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Smoking, Alcoholism, and Use of Illicit Drugs

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Dermatology in Public Health Environments

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Abstract

Tobacco smoking, one of the main modifiable risk factors for mortality, is associated with cutaneous neoplasias and cutaneous aging, besides worsening of the postsurgical scarring process. It is also involved with the pathogenesis and the worsening of some dermatoses, such as Buerger’s disease, lupus, psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, and lethal disease that leads to multiple organ dysfunction and skin manifestations associated with endocrinologic changes, with nutritional deficiencies and signs of hepatopathy. Alcoholism is associated with the triggering or worsening of dermatoses, such as psoriasis, porphyria, seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, urticaria, contact dermatitis, and eczema. Advice to patients on quitting smoking and drinking should be part of the routine general directions about general health and the skin health. Cocaine, one of the world’s oldest drugs, causes euphoria accompanied by serious side effects including cardiac disorders, skin necrosis, and nasal septum perforation, among others. This chapter discusses the main manifestations of tobacco smoking, alcoholism, and drug addiction (particularly cocaine use, also when mixed with adjuvant drugs such as levamisole).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo MD, PhD

  2. Sanitary Dermatology Service of the Department of Health of Rio Grande do Sul State (ADS-SES), Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo MD, PhD

  3. Graduate Pathology Program of Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo MD, PhD

  4. Dermatology Service of Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil

    Catiussa Brutti MD & Taciana Capelletti MD

  5. UFCSPA, Dermatology Service, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Rodrigo Pereira Duquia MD, PhD

  6. PUCRS, Reumathology Service of Hospital São Lucas, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Mauro W. Keiserman MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Renan Rangel Bonamigo MD, PhD
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  2. Catiussa Brutti MD
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  3. Taciana Capelletti MD
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  4. Rodrigo Pereira Duquia MD, PhD
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  5. Mauro W. Keiserman MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Renan Rangel Bonamigo MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Service of Clinical, Hospital of Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo

  2. Health Secretary of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Sergio Ivan Torres Dornelles

Glossary

Acetylcholine 

Neurotransmitter released by cholinergic neurons responsible for muscle contraction, learning, and memory, whose action is mediated by nicotinic and muscarinic receptors found at the neuromuscular junctions in the central and peripheral nervous system.

Acneiform eruption 

Dermatosis related to the development of papules and follicular pustules, with or without comedones, connected to predisposing factors or medicines, located in sites that do not usually show acne, or occurring in life stages other than adolescence.

Carboxyhemoglobin 

Molecule of carbon monoxide linked to a molecule of hemoglobin. Its development is associated with carbon monoxide toxicity.

Carcinogen 

A substance, situation, or exposition that can damage the genetic material (DNA), thus initiating or stimulating cancer development.

Cheilitis 

Lip dermatosis resulting from different causes that manifests as erythemas, scaling, vesicles, fissures, tumefaction, nodules, and so forth.

Comedones 

Solid development in the pilosebaceous follicles resulting from retained sebum produced by the gland due to acro-infundibulum obliteration by focal keratosis.

Cytolytic 

Related to cell destruction (cytolysis).

Discoid 

Semiologic description of lesion feature shaped like a disc.

Glossitis 

Alterations of the tongue mucosa caused by poor nutrition, infections, and physical, chemical, or drug-induced irritation that are manifested by partial or total loss of the filiform papillae, and smooth and red tongue.

Gynecomastia 

Increased breast tissue, unilaterally or bilaterally, in men.

Jaundice 

Yellow color of skin, mucosa, and sclera caused by hyperbilirubinemia.

Keratinization 

Final phase of the keratinocyte differentiation whereby keratin is formed.

Metalloproteinases 

Zinc-dependent proteinases that show cleavage activity (gelatinolytic) of the matrix and angiogenic and inflammatory activities, synthesized by many cells including fibroblasts and leukocytes.

Mutagenic 

Physical, chemical, or biological agent which can cause mutation if exposed to one cell, i.e., damage to the DNA that is not repaired and is passed on to the next generations.

Neovascularization 

Development of new blood vessels. This process can be physiologic or pathologic.

Nummular 

Semiologic description of lesion feature as “rounded, resembling coin.”

Pathognomonic 

The characteristic and proper sign of a disease.

Plethoric 

Red coloration through vascular engorgement in polycythemic patients; increased blood volume.

Rhytids 

Skin lines and depressions resulting from facial, neck, hand, and arm aging, commonly known as wrinkles.

Steatosis 

Tissue fat accumulation.

Stomatitis 

Dermatosis of mucosa of the buccal cavity of multiple etiology, such as infections and nicotine.

Telangiectasia 

Dilation of dermal small blood vessels.

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Bonamigo, R.R., Brutti, C., Capelletti, T., Duquia, R.P., Keiserman, M.W. (2018). Smoking, Alcoholism, and Use of Illicit Drugs. In: Bonamigo, R., Dornelles, S. (eds) Dermatology in Public Health Environments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33919-1_39

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33919-1_39

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-33917-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-33919-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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