If you breathe in the fibers over long periods of time, you increase your risk for diseases like lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Smokers are even more affected. That’s because cigarette smoke irritates lung passages. This makes it harder for the lungs to remove asbestos fibers.
But the fibers that form asbestos separate easily into tiny pieces when they’re handled or damaged. They’re too small to see, and they’re easy to breathe in. They can build up in your lungs and cause health problems.