When something is going wrong in your body, there will be signs. They may be subtle, but they are visible in close observation. If you are a smoker, you may be worried about the smell of smoke emanating from your mouth or clothes. However, there are other signs that tell whether you smoke or not and these signs are difficult to get rid of!

Smoking is the harmful act of inhaling tobacco infused smoke and is a common activity all over the world. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 480,000 deaths happen each year due to smoking or smoke inhalation. The organization explained that smoking causes harm to nearly all organs and quitting lowers the risk of early death and other smoking related diseases.

Like many other substances, there are clear tell-tale signs when someone is smoking. This is especially important for finding lung problems like Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe, sooner so people can get help.

Why Does Smoking Affect Your Physical Appearance?

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) explains that tobacco smoke has more than 7,000 harmful chemicals like nicotine, carbon monoxide, and various metals like arsenic, cadmium, and lead, quickly reach your lungs and then travel through your blood to all your organs, including your skin. Smoking damages your skin's ability to heal because it increases an enzyme metalloproteinase (MMPs) that breaks down collagen. Collagen is what keeps your skin smooth and elastic. As you lose collagen, your skin sags. Squinting from the smoke and puckering your mouth when smoking also cause wrinkles around your eyes and mouth.

Smoking also reduces blood flow to your skin, which means it gets less oxygen and nutrients. All these things together lead to what doctors call a "smoker's face." Quitting smoking can help prevent or slow down these skin problems."

Visible Signs Of Smoking

Here are some visible signs of smoking in people, according to 2013, Lung India

Fingers and Nails

When people smoke, the tar and other chemicals in the smoke stick to their fingers and nails. This repeated contact causes a yellow stain that's hard to wash off. It's a very common sign that someone regularly handles cigarettes or biris.

Moustaches

Especially in older people with white moustaches, smoking causes a yellowing effect. This is most noticeable in the center of the moustache, where the smoke from the nose directly hits the hair. The consistent exposure to smoke colors the hair over time.

Lips

Heavy smokers often have a bluish-black tint to their lips. This discoloration happens because the chemicals in tobacco smoke affect the blood flow and the color of the skin on the lips. The constant exposure changes the lip's natural color.

Teeth

Smoking causes teeth to stain both inside and out. The outside of the teeth turns yellow from the tar, while the inside develops a brownish-black stain. This happens because the smoke seeps into the enamel and discolors the teeth over time.

Premature Wrinkling

Smoking makes the skin age faster. This leads to wrinkles like "crow's feet" around the eyes and "cobblestone wrinkles" on the neck. This happens because smoking reduces blood flow, limiting oxygen to the skin, and damages collagen, which keeps skin elastic.

Nodular Elastosis

This condition, also known as "Favre–Racouchot syndrome," causes blackheads and wrinkles, especially around the eyes and temples. It is made worse by both sun exposure and heavy smoking. The skin becomes discolored with visible nodules and wrinkles.

Facial Wrinkling and COPD

A study published in Thorax 2006 found a connection between wrinkles on the face and COPD, a lung disease. It's thought that smoking affects both the skin and lungs through similar processes. If doctors notice signs like "crow's feet" on a smoker's face, they might recommend tests for COPD. This early detection can help people get treatment sooner and improve their lung health.

As temperatures fall, a growing number of people are seeking medical advice for sudden, painful rashes and nerve-related discomfort. Superdrug Online Doctor has reported a 50% rise in patients requesting consultations for shingles over recent weeks. Shingles develops when the chickenpox virus, which stays dormant in the body after childhood infection, becomes active again later in life.

What Is Shingles?

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral illness that causes a painful, blistering rash, usually appearing on one side of the body. It occurs when the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, becomes active again after lying dormant in the nerves for many years. This reactivation is more likely when the immune system is weakened.

Symptoms often begin with burning, tingling, or itching in a specific area, followed by clusters of fluid-filled blisters that eventually dry out and form scabs. Starting antiviral treatment early can help reduce the severity and length of the infection. A shingles vaccine is also available and is recommended, particularly for people over the age of 50, to lower the risk of developing shingles and to prevent complications such as long-lasting nerve pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia.

Who Is Most At Risk Of Shingles?

The condition is more likely to affect older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Dr Babak Ashrafi, Superdrug’s Online Doctor, explained that many patients are caught off guard by how quickly symptoms appear. “Shingles often begins unexpectedly,” he said. “People may wake up with a burning or tingling sensation, followed by a rash that rapidly becomes more painful. We typically see higher numbers during colder months, when immune defences are under greater pressure.”

Winter-related factors such as stress, poor sleep, and seasonal infections can all take a toll on the immune system. When immunity dips, the virus responsible for shingles has a greater chance of reactivating, increasing the likelihood of flare-ups during colder periods.

Shingles Early Warning Signs To Watch For

According to the NHS, early symptoms of shingles often include a tingling, itching, or painful sensation on one side of the body. Some people may also experience headaches or feel generally unwell before a rash appears. The rash usually develops a few days later and is most commonly seen on the chest or abdomen, although it can occur anywhere on the body.

Superdrug Online Doctor has outlined five situations where people should seek prompt medical advice rather than rely on self-care. These include cases where:

• the rash appears on or near the eye
• pain is severe or spreading
• the person has a weakened immune system
• the individual is pregnant
• symptoms are worsening quickly

Shingles Treatment

Superdrug Online Doctor provides an online assessment and photo-diagnosis service, allowing clinicians to review symptoms remotely. Where appropriate, patients can be prescribed antiviral medication without needing to wait for a GP appointment.

