Vaping has been increasing in popularity over the last 10 years, and this could be detrimental to many individuals' lung health. Flavored e-cigarettes have been popular among young people, and many may not know the long-term effects that they can cause. Around 40 million adults in the U.S. use tobacco products and 3.08 million middle and high school students have used tobacco products. Education about these harmful effects is crucial in hopes to reduce the number of tobacco users. Continue reading to find out more about what vaping does to your lungs.  

What Is Vaping?

Vaping involves a battery-operated e-cigarette device that emits a vapor that is inhaled. The liquid used to create the vapor usually contains ingredients such as nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other flavoring ingredients. Although these ingredients are technically safe for ingestion, when they are heated to create a vapor, they create new chemicals that are harmful. Harmful chemicals can include diacetyl, formaldehyde, and acrolein.  

What Does It Do to Your Lungs?

Vaping can cause permanent damage to your lungs, leading to lung disease, collapsed lungs, lung cancer, and other respiratory illnesses. Treatment for these conditions can include oxygen therapy, ventilation support, and other respiratory care. Here are a few illnesses that can be caused by vaping frequently. 

Popcorn Lung 

  • Diacetyl, mainly used as a flavoring ingredient, is very harmful and can be toxic when inhaled. Exposure to diacetyl can cause bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) or “popcorn lung.” Diacetyl inhalation can cause inflammation and can lead to permanent scarring in the lungs’ small airways. Symptoms of BO can include coughing, wheezing, and chest pain.  

Lipoid Pneumonia  

  • Inside the vapor that the e-cigarette produces, there can be small, aerosolized droplets of lipids found. After a while, if enough lipids are inhaled, they can cause lung irritation and lead to lipoid pneumonia. Symptoms of lipoid pneumonia include chronic cough, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood.  

What Can You Do?

To prioritize your lung health, the best thing you can do is to stay away from these harmful devices. Any products containing tobacco can have negative impacts on your respiratory health, and it is best to avoid them. Secondhand vape is dangerous as well, and many individuals believe that the vapor that is exhaled into the air is harmless, but this is not the case, secondhand vaping is just as dangerous.  

Here are a few helpful resources for those looking to quit:  

At Aeratech Medical, we have reliable respiratory services and equipment, and we care about your respiratory health! Visit our website to find out more about our products and services.