Does Drinking Alcohol Affect Your Skin?

Yes, it does. I hate to be so direct with you, but I would rather tell you the truth.

So, what does alcohol do to your skin?

1. Dehydration & dry dull looking skin

Alcohol, as a diuretic, causes you to produce more urine than you should. If you didn’t know, you urinate about 120 milliliters more urine than normal for every shot of alcohol you drink. Now, this is a lot liquid being lost. This loss of body fluids causes dryness of the skin and gives you a dry tired look. In the end, you will no longer have young glowing skin.

2. Risk factor for rosacea

This one goes to all wine and liquor lovers. Your favorite drink could soon bring about this scary skin condition. Once you have contracted rosacea, your skin will begin to blush and flush then gradually result in disfiguring of your pretty face.

3. Spots and odor

Drinking exerts unnecessary pressure on the liver as it tries to get rid the toxins and rebalance the body’s metabolism. When the liver cannot keep up anymore, some of the alcohol begins being excreted in sweat. The result is body odor and ugly spots that are hard to get rid off.

4. Inflammation

Another way alcohol affects the skin is by making your face look puffy and bloated. Also, you might notice some cellulite issues that come with a drinking behavior.

What should you do?

The good news is that you can disarm alcohol of its cruelty. It begins with the realization that it is indeed possible. Here is what you can do to save your skin:

1. Quit drinking alcohol

This is the simplest and most practical advice I can give. Even if you are not concerned about your skin, quitting alcohol will save other vital organs including your brain, heart, liver, and kidneys.

2. Cut down on certain drinks

While it is true that alcohol is not good for your skin, not all drinks pose the same amount or extent of harm to the skin. The best drink to consume, believe it or not, bubbly! Sparkling wine (champagne) is not only the lowest in calories and also does the least amount of damage to the skin.

3. Pace yourself at the party

If you are planning to drink pace yourself and drink a glass of water in between each glass of alcohol.

4. Eat healthy

Since the skin is a regenerative organ, it is possible to undo some of the damage it sustains. One major way of rejuvenating alcohol-stressed skin is adopting a healthy diet. Start investing some of your time to research on the foods that are best for the skin. Supplement your diet with vitamin-rich food like vegetables, and drink more water every day.

5. Exercise

This might function as a replacement activity for the time you spend drinking. Exercise also has the ability to turn our attention to how we look. This, in turn, helps us be more aware of our habits. People who exercise often will always look for ways to look even better.

6. Treat your skin right!

While alcohol may dehydrate your skin, you can partially replenish it with the right skin care routine. Look for a moisturizer that is super hydrating and then for serums that will brighten your skin. This is super important since alcohol does tend to leave you with dull skin.

So, there you have it. Alcohol consumption is not good for your skin. If you think alcohol might be behind an ongoing skin issue, then it is time to act.