This is certainly a bad news for alcohol lovers. Drinkers are usually aware of the appearance of acne a day or two days after a liquor party.
Most likely they also feel that their skin becomes drier and stiffer.
Not to mention their face looks red and the thirsty they feel all day long. Judging from the effect, the body definitely processes alcohol differently than water. It’s inarguably that alcohol has a bad influence on the skin.
Alcohol has only a small amount of nutrients and is clearly a poison. Alcohol contributes greatly to decreased liver work, disrupts hormonal balance, decreases immunity, and leads to cell damage. Alcohol is also a diuretic so it can cause reduced water loving-skin cells. As a result the skin becomes dry and dull and inevitably affects the skin visually and accelerates skin aging.
Effects of Alcohol on Skin
There are various effects of alcohol on skin. Some of them are as follows.
1. Dehydration
Alcohol is extremely dehydrated. Not only does its diuretic nature force water to leave the body, alcohol also hampers the body to re-hydrate afterwards. As a result you can clearly see your skin becoming dry and scaly. Fine lines and wrinkles on the face are getting worse because the skin is lack of fluid. Read more about How To Overcome Dry Foot Skin
2. Swelling
Another concern is alcohol also has an inflammatory effect on the body. Alcohol in the body causes swelling of the internal organs. Alcohol also triggers histamine release which causes blood vessels to dilate so that the skin becomes reddish. If this occurs continuously in the long term, redness on the skin can become permanent.
3. Breakouts
All liquors contain high sugar, especially cocktails and white wine. Sugar in alcohol can crystallize skin cells and reduce skin elasticity. Drinking too much alcohol will unpleasantly trigger acne. Alcohol causes the skin’s pores to widen so that it triggers the occurrence of blackheads. If the blackheads are not treated properly, they can cause papules and cystic acne. Inevitably in the long run this causes skin aging and scar.
4. Hormone disorders
Facts prove that sugar in alcoholic beverages can trigger an insulin response. Increased levels of insulin in the body have a negative effect on sex hormones and thyroid. As a result there is a hormonal imbalance and skin problems.
5. Reducing the microbiome
In the human intestine there are good bacteria that are important for health, namely the microbiome. Alcohol can kill the microbiome, reducing the ideal amount of microbiome needed. The microbiome plays an important role in regulating the immune system including overcoming the swelling of skin.
6. Premature aging
Alcohol is neutralized by human body in the liver. This neutralization process produces acetaldehyde as a by-product. It turns out that acetaldehyde is toxic to body tissues. Read more about Effects on Skin From Not Sleeping
Acetaldehyde causes the body’s tissues and skin to become dehydrated which eventually triggers premature aging of the skin such as the appearance of wrinkles. Dehydrated skin also becomes dry and prone to acne.
7. Inhibits body regeneration
Alcohol consumption is widely known to interfere with sleep patterns. Dehydration caused by alcohol decreases the body’s regeneration ability at rest. The cells become slow in repairing themselves so the skin looks dull.
The Most Dangerous Alcohol in Order
There is no hesitation regarding the effects of alcohol on skin. Since there are various types of alcoholic beverages, it’s good to know which one has the worst effects on skin. Read more about Side Effects of Skin Dermabrasion
1. Beer
Of all alcoholic drinks, beer has the worst effect on the skin. Beer has more additional ingredients, such as salt and sugar, which makes the liver work harder to neutralize it.
Beer also causes excessive dehydration. Generally speaking, dark liquor has more added ingredients than clear ones.
2. Margaritas
Margaritas has high sugar and alcohol content. This astounding combination can cause inflammation that results in redness of the skin, appearance of pimples, sensitive skin and cell damage. Coupled with its high salt content, margaritas cause water retention so the face looks swollen.
3. Cocktails
All types of cocktails have high sugar levels which come from natural sugar, syrup or fruit juice. Read more about How to Stop Skin Peeling Off Your Feet
4. Red wine
Alcohol is not completely bad. Red wine contains antioxidants that are useful for the skin and eliminate free radicals from the body. Even so, its alcohol content and high sugar outweigh its slight benefits on the skin. Red wine has vasodilatory ability which results in blood vessels dilating to produce redness. It also triggers histamine release which also causes redness and flushing. If you have problems with rosacea, avoid red wine at all costs.
5. White wine
White wine also has high sugar content and sulphite which can irritate the skin. Read more about Effects of Honey on Dark Skin
6. Vodka
Of all types of alcoholic drinks, vodka is probably the least dangerous. But mixing it with an energy drink will make it as dangerous as other alcohols. This is because energy drinks contain high levels of sugar, caffeine and chemicals.
How to Reduce the Effects of Alcohol on Skin
You can immediately see the bad effect of alcohol on your skin. A day after an alcohol party, your skin will look dull, striped and sagging. Certain people also experience extra effects, namely rosacea and acne.
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- To reduce the effects of alcohol on your skin, try to drink alternately between a glass of alcohol and a glass of water.
This method can hydrate the skin and tissues so as reducing the adverse effects of alcohol on the skin. To do a favor to the detoxification process in the liver, drink regularly at least two glasses of water every day and consume lemon.
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- Another way is to eat big before or during drinking alcohol.
This method is effective for removing some side effects of alcohol because alcohol will be digested with food in the digestive tract.
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- If you regularly drink alcohol for a long period, you need to give your skin a favor.
Because drinking alcohol compromises the health of the skin, apply retinols or vitamin A to your skin regularly to help skin cells regeneration. Also use skin care products that contain moisturizers such as hyaluronic acid.
Time Needed to Remove the Effects of Alcohol on Skin
One hour after your alcohol party is over, your body starts working extra hard to clean up the toxins that you just digest. The body will detoxify and remove alcohol from the bloodstream to prevent alcohol poisoning. Your liver really works hard to neutralize alcohol. In addition, because large amounts of sugar suddenly flow into the body, the pancreas secretes extra insulin.
If you experience rosacea, most likely the next day your skin will begin to show signs of recovery. But it is still a long and winding road to restore the skin to its prime. 24 hours after drinking the skin will become dehydrated but still looks dull.
Some people simply stop drinking alcohol for 3 days to restore their skin. This gives the liver time to neutralize alcohol, sugar and other chemicals. But naturally you will regain your healthy skin one week after the last drink.
The skin will look radiant and supple because the body has been hydrated again. Even so, the skin pores still work to remove the remaining toxins. Thus you will most likely see pimples appearing on your face.
A month after you stop drinking, your skin will return to its prime condition. Your skin will look brighter, hydrated, and less swollen.
Your weight probably will also decrease. The liver will recover after experiencing serious damage. As a result the skin will have a healthier and more radiant appearance. Furthermore, a year without alcohol will make the liver healthier and work better in detoxifying the body. You will also be healthier so that the skin is more beautiful and glowing.