Who could say no to a round of beer and other alcoholic drinks with friends every weekend, right? Our bar escapades may be fun for a few hours, but we’re always going to regret it the next day. However, one dermatologist revealed that aside from hangovers, heavy drinking can also have a bad effect on skin.
Dr. Whitney Bowe tells Refinery29 that alcohol hinders the skin’s hydration process, saying, “Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes you to pee more. But it also hinders the production of the hormone vasopressin. That hormone helps you reabsorb water. So alcohol is kind of a double whammy, in that it’s forcing out water and making it harder for your body to rehydrate itself.”
She also notes that majority of patients with rosacea, a common skin condition wherein a person develops redness and sometimes pimples on the face, were drinking alcohol beforehand.
With all this being said, does it mean we have to give up drinking altogether? Dr. Bowe suggests doing it in moderation (which will also help out your liver), and if one were to drink alchol, she says, “You’re better off with straight vodka over dark liquors.” She also suggested red wine as a good substitute.
So the next time you go out with your friends, you might as well go to a nearby café. After all, it’s better than having to shout over loud music at the bar.
[Refinery29]
Photo courtesy of Women’s Health