Vaping and health/skin?

[GraceK]

Hi guys,

I have scoured the internet trying to find some connection but there aren't enough cases for me to feel certain that I'm having a reaction to the vaping or to the juice.

PROBLEM 1:
It's been about 40 days since I quit analogs. A few days into vaping, the skin on my face dried out like....like paper. Left alone, it would just peel off or I'd crack when I smile -- that kind of dry. I have been drinking nonstop water, nonstop iced tea, quit coffee and soda altogether --- to no avail. HELP. I have never had this much liquid in all of my life and still, it hasn't improved at all. Here I thought smoking cigs was bad for your skin...I'm going to be a prune in a few weeks.

PROBLEM 2:
Shortly thereafter, and I believe that this started after I got my new batch of juices from a new company, Velvet Cloud I would get this very sudden and very severe itchiness all over my body, like I have tiny ants crawling all over. But it only happened in my office originally, once a day; then in the last few weeks, it happens anywhere, about 2-3 times per day for about 10 minutes each, and then it's gone, like it never happened. I'll even get a rash or bite marks, or so it appears, except within half an hour, they are all gone too. Very weird. During this time, I've only vaped their juices -- nothing else.

Reading around, it's clear some have a reaction to PG in their juice. To my knowledge, all of my juices claim "100%VG", which I've only been sticking to because my friend who has vaped for much longer recommended sticking to VG-only. Again, based only on what I'm reading, a VG-allergy seems rare, at best.

Now what has really gotten me thinking is that yesterday, I received a new batch of juices from a new company, Mt. Baker. I ordered mostly "MaxVG" there, which I would guess is 100% or close enough.
Because I loved all of my new flavors, I have been smoking only those for the last 30 hours. And only a few minutes ago, I realized that for the FIRST time in more than a month, I have not had this itchy madness syndrome today, haha.

Assuming this continues....it would seem that VG is NOT the culprit, yes? Or are there different grades of VG?
Can it be a flavoring that one company uses that another doesn't?
It's quite fascinating!

Now how to fix this sandpaper skin of mine....really crimping my style!

 

[B1sh0p]

I would guess the original juice you got wasn't 100% VG and the MBV juice is VG. I've had juices that claimed they were high VG and just looking at the viscosity, it was obvious they weren't. Pure VG is thick and almost gooey. It should coat the bottle when you tip it. When it gets cold, it runs out and doesn't drip out in drops.

The dry skin was probably just a reaction to quitting cigarettes. I had dry facial skin for about 6 months after I quit smoking. Some people get oily skin and acne from quitting. My reaction was the opposite.

 

[Droopy421]

I quit smoking a week ago and noticed the skin thing as well as 2 nose bleeds. That being said its only been a week. At 40 days all of the weird things happening in your body should be finished except lungs improving. I would think its the juice. I would stick with the new juice for a bit (maybe a week) see what happens. Then try the old stuff. If it comes back then you know. Just my 2.

 

[hazarada]

Its not that any vaping component is drying you up directly but the switch can mess with your body chemistry causing it to manifest in various weird ways while you're adjusting. I'd give it a while longer, a month at least.

Also don't go along with the whole allergy to component this or that paranoia, there are some people genuinely intolerant to these but most of the ones who claim it just had some unrelated discomfort while adjusting and combined with the placebo effect have their newfound "allergy".

 

[B1sh0p]

Its not that any vaping component is drying you up directly but the switch can mess with your body chemistry causing it to manifest in various weird ways while you're adjusting. I'd give it a while longer, a month at least.

Also don't go along with the whole allergy to component this or that paranoia, there are some people genuinely intolerant to these but most of the ones who claim it just had some unrelated discomfort while adjusting and combined with the placebo effect have their newfound "allergy".

Good post. If that many people were really allergic to PG, it wouldn't be in everything. I'm reconsidering my original post.

 

[28if]

Dehydration. Water is your friend. Lots of water.

 

[hazarada]

If that many people were really allergic to PG, it wouldn't be in everything.

I think a lot of people turn to VG since it sounds all bio and natural which is very popular these days. In reality, most of the VG we vape is just G as in synthetic glycerin, its made in the same vat as PG, PEG and all the other stuff made from wheat.

Personally i like the way PG behaves in the human body better, its completely inert so just passing through while VG gets metabolized and starts making various molecule babies

 

[Droopy421]

Its not that any vaping component is drying you up directly but the switch can mess with your body chemistry causing it to manifest in various weird ways while you're adjusting. I'd give it a while longer, a month at least.

Also don't go along with the whole allergy to component this or that paranoia, there are some people genuinely intolerant to these but most of the ones who claim it just had some unrelated discomfort while adjusting and combined with the placebo effect have their newfound "allergy".

Just like the gluten thing that no one was allergic to 5 years ago.

 

[Brooklyn Hudson]

I'm about 9 days away from analogue smokes. My face is so dry, I could sand wood with my cheeks! I've started using straight organic coconut oil and it is getting better each day. I believe this is a byproduct of withdrawal from analogue chemicals. As for the VG/PG issues. One thing I know is that many companies will offer straight VG, however, their nicotine is based in PG. Now, perhaps not all companies use a PG based nic, but many do, yet still consider their product VG. You might want to contact the companies you've bought from and get to the bottom of their ingredients lists.

 

[GraceK]

Good post. If that many people were really allergic to PG, it wouldn't be in everything. I'm reconsidering my original post.

Agreed that PG is in so many things and I don't feel like I have any reaction to it. In fact, in my new order, I have a couple juices that are 20PG/80VG and I'm fine. I'm fine with any of these new juices.

