You may not want to know what beer, cocktails and wine are doing to your skin. But it’s important! Your alcohol consumption may be damaging your skin.
Alcohol’s Effects on the Skin
New York nutritionist Jairo Rodriguez says, “Alcohol is actually one of the worst, most aggressive compounds to destroy your skin.” Rodriguez goes on to say that she jokes with her clients by saying if they want to look older, they should go ahead and drink.
If knowing that alcohol is harmful to the skin isn’t motivation enough to stop drinking, learning how it affects the skin might convince you.
Dehydration
Alcohol is a diuretic. This means it causes the body to produce more urine. To make that urine, your body gets depleted of its water supply. The skin is an organ made up of cells, which consist of mostly water. If the cells don’t have have enough water, they can’t function properly. Without proper hydration, the skin becomes dry, tight, and flaky. With continued dehydration, skin starts to wrinkle.
Inflammation
Alcohol is also an inflammatory. This means that it inflames the skin tissue, leading to a histamine reaction. This is why alcohol causes facial redness.
Many people think, “Oh, it’s just a little redness – no big deal.” Well, it is a big deal when that redness ends up covering most of your face and won’t go away. This is a possibility for people who drink alcohol regularly and in large quantities.
Breakdown and Slowing Production of Collagen
Collagen is what keeps your skin looking firm and smooth. When skin cells can’t produce enough or maintain the existing collagen, the skin starts to loosen and this causes wrinkles to form.
Combating Alcohol Consumption or Preventing the Effects of Alcohol
Many people counteract the argument that alcohol is bad for their skin by saying they drink a lot of water every day. This helps keep their skin cells well hydrated. They also say their face doesn’t get red, so they don’t think they have to worry about it.
Not everyone reacts to alcohol in the same way, and yes, it can be possible to drink enough water to counteract its dehydration effects. However, most people do not drink enough water to accomplish this. This is because you need even more water than normal when drinking alcohol.
It’s a better choice to prevent the effects of alcohol in the first place. This means decreasing the amount you drink. You don’t have to stop consuming alcoholic beverages, simply reduce your intake.
How much is too much? Two or more drinks a day is too much. One alcoholic beverage a day has much less of an effect, but of course, abstaining altogether can ensure that you have no ill effects.
Contact Us for More Beautiful Skin
As you cut down on your consumption of beer, wine, and cocktails, consider one of our aesthetic treatments. We offer fillers, BOTOX® and many other options for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and increasing volume in the face.
Our 24/7 Cosmetic Concierge line is available by call or text at 917-860-3113.
James Christian Cosmetics serves Nassau and Suffolk counties, including Manhattan, Commack, Farmingdale, Westhampton Beach, Rockville Center, Babylon Village, and Islip, New York.
*Botox is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc. Before starting any diet or exercise program, consult with your doctor first. This article is for informational purposes only and is not to be used as medical advice or as a substitute for seeking medical treatment from a doctor.
*Information in this article is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.
