Third-Hand Smoke Lingering on Surfaces May Trigger Skin Disease, Scientists Warn

You are most likely aware of the dangers of smoking and inhaling someone else's smoke. Third-hand smoke, also known as incinerated particles of tobacco that settle on surfaces, is a danger that extends to incinerated particles of tobacco.

Studies have shown that the health effects of third-hand smoke exposure can last for months to years, potentially returning to the air where it can linger.

There is cause for concern over these pollutants, according to animal testing. A small study involving 10 people has shown that tobacco smoke can cause inflammation in the body.

The team behind the new study says that the harm done to the skin may lead to health problems later in life.

"Our third-hand smoke exposures were brief, did not cause skin irritation, and were unlikely to induce skin disease," the researchers wrote in their report.

10 healthy non-smokers were asked to wear clothes that were affected by third-hand smoke for three hours. They were told to spend 15 minutes on a treadmill each hour so that smoke particles would be taken up through the skin.

The team took blood and urine samples to see if there was damage to the DNA. There were changes in the levels of blood products. The changes continued up to 22 hours after exposure. There were no changes when the same 10 people wore clean clothes for the exercise.

The results show that exposure to third-hand smoke is similar to the damage done to the immune system by cigarette smoking.

Only a small number of studies have been done on how humans respond to third-hand smoke exposure and none on exposure through the skin.

There is a lack of knowledge about the health effects of smoke exposure.

Buying a used car that was previously owned by a smoker is putting yourself at risk. You expose your skin to third-hand smoke if you go to a casino with smoking. Staying in a hotel room that used to be occupied by a smoker is the same thing.

It's difficult to protect every part of our bodies from the surfaces and the air that we come into contact with, so the skin may be at the greatest risk from third-hand smoke exposure.

The researchers are hoping to conduct studies involving larger groups of people over a longer period of time, as well as examine the effects that electronic cigarettes have over the surrounding environment and population.

Adding to the existing evidence around the dangers of third-hand smoke should be made easier by the findings from this study.

"Our findings can help physicians in detecting patients who have been exposed to third-hand smoke and help develop regulatory policies to deal with indoor environments contaminated with third-hand smoke," says the researcher.

The research has appeared in a journal.