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If you’re someone who loves a happy hour or consuming a couple of beers at home every day, then you should start considering how alcohol consumption affects the quality of your skin.
Because while skin and face care is very widespread among women and men, what few notice is how alcohol consumption can nullify all the care we can take to have healthy skin.
Consuming alcohol mostly only provides us with sugars and calories, which as a consequence can cause us to gain weight.
Additionally, it generates a diuretic effect, as it causes the body to lose a large amount of water, which translates, among other things, into dehydrated and dull skin.
How does alcohol consumption affect the skin?
The effect of urinating excessively after consuming alcoholic beverages is generated because these inhibit the antidiuretic hormone, which causes urine production to increase, eliminating more fluid than ingested.
In fact, the effects of excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages are visible on the skin in just 24 hours, resulting in skin that looks and feels dry and dull.
Additionally, for those who suffer from rosacea, the hangover day can include a flare-up of the condition, more redness, itching and even the appearance of pimples.
Dehydration and inflammation
Regardless of whether you suffer from rosacea or not, repeated alcohol consumption can cause inflammation in the skin, which translates into redness, spots and an acceleration of skin aging.
As alcohol dries out our skin, expression lines on the face also become more visible.
Do all drinks generate the same level of damage to our skin?
The answer is no, but the equation is quite simple: the higher the alcohol content of the drink, the greater the damage.
In this context, if we don’t want to completely eliminate alcohol from our routine, a good idea is to prefer clear liquors, since at least they are less processed, therefore, they affect our skin health a little less.
Tips to reverse the effects of alcohol on our skin
If you notice that alcohol consumption is affecting your skin, all is not lost, as there are ways to reverse the damage, for this, the specialist gives the following recommendations:
1. Hydrate by drinking water
If you are going to consume alcohol, you must make sure to drink enough water to control dehydration and also to avoid overconsumption of alcoholic beverages.
To do this, you must hydrate before, during and after drinking alcohol. This will help your body eliminate toxins more quickly, replenishing skin cells more effectively and rapidly.
2. Follow a cleansing and hydration routine
This advice is valid for everyone, whether they consume alcohol or not, as it is essential to adopt a daily skincare routine which, in summary, consists of the following steps:
- Cleanse your face with a soap suitable for your skin.
- Tone, apply serum, eye contour and moisturizing cream.
- Seal everything with an FPS50 sunscreen.
3. Add intravenous vitamin C therapy
They are megadoses of different nutrients that go directly into the vein. Among this type of therapies, the most popular and highly rated is vitamin C, since, among its benefits, it positively impacts our skin helping collagen production, with antioxidant effects.
Additionally, it provides energy, improving the health of gums, teeth and bones, among other benefits.
4. Anti-aging intravenous therapy
This is another of the star intravenous therapies currently that consists of the injection of a cocktail of vitamins that delivers luminosity and turgor to your face.
5. Perform professional facial cleanings
This type of treatments for our skin are vital to complement what we do daily, as they generate a much deeper cleaning, eliminating impurities that clog pores to the bottom and giving our face a boost of hydration and softness, so we should consider them at least once a month.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why do bags and dark circles appear under the eyes after drinking alcohol?
The appearance of bags and dark circles is mainly due to vasodilation and fluid retention that the body performs to compensate for dehydration. Alcohol dilates peripheral blood vessels and alters the deep sleep cycle, which prevents the lymphatic system from correctly draining toxins from the face, causing that appearance of swelling and tired-looking eyes.
2. What is the relationship between beer consumption and adult acne?
Although beer does not cause acne directly, its high glycemic index and sugar content can raise insulin levels in the blood. This stimulates sebum and androgen hormone production, which in predisposed people can clog pores and trigger acne breakouts or worsen existing inflammatory processes in the skin.
3. How long does it take for skin to recover after a night of excessive consumption?
The immediate effects of dehydration are usually reversed in 24 to 48 hours if constant water hydration is resumed. However, to recover natural luminosity and reduce systemic inflammation that affects collagen, skin can take up to 28 days, which is the average time a complete epidermal cell renewal cycle lasts.
4. Is it true that alcohol accelerates the appearance of premature wrinkles?
Yes, due to a process called oxidative stress. Alcohol consumes the body’s vitamin A and antioxidant reserves, which are vital for collagen synthesis. Without this protection, skin loses its elasticity (turgor) and becomes more vulnerable to sun and pollution damage, facilitating the formation of expression lines and wrinkles.
5. What skincare ingredients are best to combat the “hangover face”?
To reverse the appearance of dull skin, products with hyaluronic acid (to replenish lost moisture), niacinamide (to reduce redness and inflammation) and topical vitamin C are recommended. These active ingredients help restore the skin barrier and provide the luminosity that the diuretic effect of alcohol usually eliminates.
