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How does alcohol affect the skin?

Written by Brandon Okey. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.

Your evening glass of wine or daily cocktail may be causing more damage to your skin than you realize. Before you know it, those wrinkles and dark spots have gotten deeper, your face is puffy and inflamed, and your skin has lost its glow.

These and many more are the horrible effects of alcohol on your skin.

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Excessive drinking causes a cascade of physiological changes under the surface that, over time, degrade your skin health, leading to a plethora of skin conditions. 

Studies have found higher rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) among patients with certain skin conditions compared to the general population: “30.6% [of patients] with psoriasis, 33.3% [of patients] with eczema, 12.3% [of patients] with cutaneous lupus, 21.8% [of patients]  with other inflammatory disease…” met the criteria for an AUD diagnosis. 

Are you struggling with alcohol addiction? You can count on Ardu’s rehab center to provide you with everything you need to kick your drinking habit to the curb.

I am very happy with the staff at Ardu and the whole detox program! Extremely caring people work at this place. 

Brandon Rhea

5/5

Why is alcohol bad for my health?

Alcohol is a toxin with wide-ranging detrimental effects throughout the body and brain. Even in moderation, alcohol can wreak havoc on nearly every aspect of your health. While happy hour cocktails or a chilled beer after work may seem harmless, alcohol’s bad for your brain, liver, kidneys, heart, mental health, and skin.

Here’s the lowdown of how bad alcohol is:

  • Booze is full of empty calories and provides energy without nutrition. A few cocktails can pack more than 500 calories that turn straight into belly fat
  • Too much alcohol prevents proper nutrient absorption and metabolism, preventing them from reaching your cells. Over time, you develop deficiencies in vitamin B, zinc, and iron essential for energy production, immune function, and a healthy nervous system. (Read all about how heavy drinking wrecks your entire nervous system.)
  • Alcohol dehydrates your entire body by increasing urine output. Dehydration causes headaches, dry skin and eyes, fatigue, and impairs your physical performance.
  • Liver damage is a big one. Alcohol generates free radicals and acetaldehyde, toxic compounds that directly harm liver cells. This progresses to fatty liver, cirrhosis, and liver failure.
  • Alcohol also disrupts sleep quality by reducing rapid eye movement (REM) and deep sleep. You need both to feel well-rested. Lack of restorative sleep makes you feel groggy and irritable the next day, impairing your cognitive abilities in the long run.
  • Over time, alcohol weakens your immune system, making you more prone to illnesses and infections.
  • Regular alcohol consumption starves your skin cells, and leaves them inflamed, red, and clogged. It also disables their ability to regenerate—hence the wrinkles, lines, dullness, and burst capillaries. 

Alcoholics often struggle to maintain their skin health, among other things. Their skin is often stripped of moisture, collagen, and other nutrients. The best way to improve skin health is to stay off the bottle entirely

If you’re struggling to remain sober, our alcohol addiction treatment center can help. Our caring and supportive staff can support you through the six stages of recovery, from alcohol detox to the sweet freedom from alcohol addiction. 

How can you recognize an alcoholic?

After years of excessive drinking, alcoholics often end up wearing the evidence on their skin. The body’s largest organ leaves tell-tale signs of lifelong alcohol abuse in myriad ways. While genetics and other factors also influence their complexion, heavy drinkers develop characteristic skin changes that can make their habits obvious.

What are the key giveaways? 

  1. Extremely dehydrated, flaky, cracked skin 
  2. Swollen, reddened inflamed skin prone to infections
  3. Signs of premature aging (e.g., wrinkles, dull tone, and loss of elasticity)
  4. Weakened skin barrier that’s vulnerable to irritants
  5. Facial redness, broken capillaries, and visible spider veins
  6. Worsened acne from increased oil production and hormone disruption
  7. Yellowish skin and jaundice caused by liver damage
  8. Unpleasant body odor from alcohol toxins
  9. Nutrient deficiencies apparent in poor nail, hair, and skin quality

So, before you order that next round, let’s analyze these eight ways in which alcohol damages your skin.

