If all those horrific pictures of disease and cancer on posters and cigarette packets caused by smoking still have not shocked you into giving up the habit, this new software program may just make you quit the habit.

The new Age Progression Image Launcher (APRIL) software gives smokers a peek into their skin's future in just five minutes.

Just download a recent picture of yourself into the program. The software will place blue dots around the eyes, nose and other "landmarks" of the face to chart the ageing progression. The picture is processed and two images are produced for comparison - one of you as a non-smoker and the other as a smoker. Then you can look at the difference for comparison. The second picture highlights the effects of smoking on the skin if you smoke a pack of cigarettes everyday.

This technology may be a wake-up call for women who care about how they look. Research has shown that the risk of moderate or severe facial skin wrinkling is three times higher for women smokers than non-smokers.

Developed by Aprilage Development Inc. (Canada), the wrinkling and ageing algorithms of the APRIL software are based on the facial changes of a population cohort of 7,000 smokers of various ethnic groups. It takes into account not just the surface wrinkles but also the structural changes that faces undergo in the ageing process.

The software made its debut as the REVEAL skin analysis technology in Singapore in July, and it is one of the many initiatives by Fresh Air for Women of the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to motivate young women to stop smoking.

Dr Ang Por, a consultant dermatologist, said: "Many woman know that smoking is harmful to her health but not many know that this habit causes irreversible damage to their skin. I often see women take pains to look good, but a destructive behaviour like smoking negates everything I can do for them.

"REVEAL projects a realistic image and helps female smokers see themselves in 10 or 20 years? time, with the consequences written all on their face. This will jolt them into giving up cigarettes. At the same time, we hope non-smokers will not pick up the habit after seeing the difference smoking can have on skin ageing," he added.

To try it out for yourself, go down to Vivocity, Level 2 (outside Golden Village) this Saturday and Sunday, Sep1 & 2.