It’s obvious that alcohol isn’t the greatest thing for your body, your skin included. Sure, you could cut alcohol out of your life completely, but that’s not always realistic. So how can you safely consume alcohol but still look after your skin?
Skin care is part of many of our daily routines, doing our best to protect our skin against wrinkles, acne or pollution. But what can we do to protect our skin against alcohol? Is alcohol even that bad for your skin?
Although it may be overlooked, alcohol can be very damaging to your skin. After consuming alcohol, your skin can experience increased wrinkles, breakouts, inflammation and puffiness, just to name a few. That’s why it’s important to understand what alcohol does to your skin and the best ways to minimize any damage.
Here are some common effects of alcohol on your skin and how you can fight back.
Alcohol and Acne
Does alcohol cause acne? Unfortunately alcohol and acne go hand-in-hand. Drinks like cocktails are usually high in sugar-content. If you’re indulging in these types of drinks frequently, your chances of acne will increase. It’s just like if you were stuffing your face with sweets all weekend long.
Avoiding drinks like white wine and cocktails with a lot of sugar can help decrease the likelihood of breaking out. Beer is a great alternative because it has less sugar, less alcohol content than spirits and you tend to drink it much slower than other drinks. Either way, there’s a connection between acne and alcohol consumption.
It’s also wise to avoid sugary mixers like cola and use tonic or soda water instead to minimize the amount of sugar you ingest.
By making a few simple choices, you can still enjoy a drink out but help keep your skin clear, too.
Inflammation
It’s widely known that alcohol causes inflammation. Although this is an internal issue, we can see the results by getting breakouts, puffiness and redness on our bodies, especially on our face. Flushed skin (especially flushed cheeks) breakouts and puffiness can be uncomfortable and easily visible.
When alcohol is metabolized in the body, it widens the blood vessels in your face, which can cause the swelling, puffiness and redness. This reaction is similar to the skin condition rosacea.
A great solution is using Reset, a moisturiser which is scientifically designed to reduce the visibility of flushed cheeks and puffiness causes by alcohol. Reset’s green tint works to hide the redness and flush that you may experience, while still being gentle on your skin. It also provides soothing anti-inflammatory components that fight against heat and puffiness caused by alcohol. All around, a great option when dealing with inflammation causes by alcohol.
So next time you plan to drink, just bring along Reset with you to help keep your face clear. It’s easy to apply and only takes seconds to see the results.
Dehydration
The most obvious concern for your skin is that drinking alcohol greatly dehydrates you and your skin. We all know that. But did you realise that getting dehydrated from consuming alcohol can leave you with “dry, flaky skin and your fine lines and wrinkles will be more visible thanks to the lack of fluid in your skin.”
So we now know that wrinkles can increase in severity with the amount of alcohol you drink, and the more dehydrated you are.
The clear way to solve this issue is to ensure that you drink plenty of water and/or non-alcoholic drinks during your night out. An easy way to keep hydrated would be to alternate an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic drink throughout the night so you’re getting enough hydrating fluids. It’s also helpful to drink alcohol on a full stomach of food.
You can also try drinks like spritzers, which are usually white wine mixed with carbonated water. This means you’re consuming less alcohol than normal and still getting some water with your drink.
Whatever drinks you decide to have on your night out, it’s important to remember to stay hydrated.
Itchy Skin After Drinking Alcohol
Some individuals may experience itchy skin after drinking alcohol. If you have an intolerance to alcohol, even minimal, this may lead to itchy hives popping up on your body.
While it may seem like an allergy to alcohol, it’s more likely that you’re intolerant to an ingredient in your alcoholic drink (such as barley or grapes) or intolerant to one of the preservatives used in your drink. A true alcohol allergy is very rare.
The best way to minimize your symptoms is to understand what exactly causes your problems and avoid drinks high in that ingredient. You can always visit your GP for medical advice and learn which ingredients cause your uncomfortable reaction.
Sunset Alcohol Flush Support is also a great option to help reduce your symptoms, including flushing, headaches and hives. Sunset works by dealing with the internal issues alcohol can cause those with alcohol intolerance and minimize the negative symptoms. By just taking 3 Sunset capsules before you intend to drink alcohol, you can greatly reduce your symptoms.
Those with Asian Flush, or alcohol flushing reaction, can experience intense symptoms when drinking alcohol. This is caused by a build-up of a toxic called acetaldehyde which is harmful to the body. Once this toxin accumulates in the system, the individual can experience numerous negative symptoms, such as:
- Headaches
- Restricted breathing
- Hives
- Red flushing of the skin
- Dizziness
- Nausea
Sunset works to lower the amount of acetaldehyde in the body, thus reducing these symptoms. Not only will you reduce headaches and dizziness, you can also look after your skin by not experiencing flushing.
Reduced Skin Smoothness and Elasticity
We know that too much alcohol will leave us dehydrated, leading to lots of issues for our skin. However, alcohol also reduces key nutrients in the body like vitamin A. This particular vitamin works to produce retinol and collagen and regenerates skin cells, which improves skin smoothness and elasticity.
This means that too much alcohol can easily age your skin far quicker than normal, leading to rougher-looking skin and reduced elasticity.
Again, it’s important to drink in moderation, stay hydrated and show your skin some support when consuming alcohol. It's also very helpful to have a solid skin care routine in place that focuses on hydration before even going out. By having a great daily moisturiser, you can help give your skin back some hydration, even when you're drinking.
Your Skin and Alcohol
Don’t let your skin care routine go to waste. Make sure to look after your skin all the time, not just during your morning routine. Drinking alcohol can wreak havoc on your skin, so make sure to follow these preventative measures to keep your skin looking healthy and clear.
It’s important to keep in mind that you can see a difference in your skin before and after alcohol. Symptoms like puffy eyes, flushed skin (including flushed cheeks) and increased acne are just some of the skin-related side effects of alcohol consumption.
By making different choices, like drinking enough water and choosing your alcohol appropriately, can make a huge difference on your skin’s health.