@Hazarada, generally, I'm not prone to think I'm allergic to anything until I'm in the ER, LOL. That's also why I never made this connection even for the last month PLUS. I only bought new juice because I evidently have a juice shopping addiction, haha -- and it was only two days into the new batch that I noticed I'm not doing this ant-crawling itchy business. It's difficult to swallow that I'd be allergic to VG but my only suspicion now is perhaps the content of the flavorings that the different companies use (different manufacturers?).

After a couple more days of making sure this itchiness is in fact gone, I will try the previous juices again and see what happens. I miss my Strawb Gwab flavor!!

 

[GraceK]

I'm about 9 days away from analogue smokes. My face is so dry, I could sand wood with my cheeks! I've started using straight organic coconut oil and it is getting better each day. I believe this is a byproduct of withdrawal from analogue chemicals.

It IS severe, Brooklyn! That is precisely how mine feels, too.
If I wash my face and towel-dry and wait for about 15 seconds, I will actually FEEL my cheek and jaw area shrivel up to sandpaper. It's horrifying to put makeup on. The upside is that my skin is free of blemishes or breakouts, thanks to not smoking cigarettes I think, but this is a different beast.
Coconut oil doesn't stand a chance against my dryness, and I use it for virtually everything. At this point, I have my own natural oil concoctions that are battling the dryness, but I can't claim victory yet. Only Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (meant for body) will calm it down long enough to put my makeup on without flaking. Two hours later, all bets are off.

I try not to stay out longer than two hours, haha.

 

[Gato del Jugo]

I recently had an allergic reaction to Velvet Cloud's Candy Bar..


Red, itchy, watery eyes & puffy eyelids.. Stopped vaping it, took Benadryl, went away

Not even allergic to eating peanuts!

Been fine with their other flavors, though


A while back I also had an allergic reaction to a clove juice (not VCV).. itchy skin, hands started swelling up..

Stopped vaping it, took Benadryl, went away...


It happens.. not my favorite flavors, anyway

 

[erazzz]

Maybe it was the natural flavorings used in the organic VG liquids? Or the alcohol the flavors are based in?

There is really no telling, it might not even be vaping related. If is continues I'd see a doc since it could be something else. I've personally never had this issue so I can't say.

As I've said, Mt Baker Vaper doesn't make 100% VG. So your juices all have PG in them. They also use artificial and natural flavors. If it is improving with their juice, it probably isn't the VG and PG at all. I'd think it is the flavors themselves or the alcohol in the natural flavors.

But really, no telling. Hope it improves! Happy vaping

 

[Bramble]

Dehydration. Water is your friend. Lots of water.

This bears repeating.

 

[Gato del Jugo]

Grace, I meant to ask:

Which VCV flavors were you vaping during that time?


It might just be one in particular.. might want to try to isolate it, that way you could still potentially enjoy your Strawb-Gwab...

 

[GraceK]

As I've said, Mt Baker Vaper doesn't make 100% VG. So your juices all have PG in them. They also use artificial and natural flavors. If it is improving with their juice, it probably isn't the VG and PG at all. I'd think it is the flavors themselves or the alcohol in the natural flavors.

But really, no telling. Hope it improves! Happy vaping

Erazzz, I agree about it not being PG or VG. It would really be funny if I were allergic to the alcohol, haha.

 

[Camaroboi13]

I'm at right around 6 months since my last analog. I still get dry skin no matter how much water I drink (and I know it's not enough anyways). My lip just healed last month, I had a nasty split right down the center that wouldn't go away for 3 months until I switched to a wide bore drip tip. My wife still has a split lip from her drip tip but it seems to be getting better. She takes good care of her skin and drinks much more water than I do, and she never had any of the drying out problems. I'm sure I could do better in the aqua department, but I don't really care at this point lol. I'm just glad to be able to smile without bleeding anymore. Oh and I smell much better now too lmao....that's always a plus!

 

[GraceK]

Grace, I meant to ask:

Which VCV flavors were you vaping during that time?


It might just be one in particular.. might want to try to isolate it, that way you could still potentially enjoy your Strawb-Gwab...

Hmm, good point, Gato.
I have about 15 bottles from them but the only ones I vaped regularly are Strawb Gwab, Peach Tea, Summer Sweet and Fruit Cup. The latter two arrived only a couple of weeks ago, and the itching started long before that so if it is specific to only some of the flavors, it'd have to be the first or second. Oh, and I also do cape their Catherine the Grape flavor once in awhile....

 

[GraceK]

I'm just glad to be able to smile without bleeding anymore. Oh and I smell much better now too lmao....that's always a plus!

Haha, very true, Camarobo.
My BF, who also quit analogs around the same time, doesn't have the dry skin that I do, though his skin was pretty dry to begin with. He does, however, have the dry lips and is constantly running around looking for lip balm. My lips are drier than before, but totally manageable....it's the skin, the skin! I can almost FEEL myself aging and have a newfound appreciation for oily skin.

 

[suzrus]

I switched to vaping about a year ago; totally stopped the real cigs automatically. I knew my body was in real trouble, and I had to quit the cigs. The personal vaporizers saved my life, or at least gave me a few more years.

About your symptoms: the cigs were inhibiting the oxygen flow to your skin, gums, etc. and when you quit the cigs, the oxygen saturation rates improve dramatically in your capillaries. Personally, I had terrible side effects (or so I thought at the time); bleeding gums, terrible acne (and I am 59 years old!) and dry mouth. Started having some dental problems.

The biochemical changes in your body are normal, and always tell your MD about all this that happens to you. We all knew this would never be easy.

Some folks quit right away and never look back; others need more time. I was one of the instant converts. I Love My Egos and my Mountain Oak Vapors. Hang on and take care of yourself.