Smokers: Pics of Non-Smoking And Smoking Twins Reveal True Damage Cigarettes Do To Our Skin

Not to mention the serious medical conditions brought on by smoking, if ever we needed an excuse to ditch the cancer sticks, this depressing photoset is it.

Pairs of identical twins, one of whom smokes and the other who doesn't, were photographed in the same positions to show the true extent of damage caused to our faces and skin by the unhealthy habit.

Can you guess who's the smoker? Of course it's the lady on the right.

Smoking has a big impact on your skin. Not only are lines around the mouth and eyes more likely to form thanks to the physical sucking motion of smoking, but it reduces the oxygen in your bloodstream and replaces it with carbon dioxide. This reduces the ability of the skin to renew itself and causes lines, discolouration and greyness.

This one's less obvious but the smoker's also on the right. You can tell from the thinner hair and lines on the neck. Smoking can damage the DNA of hair follicles, causing hair thinning and premature greyness.

This make-up-free shot shows the difference clearly. The lady on the left is the smoker, with far more wrinkles around her mouth and sagging skin under the chin. Her twin has a brighter, smoother complexion and wider eyes.

The smoker here is the lady the right. Initially it's not as obvious as some images but the sagging skin on the cheeks and jawline are giveaways. The most obvious sign is the sunken eyes, hidden beneath dark lids, compared to her sister's much wider, brighter eyes.

Male skin may stand up slightly better to smoking than female, as it's generally tougher against the elements. But the bloated redness of the gent on the right's face is a clear giveaway, as well as extra lines around the mouth and cheeks, thinner lips and a sparser hairline.

These two provide probably the most extreme examples of the set. In the front-on picture, the smoker is on the right, and the extreme pigmentation and duller skin tone is dramatic.

In the side-on picture, the pair are reversed, with the smoker on the left. Wrinkles and blotching around the mouth is extreme and though both are overweight, the non-smoker's skin looks brighter and healthier.

Pigmentation is caused by the sun and as smoking makes the skin thinner, less elastic and less able to repair itself, the combination can severely damage the complexion.

The smoker here is on the left and looks significantly older than her twin. The thin lips and extremely more prounounced wrinkles from eye to chin are the giveaways.

Step away from that packet of cigs, it's not worth it.

[Could an injection-free patch be better than botox?]
[The surprising health benefits of fasting diets]