Selena Gomez Says Vaping Nicotine Permanently Altered Her Voice
The singer and actress shared in a recent Instagram post that nicotine vaping has impacted her vocal quality.
Selena Gomez stated in a recent Instagram post that her past vaping of nicotine has permanently altered the sound of her voice.
"I'm not gonna be able to change my voice," Gomez said, adding, "I vaped nicotine a lot."
The singer and actress acknowledged that nicotine is challenging to quit and advised against vaping, calling it "so stupid."
Gomez also mentioned that she has recently weaned herself off nicotine and is hopeful about maintaining her sobriety.
"I am really excited because I stopped and I just hope I can keep it up," she said. "It's really hard, but I know if you are going through something you can get through it too. It sucks."
This is not the first time Gomez has spoken about vocal changes. She has previously suggested that her chronic autoimmune disease, lupus, has affected her vocal cords.
In a December Instagram Q&A, she explained, "Sometimes things happen. I get weird. My throat kind of swells inside sometimes. That's all."
Lupus flare-ups can cause inflammation around the larynx, leading to a raspy or strained voice. While lupus can affect her voice, Gomez's voice has also deepened naturally with age, a common occurrence.
Fans have noted these changes, with some creating compilation videos on YouTube showcasing the evolution of her speaking voice. Gomez revealed her lupus diagnosis in 2015, following a break from her 2013 tour for treatment.
She told Billboard at the time, "I was diagnosed with lupus, and I've been through chemotherapy." She described her break as necessary for her to become "confident and comfortable again," adding that she could have experienced a stroke.
Lupus symptoms can include muscle and joint pain, fever, rashes, chest pain, hair loss, kidney problems, and fatigue. In 2017, Gomez received a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa, which temporarily helped her lupus go into remission. However, she reported a lupus flare-up in 2020, as detailed in her 2022 documentary "Selena Gomez: My Mind And Me."