Stoptober: Kicking the habit? Here's how to sign up

Stoptober begins tomorrow, and you could quit smoking for good by signing up to the four-week challenge.

The NHS initiative aims to help smokers kick the habit with encouragement and support for 28 days, with emails, texts messages and even messages from popular comedians.

If you're thinking of signing up, we've got all the information you need.

Here's everything you need to know about Stoptober:

How can Stoptober help me quit smoking?

If you can quit smoking for 28 days, you're five times more likely to kick the habit for good — and committing to Stoptober can help you do just that.

By signing up, you'll be able to choose from a range of free support services to help you stay smoke free, including daily emails, text messages and special messages from comedians such as Bill Bailey, Rhod Gilbert, Al Murray and Shappi Khorsandi.

The foursome are officially supporting the NHS initiative, and can help you stay on track when cravings hit.

You can also download a Stoptober app, packed with tips and advice.

Why is Stoptober a good time to quit?

By signing up to Stoptober, you'll be one of thousands of people taking part, which can be more encouraging than going it alone.

Why not team up with fellow smokers in your family or circle of friends and kick the habit together?

Research shows that smokers are 67% more likely to quit when their significant other stops smoking, and 36% more likely to quit when a close friend does, and 34% more likely when a work colleague stops too.

How do I sign up?

Signing up is simple: visit the NHS Stoptober website, enter your details for free and get ready to begin your 28-day journey.

And you can help raise money for charity too.

The British Skin Foundation is asking Stoptober participants to raise funds for skin disease research.

While the damage smoking does to your heart and lungs is widely known, the charity wants to raise awareness of how damaging cigarettes can be for your skin.

The foundation says both smoking and passive smoking can cause skin to age and wrinkle ahead of its time.

The danger lies in the fact that the damage caused by smoking is not immediately apparent or visible.

Smoking enhances an enzyme in the skin (matrix metalloproteinase-1) that degrades collagen, which is what gives skin its elasticity.

By degrading the collagen, skin loses its elasticity and lines develop.

Smoking also causes blood vessels to constrict, limiting the amount of oxygen that can reach the skin, affecting skin structure and its health and appearance generally.

Female smokers are also more susceptible to 'smokers acne', observed in the British Journal of Dermatology as a specific form of acne characterised by blocked pores and large blackheads.

People with psoriasis that quit smoking are likely to see improvement in their condition.

So sign up to Stoptober — kick the habit, improve your health and skin and raise a little money for skin disease research here.