Alcohol and Your Appearance

You may have heard that wine gets better with age but drinking too much wine may be aging you. Both men and women care about the way they look, but research has shown that women spend approximately 22% more than men on appearance-enhancing products and services throughout their lifetimes.¹ Despite all those investments, you may not consider how beverages —especially alcohol—can have a negative impact. Sobering up can help you see yourself more clearly. Look at the 5 reasons how alcohol can affect your appearance.

Alcohol Can Make You Age

Most people are aware that the skin is our largest organ, but many might not know that it is made up of layers, each one having its own unique, important job to do. As we age, our skin’s functions become weaker, depleting the skin of its hydration and elasticity. Heavy alcohol use speeds the aging process, contributing to increased upper facial lines, under-eye puffiness, and midface volume loss.²

In addition, alcohol consumption can lead to vitamin deficiencies.³ This includes Vitamin A, which is important for skin renewal and normal cell maintenance.⁴ When it comes to alcohol, lifestyle changes can make a difference. Keeping alcohol consumption to a moderate level can help to improve or delay facial aging.² 

Alcohol Can Cause Belly Bloat

The adage about alcohol contributing to a “beer belly” isn’t just an old wives’ tale. Because beer is so carbohydrate-rich, it contributes to what is called abdominal adiposity—weight gain in the belly.⁵ Studies show that men consume almost 3 times the amount of beer as women; therefore, men are at greater risk.⁵ 

Many people consume high-calorie alcoholic beverages late into the evening, which increases the risk of weight gain.⁶ Considering that many cocktails served in restaurant chains can range upwards of 740 calories or more, even 1 or 2 alcoholic beverages can significantly add to a person’s caloric intake.⁷  

Alcohol and Bad Hair

Research shows that heavy alcohol consumption contributes to zinc deficiency.⁸ Since zinc is necessary for the assembling of proteins and for catalyzing essential enzymes in the body, heavy alcohol users are more susceptible to alopecia, or baldness.⁹ Alcohol also increases the need to urinate, which can cause dehydration.¹⁰ Water content is essential to the growth of keratinized tissues like nails and hair, so dehydration won’t do any favors for hair health.¹¹ 

Alcohol and Sleep Problems

Alcohol users report sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and daytime sleeping problems.¹²  In fact, clinical insomnia was diagnosed among alcohol users at rates of between 35% and 70%.¹²  Sleep deprivation can take a toll by contributing to more pronounced bags under the eyes. In addition, alcohol use causes dry eye and the subsequent bloodshot redness that results from it.¹³ 

Body Odor and Bad Breath

Alcohol changes conditions in the body that can lead to body odor and bad breath. For instance, while most of the alcohol is metabolized by the liver, between 2% and 10% is excreted unchanged in the breath, urine, and sweat.¹⁴  Similarly, alcohol metabolism results in byproducts such as acetaldehyde, which causes malodor.¹⁵ 

Alcohol Rehab Near Orange County

The effects of alcohol use outlined above are mostly superficial. There may be other underlying problems to address when it comes to drinking. If you are struggling with alcohol addiction and looking for rehab near Orange County, Laguna Treatment Hospital can help kickstart your recovery. Call today to speak with an expert who will provide you with more details about your treatment options .