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The outer layer of the epidermis acts as a permeable barrier, controlling what gets in and what stays out. It is a layer of compressed, dead skin cells reinforced with ceramides (skin cell fats and lipids) which form a tight seal to lock in moisture. Before we shed light on alcohol’s skin-drying effects, let’s see what causes your skin to lose moisture. According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), moderate drinking means up to one drink per day for women, or two drinks per day for men. But depending on your situation, you may choose to drink less than this. If you’re worried about alcohol’s effects on skin, the single best thing you can do is drink less.
How alcohol affects skin
Well-hydrated skin means a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Your skin will be better equipped to defend itself against free radicals, slowing the development of new wrinkles. Department of Agriculture suggest consumption should be no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and two for men. Consuming more will, in the long term, have a negative effect on skin. Apart from skin infections and a higher risk of skin cancer, other physical signs of alcoholism include yellowing of the skin. Developing a yellow skin tone can be a sign of jaundice, indicating that heavy alcohol use has damaged your liver.
‘Excessive carbs and sugar can lead to inflammation’, explains Dr Hextall, ‘while salt hello, tequila can lead to bloating’. Hence the bags and dark circles under your eyes after a big night out. ‘Excessive alcohol tends to cause flushing in most people and will act as a diuretic and cause dehydration,’ says Dr. Justine Hextall, one of London’s leading dermatologists. ‘In the kidneys, alcohol increases water loss by suppressing the hormone vasopressin, which helps you to reabsorb water,’ adds Dr Jack. The effect is that skin cells dry out, leading to more prominent lines.
What are the effects of alcohol on skin?
- According to DermNet.org, drinking large amounts of alcohol can increase a person’s risk of developing psoriasis.
- As long as you’re using common sense (and not entering any bizarre water-chugging competitions), you’re unlikely to overdo it with water.
- So if you miss out on this phase, it leads to reduced cell renewal and reduced stimulation of collagen,’ explains Dr Kevin Mun, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Venn Skincare.
- Many patients don’t realize the toxicity of prolonged alcohol abuse and how it affects the body.
- Alcohol can change the appearance of your mouth and the skin on your face.
“Including supplements into your diet can encourage regeneration of cells which is often blocked if excessive drinking takes place,” says Dr Liakas. It may sound like an obvious one, but one of the most important things you can do to help your skin is to drink enough water. In addition to all its other health advantages, quitting alcohol has numerous benefits for the skin. This one might sound a little mad, but sleeping on an extra pillow and propping up your head as you sleep can do a lot to reduce puffiness in the face and eyes. As we sleep, bodily fluids tend to pool in our faces, so an extra pillow helps gravity to do the work.
- It’s important to note that you can’t completely avoid the impact that drinking has on your skin.
- Alcohol dehydrates your skin because your kidneys are working overtime trying to flush out the poison in your system.
- Dry skin is a struggle many of us face, especially when we’re not giving our skin the love and care it deserves.
- We’ve talked a lot about not drinking enough, but what about the opposite?
And while hard liquor may contain less sugar and gluten that trigger inflammation, ounce for ounce, liquor delivers more alcohol, which is highly inflammatory. As alcohol is already inflammatory, it’s best to avoid other ingredients that can contribute to inflammation. Depending on a variety of factors, quitting alcohol cold turkey may not be easy or feasible for many. If you’re looking for a “less-bad” alcoholic option, there are several factors to consider. Additionally, alcohol may also lower our skin’s natural ability to protect itself against damage. However, when you cease alcohol consumption, these harmful effects can be slowed down and even reversed.
If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction, the first and most important step you can take is to seek help. If you need help to kick off that nasty habit that’s turning your skin to sand, Ardu is here for you. Alcohol disrupts the skin’s barrier function by weakening that tight seal.
It breaks down antioxidants and collagen
To fight them, your body uses antioxidants such as vitamin A, which decreases your overall levels of those antioxidants. Dehydration caused by chronic alcohol use may lead the skin to overproduce sebum, the naturally occurring oil in your skin. Alcohol’s inflammatory effect impairs the immune response, which increases your susceptibility to bacterial infection. While alcohol doesn’t directly cause acne, many of its effects increase your risk of developing it. Exercise helps to improve our blood flow, which keeps skin looking plump and youthful.
Does alcohol age you?
Drinking too little water has surprising consequences for our health, affecting our digestion, skin health, energy levels, and even cognitive function. With Nutrition and Hydration Week (March 17-23) starting next Monday, now is the perfect time to focus on the often overlooked healthy habit of drinking water. If you are sensitive to the effects of caffeine and concerned about your hydration levels, consider drinking decaf coffee or tea, which is lower in caffeine and less likely to cause diuretic effects.
When you get a cut, infection, or injury, your body induces inflammation as a protective measure. In these situations, inflammation is a good thing, helping your body recover. But if your body thinks there’s a problem when there isn’t, it can create inflammation unnecessarily. This can lead to issues like redness, puffiness, and dry and irritated skin.
- For the most part, plenty of moisturizers and serums out there can address both concerns (more on that later).
- Antioxidants are like the defenders of your skin, fighting off rogue elements that can harm your dermis.
- “However, if it’s something you are not willing to give up, there are some types of alcohol you can indulge in without feeling too guilty about its effects on your skin.”
- Our alcohol addiction treatment program offers medical support, therapy, and comprehensive aftercare to help you through recovery.
- One is treating the AUD, and the other is treating any underlying conditions that may remain after a person stops consuming alcohol.
- On top of that, if your liver is failing to function properly, it can make your skin look dull and cause pigmentation around your eyes.
Support links
Even a cheeky tipple will cause your skin to flush, grow red, and become inflamed. If you already struggle to manage acne or rosacea, you’ll be familiar with how a few drinks can worsen your skin on a large scale. Silver Pines and Steps to Recovery have provided addiction recovery programs in Pennsylvania for over a decade with detox, residential, outpatient, and sober living services. Last year, we expanded our services to include robust mental health treatment, a new outpatient location, and specialized programming for our nation’s veterans, with more to come this year! We are visually recognizing our growth with a unified look that better reflects who we are today and the passion we have for helping everyone with their addiction and mental health recovery journeys.
The classic “8×8” rule (eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, roughly 4 average water bottles) is an easy-to-remember guideline and a good baseline for many people. Some people follow a rule of thumb to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, a 150-pound person might aim for about 75 ounces (roughly 4–5 standard bottles). Ultimately, how many water bottles to drink a day varies per individual.
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can mitigate the effects of caffeine and ensure you can enjoy your coffee beverages and stay hydrated. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it promotes the elimination of liquids from the body. If you consume alcohol without sufficiently hydrating yourself (for example, having a glass of water between alcoholic drinks), your body will become dehydrated. As with all things in life, moderation is key and there are things you can do to negate the effects of alcohol on your skin. ‘The NHS recommends no more than 14 units a week,’ says Dr Phillips, who also recommends going easy on the sugary cocktails and downing water in between drinks to boost hydration. A crucial step in preventing long-term skin damage, without giving up alcohol, is by carrying out a disciplined skin care regimen.
Oxidative Stress from Alcohol Can Speed Up Aging
You might very well be doing the skincare-equivalent of alcohol rehab running a space heater for warmth with all the windows open in the middle of January. If you really want to restore your skin’s glow, the first step is to throw booze out of your life. It’s a tough call, but when you think of the alternative—dry, damaged, lackluster skin, for starters—the choice becomes easier.
