We hate to break it to you, but your alcohol consumption is not only affecting your skin in the present but it will have an impact on your skin in the future too.
38% of women regularly exceed the daily or weekly drinking guidelines (2-3 units a day). But don’t worry you aren’t alone, we are all guilty of over consuming on alcohol every now and then. Aside from a banging headache the next morning, how many of us are thinking about what alcohol is doing to our skin?
We are taking an in-depth look at the effects of alcohol on our skin. Before you pick up another glass of red, read this.
Alcohol and your skin
Alcohol dehydrates your body generally, which includes the skin, your body’s largest organ. This happens every time your drink. Drinking too much is also thought to deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. Over time, drinking heavily can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin.
So what are the changes you will see in your skin if you drink too much alcohol?
Premature Wrinkles
The skin that covers your face is more delicate when compared to other parts of your body, which means that it is more prone to wrinkles.
Our skin already has to contend with environmental factors such as pollution and the sun. Add to this the impact of alcohol and you will see the ageing process drastically increase quicker.
RECOMMENDED: Age Defy+ Cell Enrich Facial Oil from Green People
Dark Circles
Without alcohol you can expect to have 6-7 cycles of deep sleep. When you have been drinking, you will only have 1-2 cycles of deep sleep meaning you will wake up feeling like you haven’t been to sleep. This will show on your skin with dark circles appearing under your eyes: never a good look!
Your face will appear bloated
Alcohol can cause your face to look bloated and puffy. You might find that it bloats your stomach too. And then there’s the cellulite; many believe the toxins in alcohol contribute to its build up.
Skin loses elasticity and collagen
Alcohol can have a huge negative impact on your vitamin A levels (which are extremely important in the production of collagen). This is a very important antioxidant for your skin/body and it is vital in the regeneration of new skin cells.
Skin redness
Rosacea is a skin disorder that starts with a tendency to blush and flush easily; it’s also linked to the consumption of alcohol.
The longer you drink the longer your vessels will dilate, which causes a constant discolouration in your skin. The redness could stay forever if you don’t cut down on the alcohol.
RECOMMENDED: Calming Herbal Lotion from Claudia Fallah
Dehydration
Alcohol will dehydrate your skin badly. The lack of internal hydration can lead to the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that will grow deeper over time. You may notice that you have fine lines on your forehead appearing, this isn’t just down to frowning; it’s due to dehydration.
When you are drinking alcohol be sure to have a glass of water by your side to rehydrate your body.
Spots
If you aren’t taking your make up off after a night out, then you will be more prone to spots. Never mind the glassy, bloodshot eyes too.
The impact sun and alcohol has on your skin
When the weather is nice and sunny we tend to drink outside without worrying too much about the impact the sun is having on our skin.
Sunburn is a factor when it comes to drinking alcohol as it reduces antioxidant levels, so a significantly smaller dose of UV is necessary to cause sunburn. After having a drink, the body metabolizes into a compound called acetaldehyde. This can cause the skin to become more sensitive to the sun’s UV rays, which in turn increases the potential for cell damage.
Drinking can also impair judgment whilst sitting outside on a sunny day leaving you more likely to forget to top up on the sun protection.
Furthermore, studies suggest that drinking more than a pint of beer or glass of wine a day can raise the risk of developing melanoma by 20%. If you are drinking more than 4 glasses of wine a day, the risk jumps to 55%.
SEE ALSO: Tanning different skin types and tones
Drinking may increase the skin’s sensitivity to light, generating molecules, which damage cells.
So why not cut down the alcohol now and help to preserve those good looks? Remember, alcohol is making your skin age.
Info graphic reveals how alcohol is impacting on your skin…
Source: Drinkaware