One: alcohol dehydrates your skin

Alcohol dehydrates the skin, which wreaks havoc on your complexion. Ethanol, alcohol’s main ingredient, is a natural diuretic and can impair the skin’s barrier function leading to dangerous levels of dehydration below the surface. 

Here’s how:

  1. Diuretics increase urine output—they make you pee more. As you do, your overall hydration levels throughout the body, including the skin, drop. 
  2. Alcohol also causes inflammation that widens blood vessels. As they expand to allow more fluid to leak out, they further deprive your skin cells of water. 
  3. Speaking of inflammation, alcohol prompts your body to release pro-inflammatory cytokines in response. Cytokines are tiny signaling molecules that cause swelling. They make your cells puff up and leak fluid, pushing precious water out of your skin cells.
  4. Ethanol disrupts the stratum corneum, the outermost skin barrier. Too much alcohol in your system loosens up the tight junctions between the cornified skin cells that usually lock in hydration. Now your skin’s outer wall can’t keep water from escaping.

Combine all these negative effects of alcohol and you can see why your skin struggles to maintain proper hydration.

Two: alcohol causes inflammation and skin redness

Heavy drinking causes inflammation, as we’ve already said. We’ve also explained why inflamed skin equals dry skin, but inflammation can actually lead to even more damage. Alcohol’s inflammatory effects weaken your skin’s structural integrity and wreck its appearance.

  • Inflammation triggers swelling as the blood vessels expand and leak fluid into the surrounding tissue. This gives your skin a puffy, swollen look. It also causes outbreaks of redness and flushing, especially concentrated on the nose and cheeks. 
  • Remember cytokines? These pro-inflammatory molecules break down collagen. Collagen is the structural protein that gives skin its strength and elasticity. When it’s broken down, the skin becomes wrinkled and saggy. 
  • Inflammation and oxidative stress often go hand in hand. Oxidative stress is the imbalance of free radicals in your body that causes terrible damage on the cellular level. These harmful free radicals destroy healthy skin cell membranes, leading to the premature formation of wrinkles and lines. 
  • Inflamed skin is itchy and irritated. It’s begging for some relief, but scratching just makes it worse by further reddening and even breaking the skin’s surface. Plus, now you’ve opened the door for possible infections to set in and cause even more inflammation. It’s a vicious cycle.

If you want to break the vicious cycle of addiction, our residential treatment healthcare team can help you achieve and maintain your sobriety. We also provide nutrition therapy and counseling on how to repair your health and fix alcohol-induced skin damage.

Read more about why nutrition is important during recovery.

Three: alcohol speeds up skin aging

As we age, our skin naturally loses collagen, elasticity, and firmness. Wrinkles and sagging skin are a normal part of the aging process as skin cell turnover slows down. However, all those cocktails and glasses of wine trigger a cascade of damaging effects that prematurely wear down your complexion.

All the secrets to your aging skin lie in inflammation. Remember how alcohol dehydrates your skin, while pro-inflammatory cytokines degrade collagen and elastin? With less structural support, skin loses tone and elasticity and becomes wrinkled and sagging. Nothing says “I’m young and vibrant” like the droopy Shar Pei look. 

A 2019 study examined the negative effects of heavy drinking on prematurely aged skin. Here are the results:

  1. Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to more noticeable lines on the upper part of your face, like your forehead.
  2. Your eyes may look puffy and swollen, especially under your eyes, making you appear tired and older.
  3. Lines around the corners of your mouth can become more prominent with heavy drinking.
  4. Your midface loses volume. The fullness in the middle part of your face decreases, which can make you look older.
  5. Alcohol can make the blood vessels on your face more visible, giving your skin a reddish appearance.

The science is irrefutable: if you want to keep your skin looking youthful and healthy, limit your alcohol consumption. Or even better, quit for good. Your skin and every single part of the rest of your body will be forever grateful. 

