Like it or not, vaping has become wildly popular.

But like most things, vaping comes with consequences, some of which might be surprising to vaping enthusiasts.

So is vaping any better than smoking cigarettes or cigars?

A woman with her mouth on a vape pen

Or is it simply a more pleasant way of getting a nicotine fix that’s equally harmful?

And what is in e-cigarettes that you’re gonna wanna worry about?

Without further ado, here’s exactly what happens to your body when you vape, according to science.

An abstract pair of lungs

What does vaping do to your lungs?

The first question you might have when it comes to vaping is: how does it impact your lungs?

That doesn’t sound pleasant, especially if you’re already prone to mouth and throat issues.

Woman covering mouth

Abstinence and total cessation from smoking are the only ways to reduce the risks.

Specifically, according to a 2016 study in the journalOncotarget, vaping is associated with inflammation of the gums.

Gum disease isn’t a walk in the park, either.

A woman with a sore throat

All in all, vaping just isn’t good for your oral hygiene whatsoever.

Does vaping cause heart disease?

A 2018 study in theAmerican Journal of Preventative Medicinecame to a similar conclusion.

A woman having her teeth examined

But that isn’t the case for people who smoke cigarettes in addition to vaping.

It certainly smells better, for sure, and the smell lingers far less than conventional tobacco products.

However, vaping still exposes users to a variety of chemicals and particulates that are harmful to the body.

An abstract heart made of puzzle pieces

Once again, researchers found that vaping isn’t 100 percent safe.

For example, when you inhale nicotine, your heart rate increases, according toJohns Hopkins Medicine.

That’s not the only thing that will increase when you vape, either.

A woman vaping in a city environment

And, of course, that also isn’t a good thing.

That is a staggering amount of people picking up the habit!

While that might seem obvious, it’s important to note that the science does indeed confirm it.

A heart rate monitor up close

There’s a little bit of good news for those who vape, though.

Silver lining, perhaps?

That’s definitely concerning!

A woman smoking a cigarette

Arguably, that means that adulthood technically begins in your mid-20s instead of at age 18.

Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean that vaping is safe overall for a variety of reasons.

That means that it’s difficult to prove which habit causes bodily harm.

cigarettes and E-cigarettes

What about nicotine-free vaping?

But just how bad can vaping nicotine-free juice be?

For one, according to a study in the journalTobacco Induced Diseases, vaping can irritate the lungs.

Cells under a microscope

Second, it can cause cell death, according to a study in the journalThorax.

So is it safe for a person to start vaping marijuana?

And does it cause any adverse health effects?

Abstract brain concept

That’s because they can contain much higher levels of THC than conventional marijuana does.

So it’s important to be an informed consumer when vaping marijuana.

A vaping device

A woman smoking an e-cigarette

Marijuana plants