Your lips can blacken for many reasons involving the smoke, such as dehydration, dryness of the lips, and the heat produced by the smoke. Smoking weed can also negatively impact your skin and cause it to age faster. You needn’t worry too much since you can gradually recover the impact on your lips through various home remedies such as applying and rubbing lemon juice, honey, and other moisturizing ingredients on your lips. Exfoliation methods by removing dead cells would also prove to be helpful in the process.
A 2015 study by the US National Alcohol Surveys has revealed that the use of marijuana has dramatically increased all over the United States, even if it were legalized or not, in various states.
The health concern however mainly comes when considering the smoking process of marijuana. The effects of the smoke on your skin can be somewhat harmful in the long term. The blackening of the lips is simply one of its consequences.
Does weed smoke turn your lips black? What does ‘Weed lips’ mean? Can there be other causes for dark lips? How can you recover from weed lips through home remedies? Can weed smoke lead to other dangerous skin conditions? What is exfoliating and is it helpful to turn your lips back to their normal state?
Does weed smoke turn your lips black?
The smoke created when you smoke weed can most surely turn your lips black simply through the process of smoking it.
When you constantly smoke, the built-up chemicals at the butt-end of the weed joint are what turns your lips into a smoky color.
This left-over product is known as ‘resins’. It’s quite common when you burn something. Usually, this color would go down within a few days of non-use, unless you keep smoking weed as a daily habit.
The way this happens is by the leftover residue increasing in quantity until it exerts oxidative stress onto your lips making it absorb into your lips through a process scientifically known as ‘collagen breakdown’
What does the term ‘weed lips’ mean exactly?
In simple terms, ‘weed lips’ mean the blackening of your lips specifically if you’re a heavy weed smoker.
Just because you tried it out a few times, it doesn’t exactly make you get weed lips. It’s a slow and gradual process with the consistent intake of cannabis smoke.
Can weed not be the only reason for dark lips?
Apart from purely cannabis smoke, black lips can also be caused by general first-hand or second-hand smoking. Weed might not be the only reason either according to the following list.
- Sucking on your lips – Even by excessive smoking this may occur or it could even be just a bad tick that you have.
- Allergic reaction – Allergic reactions involving lips such as certain lipstick or lip balm products could be the cause. Some may even be allergic to certain toothpaste as well.
- Getting dehydrated – This can also be an outcome of heavy smoking since your lips would dry up due to the weed smoke.
- The heat produced – Since smoking involves heat, you must be careful in smoking as this heat from whatever source like pipe or joint could turn your lips darker.
- Too much caffeine – Caffeine causes gradual stains in not only your lips but also your teeth.
How can you get rid of black weed lips?
Trying out various home remedies will help you bring your lips back to their former glory.
You’d rarely need medical assistance as most of the following remedies can be followed by yourself.
Various juices and other remedies are categorized in the given table.
| Fruit/Flower juice for the lips: | Other remedies you can try: |
| Rose-milk juice – mix rosewater with fresh milk and apply this mixture to your lips. | Lip balms – These can be very effective in daily use. Make sure that you’re not allergic to it. |
| Lemon juice – This natural cure once applied on your lips for over a minute daily can lighten your lip color | Butterfat ghee – This is a kind of clarified butter that will stop your lips from getting dry and dark. |
| Beetroot juice – It’s better to add a bit of lemon juice into this as well and apply on your lips for about 20 minutes | Be hygienic – Make sure you clean your lips when you take a wash and brush your teeth daily |
| Pomegranate juice – same as the others, you’ll have to apply and leave for about 10 minutes. | Water – This is equally important in preventing dehydration. So, make sure you drink enough water. |
Apart from the above, exfoliating is another very important step to take to mellow down your weed lips.
Homemade exfoliator for your lips
Exfoliating refers to the removal of dead skin cells which may stubbornly stick to the surface of your skin. This is important especially when your lips get stained and dirtied from the chemicals of the weed smoke.
For one of the most effective exfoliators, you’re going to need lemon, sugar, and a natural skin moisturizer like oat extracts, aloe, or petroleum jelly, which are all quite nutritious ingredients to soothe your chapped lips.
First, you’ll need to mix up the sugar and honey and use your toothbrush to apply, and softly rub it along your lips for a few minutes.
Then you’ll need to repeat the process with lemon and leave it for about 2 minutes.
Finally, you can softly wash away the juice and apply the moisturizer product of your choice, be it the oat extract or aloe or petroleum jelly.
In what other ways does smoking weed affect your skin?
The National Institute of Drug abuse has shown other ways in which weed smoke can affect your skin apart from lips. The following list will help you understand and take precautions before attempting to smoke weed.
- Possibility of Acne – One of the most well-known elements in weed is tetrahydrocannabinol known as THC. This substance once inside your body can cause an unexpected increase in your testosterone levels which will, in turn, make your skin secrete sebum oil. These oils can cause acne in your skin, hair loss, or even excess hair growth in certain instances as well.
- The rapid aging of your skin – The smoke that emits is somewhat similar to cigarette smoke which can expose your skin to new collagen, which in simple terms means that it can even worsen already existing skin conditions as well.
It’s very important to remember that these negative effects come from the smoking of weed.
Other forms of ingesting it through edibles or even application on the skin produce positive effects as THC is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant goodness in the medical field.
FAQ’S
Are there alternatives for smoking weed?
If you want to avoid the problem of your lips darkening, you can always resort to vaping or consuming weed as an edible, topical, or even tincture. These alternatives will help your natural lip color come back within a few weeks after you stop smoking weed. In addition, you can be free from other risks like rapidly aging skin and the possibility of acne, which will be a win-win scenario for you.
Is cigarette smoke or weed smoke worse on your lips?
Cigarettes can most definitely cause black lips more dangerously than smoking weed, especially due to nicotine, tar, and various chemicals. The National Lung Association of Canada has confirmed that over 4000 chemical substances are contained in tobacco smoke. This reduces the blood flow to your lips and turns your gums and lips into a darker shade. Your lips and gums could even turn out to look purple, dark brown, or even blotchy.
https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/girl-vaping_1612885.htm#page=1&query=smoking&position=7
Conclusion
Weed, also known as cannabis in the medical field, has multiple uses in pain management among cancer patients and overall health benefits as per the American Cancer Society.
However, taking in your weed through smoking could raise health risks instead since the smoke can never be good for your skin and body.
While alternative options exist, it’s always safer to opt out of smoking in any such substance, whether first-hand smoke or second-hand smoke.