Four: alcohol damages the skin barrier

Your skin is your body’s fortified wall protecting your insides. The outer layer of the epidermis acts as a permeable barrier, controlling what gets in and what stays out. Excessive drinking disrupts that delicate balance, weakening the skin’s defenses. 

We mentioned the stratum corneum, the skin barrier’s front line, and how alcohol disrupts it, pushing water out and leaving your skin dry. The stratum corneum is a layer of compressed, dead skin cells reinforced with ceramides (skin cell fats and lipids). Together they form a tight seal to lock in moisture and keep aggressors out. Booze wrecks that seal by dissolving the lipids, allowing allergens and toxins to get in more easily.

Ethanol also strips away natural oils that reinforce the barrier. Get ready for irritation, inflammation, and an onslaught of damage both internally and on the surface. 

Many people addicted to alcohol struggle to quit, even when their health is jeopardized. They experience severe withdrawal symptoms and, before they know it, unpleasant symptoms turn into alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Quitting becomes extremely difficult now, and they’re stuck in a vicious circle of impaired health, broken promises, and cravings. 

You don’t have to go through this alone. Contact Ardu and get the personalized treatment you need to embark on your journey to recovery. At our addiction recovery center, we specialize in helping people like you break free from the grip of alcohol addiction. 

Five: alcohol leads to broken capillaries

Too much wine, beer, or spirits can leave your complexion looking like a roadmap with broken capillaries snaking across your cheeks, nose, and chest. Alcohol causes those tiny blood vessels right under the skin’s surface to burst, leaving heavy drinkers with broken capillaries and swollen, red appearance. This is particularly prominent on the nose, leading to the nickname “whiskey nose” or “alcoholic nose.” 

This is how you get a whiskey nose:

  1. Alcohol expands the blood vessels.
  2. More blood flows to the skin’s surface.
  3. The straining vessels dilate and engorge. 
  4. With each drink you have, they swell more and more until the capillary walls weaken and rupture.
  5. Blood leaks out under the top layer of the skin, leaving tell-tale spider veins and visible red lines.
  6. Alcohol thins the blood, making capillaries more fragile and prone to bursting. 

Excessive drinking also depletes vitamin C and other antioxidants needed to reinforce and heal blood vessel walls. So once broken, they’re even harder to repair. It’s a vicious cycle leading to an often permanently red, veiny complexion.

Six: alcohol worsens acne breakouts

Acne is the bane of many teenagers’ existence, but even adults aren’t immune to those pesky breakouts—especially when there’s booze involved. Genetics and a few other factors certainly play a role, but alcohol provides the perfect storm of physiological changes to make a bumpy mess out of your clear complexion.

One study confirms that “alcohol drinking was significantly associated with increased risk for acne presentation and higher grades of acne scarring.” Here are some reasons why this might happen:

  • Dehydration. With less moisture, dead cells build up and clog pores instead of shedding normally. 
  • Inflammation. Clogged and inflamed skin leads to swollen red pimples. It also triggers heightened oil production, giving acne-causing bacteria more sebum to feed on. As a bonus, alcohol weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off whatever bacteria is inflaming your acne. 
  • Sugar. High glycemic drinks like beer, wine, and virtually every cocktail out there spike blood sugar and insulin, which only feeds the acne.
  • Impaired liver. Among other ways it disrupts liver function, alcohol also prevents proper hormone balance which the liver is responsible for. More androgens circulate when the liver is compromised, stimulating oil glands and causing breakouts. 
  • Poor nutrition. Alcohol brings nothing nutritious to the table. In fact, it causes vitamin deficiencies that make skin more susceptible to acne. 

As if these acne-causing abilities of booze weren’t bad enough, a 2006 study revealed that alcohol also makes the medication for acne less effective. Oral isotretinoin is used to treat severe acne. According to the study, “heavy intake of alcohol reduces the efficacy of oral isotretinoin and may increase risk of hepatotoxicity.” 

