‘Not even Bella Hadid vapes any more’: Some US netizens forfeit vapes to look better

For years in the US, vaping was considered cool. Many defended the habit to the hilt, arguing that vapes trump cigarettes as a stress reliever.

Not any more, it seems.

They now say vaping gave them bad skin, dull hair and, most importantly, the “ick”.

A slew of Americans have taken to social media, posting videos of themselves talking about improvements in their physical appearance since they stopped vaping.

This reverse vape trend started around 2023 but has gained momentum in recent months, producing a number of firebrands on social media.

“Number one: The puffiness in my eyes and face went down and my teeth got whiter,” said Pilates instructor samfreeflow in a TikTok video that has received more than two million views since it was posted in December 2024.

In the video, she listed a number of positive changes to her appearance after she quit vaping and received largely warm responses.

The apparent trend of young vape users forfeiting nicotine vapour for beauty has travelled beyond American shores.

In a TikTok video, former model turned food writer Albert Cho, based in New Zealand, said he came to the realisation while vaping that it is “not that chic”.

“It’s just very 2018, 2019. I mean, not even Bella Hadid vapes any more.”

It is unclear if the social media vitriol on vaping is part of an organised campaign, but data appears to confirm the downwards trend.

Between 2023 and 2024, the total monthly sales of e-cigarettes – including prefilled cartridge and disposable types – in the US fell by 8.7 per cent, from 312.6 million to 285.2 million units, according to data from TobaccoMonitoring.org.

Vaping became popular because it was seen as a less harmful habit than smoking cigarettes and could help wean people off smoking, though this claim is not recognised by US regulators.

A number of medical professionals agree that while many long-term health effects of vaping are still unknown, some studies have shown that vaping is associated with increased risk of developing heart and lung diseases in the short term.

There is also growing evidence that long-term vaping is as harmful to pulmonary health as smoking, according to a study done by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Multiple countries have grappled with the rise of teen vaping. Some have imposed regulations, while others have banned the sale of vapes in some shape or form.

In some US states, the sale of flavoured vapes – especially those more appealing to young people – is illegal.

Other countries are making vapes less accessible.

Single-use or disposable vapes were banned in the UK in June, aimed at protecting children’s health and the environment. Belgium did the same in January.

In Australia, since July 2024, all vapes and vaping products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine, can be sold only in pharmacies to people with a doctor’s prescription.

In Singapore, vaping is illegal. Measures to tackle use of vapes, such as those laced with etomidate, include listing the substance and several of its variants as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act from Sept 1, which will allow the authorities to require abusers of the substance and repeat vaping offenders to attend rehabilitation.

Still, some users online are more cynical than others about the benefits of quitting.

One user going by the handle ella commented on samfreeflow’s video: “Six months clean after 10 years, haven’t noticed anything except I miss nic (nicotine).”