Alcohol is humanity’s all time favorite double-edged sword. On the positive side, having a few drinks is fun, a valid social lubricant, and can make one feel better on a bad day.
On the other hand, it’s bad for your body, changes how you act (which can causes its own problems), and contributes to at least 60 health issues, some of which can kill you.
One of the less-considered aspects of alcohol is what it does to one’s appearance over time. Spoiler alert: It’s nothing good.
It’s a little ironic that the same chemical that gives you “beer googles” and can make other people look better to you than they otherwise would, is the same chemical that prematurely ages you and makes you look worse.
Alcohol’s Effects on How You Look
How so? Let’s count the ways:
Our bodies are sensitive to dehydration. Alcohol is an excellent way to dehydrate yourself. When you’ve been too dehydrated too often, it shows up in your skin. Skin that was once soft and hydrated will begin to look cracked, wrinkled, dull, and unhealthy.
If you get dehydrated enough from consistent drinking, it’ll show up in your hair too. Dry, cracked, brittle hair makes it easier to create split ends. Yes, there are hair treatments that can offset the effects of dehydration, but none of those treat the source of the problem if the problem is too much alcohol.
If that wasn’t enough, alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate. Even the really tiny ones near the surface of the skin. This frequently shows up as blotchy, red areas on your face. With prolonged exposure to alcohol, this dilation of the small blood vessels can become permanent, leading to permanent redness. This is a condition known as rosacea.
You may notice that the more you drink, the more you need to use the restroom. When these fluids aren’t replaced your body will compensate by retaining the water it still has. This results in the puffy look. Not only your face, but your gut, your hands, and in other places on your body.
According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, 10 percent of the alcohol you consume leaves your body through sweat, breath, and urine. The more you drink, the more you smell like you’ve been drinking.
Finally, alcohol affects your ability to get a good night’s sleep. You’re more likely to wake up tired after a night of drinking than you are restored and refreshed. Not only will you look tired, but you’ll feel tired. This will lower your motivation to do all of the things necessary to look your best.
TL;DR: alcohol makes your skin red, dried out, wrinkled, puffy and bloated; makes your hair look flat, dull, and shaggy from the split ends; makes you smell like a dive bar; and makes you tired and lethargic.
And that doesn’t even bring up what it does to your liver, or how it impacts your long term health.
Looking your best is a pro-active endeavor. The best skincare regimen in the world can easily be undermined by drinking too much alcohol. How much is too much? It can vary from person to person, but is generally less than you think.
Here’s an example of a woman who saw a tremendous change in how she looked after one month of no drinking. She claimed to drink an average of 15 units of alcohol a week. That’s around 5 big glasses of wine per-week and she suffered from many of the conditions above. The before and after photos speak for themselves.
At Summit Plastic Surgery & Dermatology we have years of experience treating people with all kinds of skin conditions and ailments. If you’re suffering from any of the conditions described above, we can help. Contact us today at (910) 794-5355 or use our online form to request a consultation.
If you are having problems with alcohol, Reach out to the drugabuse.com recovery advisors at (877) 586-6894. Calls are confidential, and someone is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with information about alcohol treatment programs.
Alcohol is humanity’s all time favorite double-edged sword. On the positive side, having a few drinks is fun, a valid social lubricant, and can make one feel better on a bad day.
On the other hand, it’s bad for your body, changes how you act (which can causes its own problems), and contributes to at least 60 health issues, some of which can kill you.
One of the less-considered aspects of alcohol is what it does to one’s appearance over time. Spoiler alert: It’s nothing good.
It’s a little ironic that the same chemical that gives you “beer googles” and can make other people look better to you than they otherwise would, is the same chemical that prematurely ages you and makes you look worse.
Alcohol’s Effects on How You Look
How so? Let’s count the ways:
Our bodies are sensitive to dehydration. Alcohol is an excellent way to dehydrate yourself. When you’ve been too dehydrated too often, it shows up in your skin. Skin that was once soft and hydrated will begin to look cracked, wrinkled, dull, and unhealthy.
If you get dehydrated enough from consistent drinking, it’ll show up in your hair too. Dry, cracked, brittle hair makes it easier to create split ends. Yes, there are hair treatments that can offset the effects of dehydration, but none of those treat the source of the problem if the problem is too much alcohol.
If that wasn’t enough, alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate. Even the really tiny ones near the surface of the skin. This frequently shows up as blotchy, red areas on your face. With prolonged exposure to alcohol, this dilation of the small blood vessels can become permanent, leading to permanent redness. This is a condition known as rosacea.
You may notice that the more you drink, the more you need to use the restroom. When these fluids aren’t replaced your body will compensate by retaining the water it still has. This results in the puffy look. Not only your face, but your gut, your hands, and in other places on your body.
According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, 10 percent of the alcohol you consume leaves your body through sweat, breath, and urine. The more you drink, the more you smell like you’ve been drinking.
Finally, alcohol affects your ability to get a good night’s sleep. You’re more likely to wake up tired after a night of drinking than you are restored and refreshed. Not only will you look tired, but you’ll feel tired. This will lower your motivation to do all of the things necessary to look your best.
TL;DR: alcohol makes your skin red, dried out, wrinkled, puffy and bloated; makes your hair look flat, dull, and shaggy from the split ends; makes you smell like a dive bar; and makes you tired and lethargic.
And that doesn’t even bring up what it does to your liver, or how it impacts your long term health.
Looking your best is a pro-active endeavor. The best skincare regimen in the world can easily be undermined by drinking too much alcohol. How much is too much? It can vary from person to person, but is generally less than you think.
Here’s an example of a woman who saw a tremendous change in how she looked after one month of no drinking. She claimed to drink an average of 15 units of alcohol a week. That’s around 5 big glasses of wine per-week and she suffered from many of the conditions above. The before and after photos speak for themselves.
At Summit Plastic Surgery & Dermatology we have years of experience treating people with all kinds of skin conditions and ailments. If you’re suffering from any of the conditions described above, we can help. Contact us today at (910) 794-5355 or use our online form to request a consultation.
If you are having problems with alcohol, Reach out to the drugabuse.com recovery advisors at (877) 586-6894. Calls are confidential, and someone is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with information about alcohol treatment programs.
Is your skin suffering from the effects of too much alcohol? We can help.
If your skin is suffering from the effects of too much alcohol, we can help. Click to schedule your appointment with one of our dermatologists who will assess the issue(s) and can guide you through your treatment options.