In other words, binge drinking can interfere with the efficacy of acne medication, resulting in worse acne treatment outcomes and increased risk of liver toxicity.

Seven: skin damage due to alcohol-related liver disease

Chronic alcohol abuse can progress to serious liver conditions like fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. While your liver can take some serious blows when you soak it in booze, the impact also shows up on your skin.

Here are some characteristic skin signs that can emerge when your liver suffers from alcohol abuse:

  • Jaundice: skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. 
  • Spider angiomas: small blood vessels near the surface of the skin cluster in a spider-like shape
  • Easy bruising: liver dysfunction impairs blood clotting 
  • Palmar erythema: redness of the palms from capillary expansion
  • Pruritus: severe itchy skin that can result from bile salts deposited in the skin
  • Cutaneous vascular lesions: abnormally dilated blood vessels
  • Clubbing: enlarged fingertips caused by low oxygen from chronic liver issues
  • Paper-thin skin: caused by nutrient loss and disintegrating blood vessels

A failing liver transforms your complexion into a roadmap of its dysfunction, but the good news is that your liver can recover when you quit alcohol. Liver enzymes can normalize, inflammation can decrease, and the organ can repair and regenerate many of its cells. Detoxify your liver and you will bring your skin its healthy glow back. 

Eight: alcohol causes unpleasant skin odors

That stale beer scent oozing from your pores is more than just last night’s drink seeping out. Chronic heavy drinking can fundamentally change your skin’s biology, causing unpleasant body odors in many ways. 

  • Alcohol metabolism creates toxic byproducts like acetaldehyde that alter your natural scent. 
  • Drinking wrecks the skin barrier, allowing more of these toxins to escape through. This gives a tell-tale musty, bleachy odor.
  • Liver damage from drinking reduces your ability to detoxify hormones and other compounds as well, changing secretions from glands.
  • Alcohol dehydrates the skin, which can concentrate odors in sweat and sebum.
  • Poor hygiene and infrequent showering common with alcoholism also contribute to body odor issues.
  • Alcohol abuse disrupts the delicate balance of bacteria on your skin. An overgrowth of microbes and yeast on the skin from high sugar intake can create a rancid, yeasty smell.

Yuck.

The stench may serve as an impetus to make dietary and lifestyle changes for clearer, healthier skin and body.

Nine: alcohol leads to nutritional deficiencies

Drinking your empty calories from booze robs your body of essential vitamins and minerals, leaving your skin dull, dry, and aging faster. 

Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A. Although inadequate dietary intake is a major cause of the vitamin deficiency, other possible mechanisms may also be involved. Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins. (Hoyumpa)

Alcohol messes with nutrient absorption big time. Here’s how:

  1. Alcohol damages the lining of your intestines, so you can’t properly digest and soak up all those vital vitamins and minerals from food or supplements. Your skin kind of needs those. 
  2. Your body (including the skin) needs healthy eats to get adequate amounts of skin-loving vitamins A, C, E, and B complex, plus important minerals like zinc and selenium. Tons of empty alcohol calories push out nutrient-packed foods from your diet. Who wants a salad after their third margarita?
  3. Remember those diuretic effects of booze? Alcohol makes you pee more than a newborn, draining essential electrolytes like potassium and magnesium. These minerals have big jobs like hydrating skin cells and producing collagen.
  4. Let’s not forget that alcohol ravages your liver, too. The liver stores and activates many of the nutrients your skin depends on: vitamins A, D, E, and K. With a damaged liver, your vitamin and mineral deficiencies go into overdrive. 
  5. Heavy drinking can lower levels of amino acids such as lysine. These are vital building blocks for collagen production and tissue growth. Without enough lysine, your body can’t make enough collagen to keep your skin looking young and supple.
  6. Over time, alcohol causes zinc deficiency, which is bad news for your skin. Zinc helps regulate oil production, fights acne, and keeps skin healthy. Low zinc levels do not only mean more breakouts but also a lot more potentially severe health issues. 

