Can Alcohol Give You Bad Skin?

Beauties, have you ever woken up with puffy eyes, sallow-looking skin, and a blotchy complexion, and wondered if those extra glasses of wine at dinner or cocktails at lunch could be causing blemishes and other problems? We spoke with New York City-based dermatologist David Colbert, M.D., to find out how alcohol can affect your good looks.

"After a big night of drinking, you can expect dark circles around your eyes, crepey skin, and the appearance of fine lines," says Dr. Colbert. "And because alcohol is a toxin to the liver, it doesn't matter if you're drinking wine or vodka. In tiny amounts, booze causes fluctuations in liver enzymes, but in larger doses it dehydrates the skin, makes the skin sallow and tired, and reduces collagen production. This ends with flushing and broken blood vessels, and increases deep wrinkles and furrows as well as pore size. That's why many famous beauties and models abstain forever from the evils of ethanol."

"Aside from drinking less, the solution is to space out your intake," says Dr. Colbert. "Drink one glass of water for every mixed drink, and be sure to eat fibrous foods before you go out, especially grapes, bananas, and almonds." And the next day? "Pop a multivitamin and eat lots of fresh greens the day after," he advises.

Image courtesy of Recycled Bride