In this article you'll learn;
1. Why booze makes you look old before your time
2. How drinking exposes your face to radical damage
3. Those dark circles? Could be the booze.
4. How alcohol inflames Rosacea...
5. ...And makes for red cheeks
6. Alcohol triggers psoriasis
7. Alcohol's role in skin cancer
8. How booze-based decisions can be harmful
Partying into the wee hours is all fun and games until you look in the mirror the next morning without beer goggles. It's true, alcohol can bring many pleasures, but it has downside: it prematurely ages your skin — and more.
Here are 8 ways that alcohol can affect your skin, and ways to prevent "alcohol face."
1. Accelerates Aging
You go out drinking and wake up the next morning feeling like a parched camel desperate for a glass of water. Here’s why: the alcohol has reduced the production of vasopressin, the hormone that causes the body to hold onto water. This is why they call alcohol a diuretic; it leads to dehydration, which impacts the kidneys' ability to regulate fluid and electrolytes, thus dehydrating your organs.
Your skin, also an organ, gets dehydrated too. And when your skin is dehydrated, it loses plumpness, and fine lines and wrinkles become more apparent — and people will think you’re older than you actually are. Sad.
Try regular hydration with hyaluronic acid — it's in our Active Recovery Hydro-Gel.
2. Deprives your Skin of Vitamin A
Alcohol also reduces antioxidants, particularly vitamin A, which helps with cell renewal and turnover and helps defend the skin from free radicals — molecules that attack healthy skin cells, created by external factors like sun exposure, air pollution, cigarette smoke, and alcohol intake. If there are too many free radicals for your body to handle on its own, you’re increasing risk for developing many different diseases and skin conditions, including inflammation and premature aging.
But there is a solution — a mineral sunscreen can physically block both UV rays and pollutants.
3. Promotes Dark Circles
Alcohol can make you drowsy and help you fall asleep faster, but not for long. It disrupts your normal sleep rhythms and can make you restless throughout the night. The result is often dark circles under your eyes, aka "booze face." Cold compresses can help, but the best answer is a good night’s sleep. Try to get at least 7 hours a night.
Or try the eye cream, with kojic acid.
4. Inflames Rosacea
Got a a red face from drinking? People mistakenly believe that anyone who has a red face drinks too much. It's not true, of course. "Rosacea is an inflammatory condition that can be genetic," said Dr. Steve. "And there is evidence of an ethnic predisposition, prevalent in of fair-skinned heritage such as Irish, English, Scandinavian, Scottish, and similar descents."
There are many triggers, like sunlight, hairspray, heat, stress, and spicy foods — and alcohol. "Alcohol dilates blood vessels, and that will make a red face look redder," said Dr. Steve.
The worst culprit? Red wine, which contains chemicals called tyramines - which dilates vessels even more.
Chasing your booze with water will help dilute the alcohol. "Rosacea patients describe that sucking on ice chips after having wine is helpful, because it can mitigate the flares and flushing," said Dr. Steve.
Niacinamide is an anti-inflammatory ingredient. You can find it in the morning cream.
5. Causes Red Cheeks
Red cheeks from drinking is often due to aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), an enzyme in the liver that breaks down alcohol’s toxic compound. Alcohol blocks this enzyme from doing its job, so the toxin stays in your cells and causes redness, or flushing. It’s a genetic issue that’s more likely to affect people from Asian backgrounds.
Check out more info on Asian Flush.
6. Triggers Psoriasis
Regular heavy drinking can trigger psoriasis -- a condition where an overactive immune system speeds up skin cell growth, leaving them to pile up on the surface of the skin and cause dry, itchy patches.
It could also make an outbreak worse, especially in men. Alcohol doesn’t mix well with psoriasis treatments, either. It may make it harder for some to do their job, and it could be dangerous when mixed with others.
Retinol, salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid can all help treat the effects of psoriasis. Those ingredients can be found in our night cream, face wash and morning cream — try the complete skincare set.
7. A Factor in Skin Cancer
Research shows alcohol use also may be tied to the most common types of skin cancer. Your body works to repair DNA damage caused by the sun, but alcohol can interfere with that process.
Get started with a regular SPF and make it easy on your skin.
8. Leads to Bad Decisions
After a long night of drinking, you may not always make the best decisions for your body — like eating an entire pizza or a sleeve of Oreos. Poor nutrition and overeating can inhibit your body’s ability to fight off free radicals, which can contribute to acne, among other problems.
Our Dr. Steve says drinking in moderation is always a good choice. So is taking care of your skin. Try the quick diagnostic and let's get this face party started.