Zinc deficiency may manifest itself in many ways in alcoholics, ranging from raised, crusting skin lesions around the eyes, nose, and mouth to impaired wound healing or liver regeneration… (Barve, et. al.)

These deficiencies can also take a toll on your scalp, hair, and nails. Alcoholics often struggle with hair loss, brittle nails, and dry, flaky dandruff. Robbed of these critical micronutrients, your skin grows dull, thin, and injury-prone. 

A margarita may taste more exciting than a salad, but your complexion suffers terrible consequences.

How does alcohol make skin conditions worse?

That evening glass of wine provides a momentary escape, but what does that do to your chronic skin condition? Based on what we know about the effects of alcohol on the skin, your drinking habit isn’t making common skin conditions any better. 

In 2017, researchers looked at the skin problems that occur in people who drink alcohol regularly and in large amounts. They found that alcoholics had more skin issues like itching, dry skin, and a condition called seborrheic dermatitis compared to non-drinkers. 

Generalized pruritus, xerosis, and seborrheic dermatitis were significantly more common in cases than controls. Infections, eczemas, and generalized hyperpigmentation were the major presenting complaints.

Alcohol’s inflammatory effects and depletion of vital nutrients significantly exacerbate the following dermatologic conditions:

  1. Rosacea. This skin condition causes redness and acne-like symptoms and can make it look like you’re suffering from permanent sunburn. Well, alcohol doesn’t do much to improve this look. Instead, it expands blood vessels and cranks up inflammation, meaning more bumps and pimples. 
  2. Psoriasis. It causes rapid, excessive skin cell growth which leads to thick, scaly plaques. Alcohol further dries and dehydrates your skin, causing even more scales and flakes. Both alcohol-related skin damage and psoriasis tend to make your skin itch. Imagine having psoriasis and a drinking problem. 
  3. Seborrheic dermatitis is a rash that leads to red, oily patches with gross dandruff flakes. Alcohol turns up the dial on inflammation and makes symptoms like redness, oil production, and irritating flakes even worse.
  4. Porphyria cutanea tarda. This condition makes your skin super fragile and blister-prone. It is often triggered and intensified by heavy and prolonged alcohol use. By increasing inflammation, alcohol mucks up enzymatic processes in the liver, which leads to a buildup of porphyrins, compounds that cause skin problems associated with porphyria cutanea tarda.
  5. Discoid eczema. This type of eczema causes angry, circular red rashes. Alcohol irritates and dries out the skin, making these fiery patches even angrier.

If you’re battling frustrating skin conditions worsened by alcohol, you need a compassionate and knowledgeable alcohol addiction treatment to alleviate your dependency on booze and help get your health back on track.

It’s not easy, but we’re here for you. 

Contact us today to start your recovery journey. You deserve to feel healthy both inside and out.

How to protect the skin from alcohol damage

If you want to keep your skin radiant and healthy, here’s the deal: say goodbye to alcohol. An occasional toast or a social sip may not turn your skin into a wrinkled raisin, but excessive alcohol consumption can indeed take a toll on your skin’s natural glow. 

There are ways to protect your skin from alcohol’s effects.

  1. Make sure you’re guzzling down enough water to keep your skin hydrated and looking its best. Alcohol is dehydrating, and dehydrated skin is a recipe for problems.
  2. Stick to a diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Load up on fresh fruits and veggies, and your skin—and the rest of your body—will thank you.
  3. A consistent skincare routine is your best friend. Cleanse, moisturize, and use sunscreen daily to shield your skin from harmful UV rays and alcohol toxins. (That means you too, guys.)
  4. If you do indulge in alcoholic drinks, practice moderation. Limit your alcohol intake to a moderate level to reduce its impact on your skin and overall health.
  5. Quality sleep is essential. A good night’s rest helps your skin recover and rejuvenate. They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing.