Dr Ashrafi stressed the importance of acting quickly, adding: “The most important advice is not to wait and see. Starting treatment early can make a significant difference to recovery and long-term outcomes.”

Doctors are reporting a change in the way the flu is presenting as a new strain spreads across the UK. Hospital admissions linked to the flu rose sharply at the beginning of the year, with an average of 2,924 people a day admitted by January 4. Four hospital trusts have declared critical incidents, citing ongoing and intense pressure on services. These include three trusts in Surrey and one in Kent.

Surrey Heartlands Trust said winter pressures had been made worse by a rise in flu and norovirus cases. NHS national medical director Professor Meghana Pandit said the situation remains difficult, with hospitals seeing another increase in patients admitted with flu and other respiratory infections last week.

She said it is still vital for people to seek medical help when needed and reminded the public that there are many chances to get vaccinated against flu. Health Secretary Wes Streeting also stressed that flu can be dangerous, especially for older adults, young children, and those with existing health problems. He urged everyone who qualifies to get their flu vaccine as soon as possible, calling it the best form of protection.

Doctors Report Unusual Symptoms As New Flu Strain Spreads Across The UK

Doctors say this latest flu strain appears to be causing different symptoms. The virus, known as subclade K, is a variant of the A H3N2 type of influenza.

Dr Mark Loafman told NBC Chicago that many patients are experiencing much higher fevers than usual. He said the fever can last five to seven days, which is longer than people typically expect and is a cause for concern.

In some cases, doctors say the fever does not respond well to common medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Lung specialist Dr Juanita Mora said this strain is linked to very high temperatures, a severe and persistent cough with heavy phlegm, vomiting, diarrhoea, and widespread joint and muscle pain.

Doctors have also noticed a rise in stomach-related symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, often referred to as gastrointestinal or GI issues. Dr Loafman said that, based on what doctors are seeing, adults infected with the subclade K strain seem to be showing more signs of GI illness than usual.

According to the NHS, flu symptoms usually appear suddenly and tend to be much more severe than those of a common cold. While most people start to recover within about a week, the illness can feel particularly harsh while it lasts.

Key Symptoms of Flu

The main symptoms usually begin abruptly and include:

• A sudden high temperature of 38C or higher
• Body aches affecting muscles and joints
• Extreme tiredness or exhaustion
• A dry cough
• A sore throat
• Headaches
• Problems sleeping
• Reduced appetite
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, which are more common in children

How To Treat Flu at Home

Most people can deal with flu symptoms at home without needing to see a doctor. The NHS advises the following self-care measures:

• Rest and Sleep: Allow your body time and energy to fight off the infection.
• Stay Warm: Use extra layers or blankets to maintain body warmth.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Your urine should be pale yellow or clear.
• Pain Relief: Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help reduce fever and ease aches. Avoid taking combination flu medicines alongside paracetamol tablets, as this can lead to taking too much.
• Sore Throat Relief: Gargle with salt water if you are an adult, or have hot drinks such as lemon and honey to ease discomfort.

People across the UK are being urged to follow basic safety steps as concerns grow over so-called “evolving” bacteria. A few decades ago, antibiotics were routinely prescribed for a wide range of illnesses and minor infections.

Today, many GPs are far more cautious about giving them out, largely because of the steady rise in bacteria that no longer respond to treatment. Figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that close to 400 antibiotic-resistant infections are being recorded every week in England.

What Are Antibiotic-Resistant Infections?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), antibiotic-resistant infections develop when bacteria change over time and stop responding to the medicines meant to kill them. As a result, infections that were once easy to treat become much harder, and in some cases impossible, to cure. This can lead to serious illness, longer hospital stays, and a higher risk of death.

While antibiotic resistance can occur naturally, the WHO warns that misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals greatly speeds up the process. This allows resistant bacteria, often referred to as “superbugs,” to survive, multiply, and spread more easily.

Why Is Antibiotic Resistance Dangerous?

The biggest risk linked to these “superbugs” is that they are much harder to treat because standard antibiotics no longer work against them. Infections caused by resistant bacteria can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and bloodstream infections, which can be life-threatening if not controlled quickly.

In a post shared on X, the UKHSA said: “Bacteria are evolving against antibiotics, with nearly 400 new resistant infections appearing each week in England.” NHS guidance has also warned that several bacteria have already developed resistance as a result of antibiotic overuse. These include MRSA, Clostridium difficile, and the bacteria linked to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

A major concern is that this growing trend could eventually lead to new strains of bacteria that cannot be treated with any existing antibiotics.

How To Reduce The Risk Of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections?

According to UKHSA advice, people can play a role in slowing the spread of resistant bacteria by following a few simple precautions in daily life. These include:

• Returning unused antibiotics to a pharmacy so they can be disposed of safely and do not contribute to resistance in the environment
• Practising safe sex, particularly to reduce the spread of infections such as gonorrhoea, which is becoming harder to treat
• Staying up to date with vaccinations, which can help prevent infections in the first place
• Talking to a healthcare professional before taking antibiotics, as they are not always necessary
• Washing hands thoroughly and staying at home when feeling unwell to avoid spreading infection