand smoke.
The results of this study show that exposure to third-hand smoke causes the same type of damage and activation of immune responses measured in smokers, the researchers say. Despite these indications, researchers suggest that the skin may be most at risk from secondhand smoke.
Next, they plan to conduct studies on larger groups of people over a longer period of time and also want to examine the effects of e-cigarettes on the surrounding environment and population.