If you’re struggling with excessive alcohol consumption, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. It’s not just your skin that’s at stake; your overall health is paramount.

Ardu is here for you every step of the way.

Can the skin recover from the negative effects of alcohol?

Your skin has an amazing ability to rebound and regenerate itself once alcohol’s damaging effects are removed. Our outer organ is constantly renewing itself by producing new cells and repairing daily wear and tear. Take alcohol out of the equation, and skin starts bouncing back.

Here’s how your skin improves when you say goodbye to booze.

  • Inflammation decreases. Your irritated, red skin normalizes within weeks.
  • Hydration levels increase. Your parched, flaky skin becomes smooth and supple again.
  • The skin barrier strengthens its ability to lock in moisture in the absence of alcohol’s drying effects.
  • Collagen production ramps back up.
  • Blood flow and circulation improve. Spider veins and broken capillaries begin to fade as alcohol-weakened blood vessels heal.
  • With alcohol toxins removed, the skin stops overproducing oil, and acne breakouts become far less frequent.
  • Skin cell turnover and regeneration accelerate.
  • Optimal vitamin and nutrient absorption returns allowing skin to function at its healthiest.

So don’t lose hope if your skin is suffering from too many margaritas and beer. Put down the booze, pick up the moisturizer, and get ready to wow everyone with your skin’s transformation. With healthy lifestyle choices, great skin awaits on the other side of sobriety.

Do you need help with your alcohol dependency?

Anyone struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction is welcome in our alcohol addiction treatment program. Our recovery center is for people seeking help to overcome their alcohol addiction and restore physical and mental health. Our dedicated team of professionals is here to guide and support you in your addiction treatment process, laying the foundation for long-term sobriety and relapse prevention.

At our rehab center in Provo, Utah, our team specializes in helping those with dual diagnoses: addiction and concurrent health issues. We provide:

To enroll in an Ardu alcohol rehab program, contact us online or via phone (801-810-1234). We will do our best to find a recovery path that works for you during the detox process and beyond. For more information, read our admissions process page.

Getting proper treatment empowers you to manage alcoholism while implementing lifestyle changes to improve skin health. With compassion and expertise, we can help you achieve lasting sobriety and skin rejuvenation. 

Brandon Okey

Brandon Okey is the co-founder of Ardu Recovery Center and is dedicated to empowering people on their journey to sobriety.

Alcohol and skin FAQ

Does alcohol cause dark skin?

Alcohol doesn’t directly cause dark skin. Excessive drinking can lead to skin discoloration and hyperpigmentation issues because inflammation caused by alcohol can trigger an overproduction of melanin (natural skin pigments). Alcohol also impairs nutrient absorption, leading to deficiencies that may cause dull, uneven tone. Liver damage from alcohol releases toxins that cause skin to appear yellowish or sallow. 

What will happen if we drink alcohol daily?

Drinking alcohol every day, even in moderation, can have cumulative damaging effects on your health. 

  • Daily drinking habits disrupt sleep quality, hormone balance, digestion, and mental health. 
  • Excessive inflammation damages organs and speeds visible skin aging. 
  • Dehydration leads to dry, sagging skin and hair. 
  • Nutrient absorption is impaired, causing vitamin deficiencies. 
  • Heavy daily drinking also strains the liver, leading to serious long-term conditions like fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. 

What alcohol is good for skincare?

No alcohol is truly good for skin health. Though popular in some toners and cleansers, alcohol is infamous for drying out skin whether you’re consuming or applying it to your skin. Frequent use of alcohol-based products disrupts the skin barrier, leading to irritation, flaking, and increased oil production. 

For healthy skin care, it’s best to avoid daily products containing alcohol. Focus instead on gentle, hydrating products with ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to nourish skin.

How fast does skin recover from alcohol?

Skin can recover surprisingly fast once alcohol use stops. Within weeks, hydration and collagen production starts to normalize. Oiliness, acne, redness, and capillaries will improve within weeks as well. Fine lines and premature aging effects may take a few months to reverse as skin cell turnover and regeneration improve. 

