Subohm Vaping, Aldehydes, and What the Research Actually Says
If you follow vaping science at all, you've probably heard concerns about aldehydes — compounds like formaldehyde and acrolein that can form when e-liquid is overheated. A 2018 study by Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos shed some useful light on this topic, and it's worth understanding what it actually found.
The study in plain English
Farsalinos compared emissions from three sources: conventional cigarettes, IQOS heated tobacco products, and e-cigarettes. His findings were clear — e-cigarettes produced dramatically lower levels of aldehydes than both tobacco cigarettes and heated tobacco products like IQOS.
He also had something important to say specifically about sub-ohm vaping: when used correctly — meaning at appropriate wattages for the coil being used — sub-ohm devices don't produce concerning levels of aldehydes. The problems observed in earlier studies came from "dry hit" conditions where coils were overheated without adequate liquid wicking.
What this means practically
A few common-sense takeaways:
- Stay within the recommended wattage range for your coil
- Don't chain vape to the point where your coil dries out
- Replace coils when vapor taste starts to degrade — a burnt taste is a signal
- Prime new coils properly before first use
Sub-ohm vaping isn't inherently more dangerous from an aldehyde standpoint — it's more about how you use your device than the resistance of your coil.
Looking for quality sub-ohm gear?
We carry a solid selection of pod kits and sub-ohm tanks at SmokTek, including the Vaporesso GTX Go 80 and the GeekVape Aegis Solo 2 — both reliable options for sub-ohm vaping.