Alcohol doesn’t do you good in any way, especially the skin. We all know it, it’s not a secret. Drinking causes various issues with our skin quality and complexion, and what you see on the outside is only the symptom of much larger problems.

Some might consider the question of how the skin looks secondary to other health problems due to alcohol consumption, but these are one and the same. Puffiness, redness, blotchiness, and enlarged pores are only the beginning, and they happen virtually instantly after consuming alcohol.

Brad Helmink/Unsplash | Increased wrinkles and even rosacea are only the start of your troubles

What are the immediate effects of alcohol on the skin?

Alcohol causes a body-wide dehydration that starts the second we intake even the smallest amount. The larger the amount the larger the effect naturally, and it quickly leads to inflammation. You know how people start getting red in the face after a few drops? Yes, that’s some of it.

Sneha Cecil/Unsplash | Alcohol quickens the aging process

What’s the damage of dehydration?

Alcohol causes fluids everywhere, including in the skin, to evaporate, leaving the skin without the moisture and the nutrients it needs to be healthy. Only healthy skin can be youthful, supple, elastic, and radiant, while dry skin becomes sagging and any wrinkles present actually enlarge.

For its diuretic property (dehydrating), alcohol also leads to problems like congestion. It causes skin pores to dilate, which will increase whiteheads and blackheads, for one, while prolonged problems like these lead to rosacea and acne.

Long term use undoubtedly causes premature aging, faster damaging, and even scarring, while inflammation due to alcohol consumption helps the decay even more. And, if a person has some of these problems before drinking (acne, rosacea, etc…), alcohol consumption will then produce an enhanced reaction, leading to enhanced problems.

Sharon McCutcheon/Unsplash | Longterm alcohol use causes irreversible skin damage

University of Connecticut School of Medicine - Department of Dermatology study

In 2021, the aforementioned study has concluded that continued use of alcohol is directly responsible with problems like skin infections, oral and nail changes, urticaria (hives), pigmentary alterations, pruritus (itch), jaundice, and even skin cancer.

The darker the alcoholic drink, the worse the results are, but colorful cocktails are also dangerous for they contain high sugar levels. These in turn trigger IGF-1 hormone, which causes skin oil overproduction, which causes acne and other problems.

What to do about it?

Well, the obvious thing is to not drink alcohol. Clear spirits are the least dangerous, for they have don’t have as much additives and the body processes them faster, but they do produce negative effects still. Keeping hydrated is also a good idea. If you must consume alcohol, always add a larger amount of water at the same time.