The singer and actress recently completed filming the fifth series of Only Murders In The Building in London

Selena Gomez has said vaping nicotine has changed the way her voice sounds.

"I'm not gonna be able to change my voice," the singer, 34, said in a candid Instagram post, external on Sunday. "I vaped nicotine a lot."

"Nicotine is so hard to quit and I just wanted to say, if you're going through it, or if you're even trying to vape, it's just not worth it," she continued.

"It's so stupid and it changed my voice," she reiterated, then laughed: "So if you guys don't like listening to my voice, that's totally understandable. I don't mind. Just don't listen to it."

The singer and actress, who has the chronic autoimmune disease lupus, has previously suggested that the condition was affecting her vocal cords.

Asked about her voice in an Instagram Q&A last December,, external she said: "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 (voice box), which can cause your voice to become raspy and strained - similar to the symptoms of a cold.

Gomez's voice has also deepened with age, which is not uncommon. However, some fans have fixated on the change, posting compilation videos showing the evolution of her speaking style, external on YouTube.

In her Instagram video, the Only Murders In The Building star noted she had recently weaned herself off nicotine.

"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."

Evidence on some of the side effects of vaping are becoming a little clearer, although the long-term effects are still not known.

A recent report from doctors said vaping was linked to breathing problems, wheezing and coughing, dental issues, poor sleep, mental health problems and even eye symptoms.

Vaping isn't harmless - the nicotine in vapes is very addictive - which is why the NHS says children and non-smokers shouldn't take it up. But it has been shown to be an effective way to stop smoking.

Last month, the pop singer Lola Young said her "breathing feels like a chore" due to the effects of vaping.

The singer received a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa (left) in 2017

Gomez first revealed her lupus diagnosis in a 2015 interview with Billboard.

The announcement came after she abruptly ended her 2013 tour to check herself into a rehab facility for treatment.

"I was diagnosed with lupus, and I've been through chemotherapy," she told the publication. "I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.

"That's what my break was really about. I could've had a stroke."

Symptoms of lupus include muscle and joint pain, fever, rashes, chest pain, hair loss, kidney problems, fatigue and more.

In 2017, Gomez received a kidney transplant from her friend Francia Raisa, which helped move her lupus into remission for a period of time - although in her 2022 documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind And Me, the singer said she had had a flare-up in 2020.

However, after revealing her vaping habit, some people questioned her nicotine use, given the potential negative effect on her kidneys.

"Francia really gave this girl her kidney and she continued to smoke... oh wow," wrote one user on social media.

"To have someone generous enough to donate their kidney but still vape yourself into a nicotine addiction is absolutely wild," added another, external.

But most fans supported the star for being open about addiction.

"Selena Gomez being honest about nicotine addiction is a reminder that some habits are harder to quit than people realise," wrote MaxB on X, external.

"Proud of her for owning up to it and for wanting to do better," agreed Em.

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