Our skin and eyes can often give us an indication of our wider health and lifestyle. We know that if we’re tired, stressed or dehydrated it can have an impact on the pallor, elasticity and colour of our skin and brightness of our eyes. Our diets, level of physical activity and skincare regime can also affect how healthy our face and body appear on the outside.
Drinking alcohol frequently, or excessively, can cause a range of skin changes and problems, from dryness to flushing. Some of these are just temporary issues that you might experience the morning after you’ve had a few drinks, but other changes can be a lot more serious.
If you’re a heavy drinker you’re at risk of liver disease which can also lead to skin problems or worsen skin problems you already have. We’ve taken a look at the short- and long-term effects of drinking alcohol on the skin and whether these problems can be reversed.
Your skin after one day
Many of us will have woken up after having a few drinks the night before and not been too impressed with how we look in the mirror. This is because even just a couple of units can leave your skin looking dull and dry.
Dr Bav Shergill, a consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Association of Dermatologists, says this is because the diuretic effect of alcohol causes your skin to become dehydrated. You can fix this by drinking plenty of water and using a hydrating moisturiser.
Dr Shergill says if you’ve been binge drinking your skin might also look “flushed because alcohol causes dilation of the fine capillaries of the skin, giving a ‘red look’”. He says flushing is thought to be caused by acetaldehyde, the main breakdown product of alcohol, stimulating the release of histamines which make your complexion look red or inflamed. Studies, like the one in BMC Genomics from 2023, have found that people of East Asian background are more likely to be affected by flushing because their bodies have an inactive genetic variant affecting how easily they process alcohol.
The disruption to sleep from alcohol, even if you’ve just had a couple of drinks, will also have an impact on your skin. It might look pale, with dark circles, sunken or puffy eyes and your lips may look cracked or dry. If you’ve forgotten to remove your make-up or take your contact lenses out then this will also make your skin and eyes look less bright and fresh.
Dr Shergill says: “If you have skin conditions such as rosacea, seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis, alcohol can make these worse too. These conditions definitely affect the way you look.” Even just one day of moderate to heavy drinking could cause these conditions to flare up.
If you’re heading out for drinks with friends make sure you’re already well hydrated and try alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. This will help reduce the possibility of feeling hungover and seeing the effects of alcohol on your face the next day.
Your skin after a week
It’s recommended that men and women in the UK drink a maximum of 14 units of alcohol per week. The NHS advises that everyone has a few alcohol-free days every week and that people should not drink all of the units, which equate to around six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine, in one sitting.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Derrick Phillips says even if you’re drinking moderately at home or in a pub a few times a week, you will see a negative impact on your skin’s health and resilience. This will include some of the skin problems we’ve mentioned above like dryness or dullness. But Dr Phillips says if you’re drinking over the recommended weekly amount you’re putting yourself at risk of some longer-term skin problems. “Alcohol affects the body’s wider fluid balance, resulting in puffiness and can impact hormone levels, triggering breakouts of acne,” he says. “Fine lines and wrinkles may become more prominent.”
Dr Phillips says drinking over 14 units a week can also cause other significant changes, some of which may not be reversible. “Repeated dilation of blood vessels can lead to broken capillaries on the nose and cheeks, and persistent redness,” he explains. These can be difficult to get rid of completely and you might need expensive professional skin treatment to remove them. Not drinking to excess will stop new broken veins from forming.
Dr Phillips adds: “Excessive drinking can impact the body’s ability to absorb key nutrients and produce proteins like collagen. This can manifest as a sallow or uneven complexion, and accelerated skin ageing with prominent fine lines, wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity,” he adds. You might notice this if you’ve been drinking heavily for a week or longer but it can be reversed if you increase your water intake and make sure you sleep and eat well. Sleep is crucial for skin repair and regeneration, as are vitamins A and C which can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables.
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Your skin after a year
Many of the skin changes we’ve mentioned above are temporary and are associated with light to moderate drinking. Your skin might look dull the day after you’ve had a few drinks but a good night’s sleep, plenty of water and a hydrating moisturiser will help bring back the colour and brightness to your face.
Of course, everyone is different and some people may see little or no impact on their skin from alcohol consumption. But, if you’ve experienced some minor changes on your face such as puffiness or dryness, Dr Shergill says you can reverse these with reduction or abstinence.
However, there are some serious skin changes heavy drinkers are putting themselves at risk of if they regularly drink more than 14 units per week.
Dr Shergill says some of the most skin problems associated with longer-term alcohol abuse include permanently broken vessels (spider telangiectasis), red palms, generalised itching caused by a build-up of toxins that have not been processed by the liver and jaundice (yellow skin and in the whites of the eyes) which is caused by liver disease.
Liver disease can also cause hyperpigmentation (patches of darker skin) around the eyes, mouth and legs, says Dr Shergill. Heavy drinking can also cause skin infections due to poor immune function as well as making you more photosensitive, which can lead to blistering and crusts on the skin.
There is also evidence, such as in this 2022 study, that prolonged consumption of alcohol can cause skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and melanoma. The study above found that participants who drank white wine (but not red wine) more than five times a week had a 42 per cent higher risk of melanoma compared to non-drinkers.
It also found that people who drink heavily may take more risks when it comes to protecting their skin from the sun, which could lead to skin cancer. Many heavy drinkers may also be smokers – another habit that can have a detrimental impact on skin.
Can these effects be reversed?
The key is to drink in moderation and to keep a close eye on any physical changes you’re seeing due to your alcohol consumption. Dr Shergill says he advises his patients to “take a selfie. Have a break for a month. Look in the mirror and tell yourself how you feel.”
If you reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, you’ll be able to reverse some of the effects on your appearance. Dr Phillips says: “Reducing alcohol intake will allow the body to rehydrate and restore moisture levels in the skin. Humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin will improve skin volume, whilst ceramides will repair the skin barrier and help restore the skin’s natural radiance.”
If you’re self-conscious about broken capillaries you could have light therapy which helps the blood vessels fade over time. Dr Phillips adds that “gentle exfoliation with AHAs and BHAs will remove dull, dead skin cells improving skin texture and addressing hyperpigmentation”.
Cutting down on drinking will also lower your risk of serious diseases such as some types of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease and stroke. If you want to monitor how much you’re drinking, you can use Drinkaware’s online “Drinking Check” which will help you understand your relationship with alcohol.
Dr Shergill adds that if you’re a very heavy drinker you should seek advice from your GP before stopping as some withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening.