Research has found that some beverages, like pink grapefruit juice, may help to slow down the skin aging process. However, many others will contribute to speed it up – like alcohol. According to research, alcohol is the worst offender for skin aging due to its dehydration and inflammation effects.
In this article, we’ll discuss how dehydration and inflammation affect your skin and what types are alcohol cause the most damage.
Effects of Dehydration on Your Skin
In a nutshell, the loss of elasticity leads to sagging skin, wrinkles, dullness, dryness, and enlarged pores.
As we get older, the water in our body reduces, and we begin to feel less thirsty, making it easier for dehydration to kick in. Alcohol dehydrates your skin and deprives it of the nutrients and moisture it needs to keep your skin supple and radiant. Even worse, alcohol is a directive, meaning it draws water out of your body.
Dehydrated skin looks unhealthy and dry, in both skin color and texture.
Effects of Inflammation on Your Skin
Inflammation increases redness, blotchiness, acne, puffiness, and Rosacea.
Cocktails and wine especially are high in sugar. These types of alcohol can have an obvious effect on your skin if you’re consuming more than the recommended amount. Studies have shown that sugar in alcoholic drinks triggers the hormone IGF-1, which increases breakouts or acne with an overproduction of oil.
Alcohol, especially red wine, triggers and worsens Rosacea’s symptoms. As Rosacea is an inflammatory condition, drinking alcohol increases the chances of a flare-up. Alcohol will create inflammatory signals within the skin such as flushing and redness, as it opens the blood vessels and increases blood flow above normal levels.
What Alcohol to Avoid
Dark spirits like whiskeys, dark rum, brandy, scotch, and cognac contain congeners, which generally cause the worst hangovers. They have the highest alcohol content, also making them worst for your skin.
Instead, opt for clear spirits like vodka, tequila, gin, white rum, and sake. These types have the least amount of additives and are processed in the body quicker. They, thus, have the most negligible impact on damaging your skin.
Maintain Younger Looking Skin
The main reasons why alcohol ages your skin quicker are dehydration and inflammation. So, to help keep your skin looking youthful when drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water to counteract the effects and opt for clear spirits.
