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Smoking can seriously age your looks. Check out the proof!
12:01pm Monday 4th June 2007
INSTANTLY ageing more than 50 years, young smokers in Hampshire have been given a shocking glimpse into their future if they don't kick the habit.
Using the latest computer technology to show the signs of ageing, health teams invited smokers to see what effects years of tobacco would do to their appearance.
"It is really shocking," said Maz Churcher, who celebrated her 21st birthday by seeing how she would look at the age of 72 if she carried on smoking.
"It's very scary seeing your skin that colour and your dark eyes."
Hundreds of weekend shoppers approached the Hampshire NHS Primary Care Trust stand in Gosport's Market Place to take advice on giving up smoking.
Raising awareness of free health services available to smokers, the display used the Age Progression Image Launcher - APRIL - programme to capture someone's face and ages them according to the number of cigarettes they smoke regularly.
Nineteen-year-old Gemma Davis, who works at a town centre restaurant, was taken outside by her boss to see the effects of her daily nicotine habit.
"My manager dragged me out here to see what my smoking does and I was quite shocked.
"My skin is still good at the moment because of my age and I don't really want it to end up looking as bad as that," she said.
NHS health advisers were also on hand to comfort the shocked smokers and offer advice and tips to help people kick the habit.
"We have had a huge amount of interest," said health improvement manager Neil Luckett.
"Our main aim is to raise awareness of the smoking ban which comes in on July 1 and also to get some feedback from members of the public as to how effective the current promotion of it is.
"We are giving out free advice and support and making sure people realise this is available in pharmacies, surgeries, community centres and libraries."
Sue Trundel, a secretary from Gosport said she was also quite surprised by the images.
"I've already cut down from 30 to 15 cigarettes a day but after seeing this I am planning to go to a class that is available to help people quit."
Your Say YourEcho
chris, says...
4:06pm Mon 4 Jun 07
Even if this was true mignt it not have more to do with the fact that the majority of smokers are from lower socio-economic groups and consider the cost of expensive cosmetics and skin treatments to be an unneccessary luxury?
A quick look at the Minister for Health should show that a lack of smoking is not good for some!
hmm, says...
11:07pm Mon 4 Jun 07
DOnt tell my 15 year old niece, she spends all her time trying to get into night clubs, if she see this she will smoke 10 times as many
Bruce Fox, Indianapolis Indiana USA says...
3:08pm Tue 5 Jun 07
In the long run, most 70 year olds do not look the same as they did at 20 in more ways than their facial characteristics, have them look at their mothers and grandmothers.
There is always a surgical solution, if they can afford it.
ken, says...
8:43am Wed 6 Jun 07
Your sayYourEcho
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AGED: Leanne Heavan as she is today, right, and what she would look like at the age of 35.
ON CAMERA: Leanne Heavan has her picture taken and aged by Kevin Gale.
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ed, says...
1:19pm Mon 4 Jun 07