It may be time to drop those ladies’ nights

Skin getting older? Blame it on the alcohol.

In Anti Aging

We have a bit of bad news for you: those nights out on the town, even if you’re keeping your alcohol intake in check, could be aging you. Here’s how.

What does alcohol do to the skin?

Frequent alcohol consumption can actually decrease the body’s store of essential nutrients, especially Vitamin A, which is important for skin regeneration. Missing vitamin A could lead to more visible skin damage, such as fine lines and wrinkles, as well as age spots, as your body is less equipped to defend itself.

Plus, alcohol is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you, and it’ll show up on your skin as fine lines. Some well-meaning people advise matching each glass of alcohol with one of glass of water, but sadly that might not be enough. Alcohol also hinders the production of vasopressin — the hormone that helps you absorb water.

There goes happy hour…

Yup. If your skin is your priority, then it’s a sacrifice well chosen. Some say that red wine is rich in antioxidants, which could be good for your skin, but it’s not going to counter the effects of its alcoholic content.

If you do want to indulge a little, give yourself a weekly cheat day, and stick to just one glass. Okay fine, two max.