For many of us alcohol is ingrained in our daily lives, we use it as social lubricant, to unwind at the end of a work day or to celebrate Birthdays, Holidays and special life events. However we’re no stranger to the impact on our bodies and health. I wanted to highlight the short term side effects that alcohol can cause in your skin.

One of the short term effects is dehydration, as alcohol is a diuretic which means it causes the body to make and release more urine. This means that the body loses more water and salt than usual. the effects of dehydration on skin are

dry skin
sunken eyes
decreased elasticity
dry lips

Flushing is also a side effect of drinking alcohol.

Alcohol may stimulate the release of histamines, which can cause the blood vessels under the skin to dilate. This can make a person’s complexion look flushed or inflamed, alcohol is a trigger to those prone to rosacea .

Sleep disruption is also a pretty impactful short term side effect. Alcohol impacts the brains ability to enter into REM sleep.

One to two nights of disrupted sleep can cause temporary changes to a person’s skin such as;

darker circles under the eyes
paler skin
duller complexion
more wrinkles or fine lines

It’s always best to make informed choices when it comes to your skin’s health, this post is by no means meant to condemn the use of alcohol but we also need to know how our choices can impact our skin and bodies health.