Nutrition is also key. Consume skin-healthy vitamins, and minerals to accelerate healing. With the right lifestyle choices after quitting alcohol, most noticeable skin damage can be reversed within 4–6 months.

What does wine do to your skin?

Wine, especially in excess, can wreak havoc on your skin over time. All alcoholic drinks have dehydrating effects, but wine seems to suck the moisture out of skin cells even more aggressively. Acidity levels also skyrocket, inflaming conditions such as psoriasis and rosacea and making them angrily flare up. 

Tannins in red wine have some antioxidant benefits, but they unfortunately also parch skin dry as a desert. And don’t get us started on sulfites. These preservatives give some people major allergic reactions. Plus, the sugars in wine cause blood sugar and insulin to go berserk, amping up inflammation, oil production, and acne breakouts. 

Just a couple of glasses a night ages skin rapidly with consistent drinking. 

How does alcohol change your face?

Alcohol affects all facial features due to its inflammatory, dehydrating, and aging effects on the skin. Before you know it, your skin turns into a dull, swollen, spotty, sagging mess.

  • Excessive drinking causes fluid retention all over your face, leading to a bloated, swollen appearance. 
  • Your bright eyes become tired, and baggy windows are shadowed by dark circles. 
  • Rosy cheeks transform into permanently red, veiny ones. 
  • Expression lines etch deeper into your skin, mapping out a history of one too many happy hours. 
  • Hollowed cheeks and loose jowls complete the worn-out look.

But the good news is alcohol damage can be undone. With the right skincare and lifestyle changes, you can restore that youthful glow in recovery.

Is a bottle of wine a day too much?

Yes, drinking an entire bottle of wine daily is definitely excessive alcohol consumption. The recommended limit for women is just one 5 oz glass per day. One bottle (750ml) holds about five 5oz glasses and delivers around 600 calories. 

This amount of alcohol every day significantly raises risks for liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke. Such heavy intake would also accelerate skin aging and worsen any inflammatory skin conditions. Stick to one glass of wine per day max to avoid negative effects.

Resources

Goodman, G. D. (2019, August 1). Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Use on Facial Aging in Women: Results of a Large Multinational, Multiracial, Cross-sectional Survey. PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6715121/

Say, Y., Heng, A. H. S., Reginald, K., Wong, Y. R., Teh, K. F., Shah, S. M. R., Sio, Y. Y., Ng, Y. T., Matta, S. A., Pang, S. L., & Chew, F. T. (2021, March 27). Modifiable and non-modifiable epidemiological risk factors for acne, acne severity and acne scarring among Malaysian Chinese: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health; BioMed Central. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10681-4

Ayer, J. B., & Burrows, N. (2006, August 1). Acne: more than skin deep. Postgraduate Medical Journal; Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1136/pgmj.2006.045377

Sharma, Y. K., Shukla, P., Nayak, R. P., Kothari, P., & Gupta, A. (2017, January 1). Association of dermatoses with duration and quantum of alcohol intake: A comparative cross-sectional study. Indian Journal of Dermatology; Medknow. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijd.ijd_348_16

Hoyumpa, A. M. (1986, November 1). Mechanisms of Vitamin Deficiencies in Alcoholism. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research; Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.1986.tb05147.x

Barve, S., Chen, Y., Kirpich, I., Watson, W. H., & McClain, C. (2017). Development, Prevention, and Treatment of Alcohol-Induced Organ Injury: The Role of Nutrition. Alcohol Research: Current Reviews, 38(2), 289-302. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513692/

Further reading

How long does alcohol detox last?

How do I know I have alcohol poisoning?

Is drinking bad for my teeth?

How does alcohol damage DNA?

Is alcoholism a genetic disease?

How to overcome your alcohol addiction in 6 steps

What is a high-functioning alcoholic?

What pain is associated with withdrawal?

How can I help someone I love with their alcohol addiction?