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Permalink Reply by Lee on June 16, 2009 at 3:53am

Dont think it has anything to do with it. I started smoking after AU...now I just smoke occasionally.

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Permalink Reply by Joshua on June 16, 2009 at 1:30pm

Hello Chris,

I am six years older than you, but what I am going to say next, probably will sound like 60 years older than you. Somehow, some of my college mates called me Grandpa Josh...lol probably this will pre-empt. you. I am pathetic..lol.

Anyway, back into serious mode. I have several lengthy but not detailed comment on your discussion subject.

There is no scientific paper suggest that there is a significant correlation between smoking & alopecia areata yet, I am not aware of any test/ survey being done on the matter also.

1. It is widely accepted both by alopecia patients and scientists/ dermatologists that alopecia areata can be triggered by stress. Stress also comes in various form, physical/ physiological, psychological, pathological or any combinations of the mentioned..etc. Eventhough there is no scientific evidence on the connection between smoking & alopecia, I believe that smoking can be a predisposing factor to alopecia areata. (As per any foreign event/ particles in the body could induce an auto-immunity state). In short, smoking is a form of physical stress of the body indirectly and to the lungs directly.

2. Smoking as a mean to relax the mind and mental/emotional state, statement is valid & factual. One thing for sure, it is not relaxing to the lung and also the heart. While you're relaxing your mind and resting your brain at one time, at the same time you're also comprising the well being of the other vital organs of the body. Why don't you find other means to relax your mind without comprising the health of the other parts of your body. Just as much as you love your mental status/mind/brain, you must love your lungs and heart as well (in addition to the liver and kidney which made up the 5 vital organs of the body).

3. a little more fact about the lung, the lung surface are generally and mostly covered with thin pneumocytes type I (Lung cell type 1) which is responsible for gas exchange (Oxygen-Carbon dioxide exchange), oxygenated blood subsequently distributed by the heart to the entire body. Pneumocytes type II, on the other hand produce surfactant that provide integrity to the lung (thus preventing it from collapsing-atelectasis). Pneumocytes type I eventhough are plenty, their biological component is that it is higly susceptible to toxic insults/ infiltration and they do not regenerate/ or replicate, meaning these cells responsible for gas exchange does not regenerate after the cells die. The lack of cells for gas exchange, will result in lacking of oxygenation, and the tissues send signals to the body to increase breathing rate and heart rate, in order to restore the constant and adequate oxygenation to all body tissues. Well, it is true, some have smoke heavily for decades and yet still healthy, we must praise God that He had created reserve "lung tissues"- functional reserve to sustain our living, our lung's functional reserve is at least 50%-75%, meaning we can still live healthily with one side of the lung removed. So what, some may say, like my own grandfather, who smoked for over 70 years and he is now 97 years old. I believe, those who smoke and still live long, could live even much longer if they didnt smoke.

In conclusion (everyone at this time will say, Praise the Lord...lol). It doesnt matter much if smoking worsens alopecia areata or not, because it matters more that smoking actually add burden to the lung directly and the heart indirectly. Well, the lung and the heart are definitely more important than my hair. Hair is just another ascessory tissues (play some role) to the skin, while the lung and the heart are major vital organs that sustain the quality of life and eventually life itself! Only if the heart and the lungs are visible on the outside of our body, the society then will pay a lot more attention to them!

I dont mean to give you a lecture, I presume your occasional cigar would be more like a weekly habit rather than a daily habit. I agree that smoking does add to the fact that can provide some form of calmness to the mind and relieve anxiety and ease emotional stress. My motto "I love my lung and my heart just as much as I love being calm to my mind", so I'll find another way to relax. If you're not thinking of quitting smoking, my next advice would be "Moderation is the key".

Take care and God bless.

Joshua

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