Alcohol causes the body and skin to lose fluid (it becomes dehydrated). Dry skin wrinkles more quickly and may appear dull and gray. The diuretic effect (water loss) of alcohol also causes you to lose vitamins and nutrients. In the short term, drinking alcohol can cause dry skin, redness, dark circles, and decreased elasticity.
Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your chances of getting cellulite, a bacterial skin infection that usually affects the lower legs. It causes skin to become red, swollen, painful, and warm to the touch. Bacteria enter the body through a cut or wound in the skin. You will need to treat it with antibiotics.
As mentioned above, chronic skin dryness over time due to alcohol consumption can cause skin to appear aging. When skin (especially on the face) is dry, it can start to crack and cause wrinkles, Richards says. Alcohol may be liquid, but it doesn't provide hydration. In contrast, alcohol consumption leads to dehydration.
When the body doesn't have enough water, the skin becomes dry, cracked, and flaky. Years of this type of skin neglect can cause irreversible damage that makes you look and feel older than you actually are. While many of us focus on the negative effects alcohol has on the liver, we tend to forget about its impact on the body's largest organ, the skin. INSIDER spoke to some skin care professionals to learn about the main effects of alcohol on the skin and what happens to your skin when you cut it.
Although certain alcoholic beverages, such as red wine, are known to have some health benefits, excessive alcohol consumption is never a healthy option. Filling your body with the empty calories and sugars that many of your happy hour drinks fill up with can lead to malnutrition, which can have an obvious impact on your complexion.
