3 Things the Chemicals in a Vape Cloud Do To Your Body

Key Points:

• Vape aerosol contains harmful chemicals, not just harmless water vapor

• Inhaling vape clouds can damage lungs, irritate airways, and affect the brain

• Teens may not be aware of the long-term risks of repeated exposure

When teens see someone exhale a puff of vapor, it often looks harmless, like a cloud drifting away. But that “vapor” isn’t just water. It’s a cocktail of chemicals, heavy metals, and ultrafine particles that can enter deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

Understanding what’s actually inside that cloud, and how it affects the body, is critical for helping teens and caregivers see past the flavored packaging and flashy devices.

What’s Really in a Vape Cloud?

Vape clouds, more accurately called aerosols, are made when a liquid (often called e-liquid or vape juice) is heated and inhaled. Unlike traditional smoke, aerosols are made of tiny suspended particles that stay in the air longer and reach deeper into the lungs. The most common ingredients found in vape aerosols include:

• Nicotine: Highly addictive; affects brain development and attention span in adolescents

• Propylene glycol & vegetable glycerin: Used to produce the visible vapor; may irritate lungs and airways

• Flavoring chemicals: Many are safe to eat but not to inhale. One, diacetyl, has been linked to “popcorn lung”

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Such as benzene (found in car exhaust) and formaldehyde (used in embalming fluid)

• Heavy metals: Like nickel, lead, and chromium, often from the device’s heating coil

• Ultrafine particles: Microscopic materials that travel deep into the respiratory system

Even when marketed as “clean” or “organic,” these clouds are far from harmless.

Short-Term Effects Teens Might Notice

Some of the most immediate side effects from regular vape use include:

• Coughing, wheezing, or chest tightness

• Sore throat or dry mouth

• Increased mucus or phlegm production

• Headaches and fatigue

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat
  

In some cases, even short-term exposure can cause asthma flare-ups or respiratory infections, especially in teens with underlying conditions.

Long-Term Health Risks Many of the long-term effects of vaping are still being studied, but research already shows concerning patterns. Among them:

1. Lung Damage

• Chemicals like diacetyl have been linked to bronchiolitis obliterans, also called “popcorn lung,” a condition that scars the smallest airways in the lungs.

• Ultrafine particles contribute to chronic inflammation and increased asthma severity.

2. Cardiovascular Stress

• Nicotine raises blood pressure and heart rate, and ultrafine particles can trigger blood vessel damage, increasing the risk of heart disease over time.

3. Brain Development Interruption

• Adolescent brains are still forming. Nicotine affects areas tied to learning, memory, mood, and impulse control.

• Exposure during adolescence increases the risk of lifelong addiction.
  

Why Teens Often Don’t Know the Risks

A Truth Initiative survey found that many teens believe vaping is “just flavored air,” especially when devices are marketed as nicotine-free. But even without nicotine, aerosol clouds may contain:

• Residual THC (if cross-contaminated or repurposed)

• Toxic solvents or additives

• Particles from broken-down heating coils

And devices labeled as “nicotine-free” have, in multiple studies, tested positive for nicotine anyway. The Bottom Line

What teens see as a harmless puff can, over time, change how their lungs function, how their heart pumps, and how their brain develops.

By educating youth and caregivers about what’s really in a vape cloud, not just what it looks like, we can shift the narrative and reduce the likelihood of long-term harm.

Knowledge is power. Let’s keep sharing it.

By The Zeptive Team

References:

1. Gotts JE, Jordt SE, McConnell R, Tarran R. What are the respiratory effects of e-cigarettes? BMJ. 2019;366:l5275. https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5275
   

2. Williams M, Villarreal A, Bozhilov K, Lin S, Talbot P. Metal and silicate particles including nanoparticles are present in electronic cigarette cartomizer fluid and aerosol. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e57987. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057987
   

3. Lee MS, LeBouf RF, Son YS, et al. Nicotine, aerosol particles, carbonyls and volatile organic compounds in tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes. Environ Health. 2017;16(42):1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-017-0249-x
   

4. U.S. Surgeon General. Know the Risks: E-cigarettes & Young People. https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/
   

5. Truth Initiative. (2023). What’s in a vape cloud? https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources