Alcoholic Skin Problems
Alcohol, technically called ethanol in the context of alcoholism, is made by the fermentation of glucose into yeast. The alcoholic content of a particular type of drink depends on the quantity of yeast and the duration of fermentation. Providing no nutritional value, alcohol cannot be digested by the body, which immediately considers it a toxin that it must get rid of. Alcohol is considered a source of "empty" calories. It has many short-term and long-term bodily effects and yields significant effects on the physical appearance and overall health of the skin, especially for an alcoholic. Does this Spark an idea?
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Vitamin A Depletion
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Alcohol starves the entire body, including the skin, of essential nutrients. The larger the quantity of alcohol intake, the larger the quantity of nutrients depleted. Many of these nutrients are oxygen sources for the skin, and the nutrient depletion and subsequent oxygen loss in the skin weakens the skin against harmful environmental influences, such as pollution, UV rays, and smoke. Vitamin A depletion yields bad consequences for the skin, as this vitamin is imperative for the skin's protection, proper functioning, and overall health. Vitamin A deficiency makes the skin vulnerable to bacteria. It also reduces the suppleness and thickness of the skin. Since vitamin A stimulates cell turnover (to replace unhealthy cells with new ones), its depletion adversely affects the evenness and smoothness of skin tone and texture. The following alcoholic skin problems are strongly associated with Vitamin A depletion.
Dehydration
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The skin's health and appearance relies heavily on hydration. In the same way that alcohol dehydrates the body, creating the infamous "hangover" thirst, it also dehydrates the skin. This causes it to lose its dewy appearance, contributes to the loss of thickness and elasticity, and magnifies pre-existing skin irregularities, such as wrinkles. Alcohol, a diuretic, lowers the body's water level by taking water from it, which causes dehydration. Some drinks have more intense dehydration effects on the skin than others, and obviously higher quantities of alcohol worsen dehydration effects, as alcohol prevents the body's natural antidiuretic hormone from being released. Dehydrated skin is dry, and becomes increasingly unhealthy, rough, and scaly for alcoholics. Naturally dry skin suffers worse visible effects from alcohol dehydration.
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Premature Aging
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The necessary, natural proteins that keep the skin strong, thick, firm and youthful-looking are elastin and collagen. Vitamin A boosts the production of these proteins in the skin. As people age, the production of elastin and collagen proteins slows down, which eventually makes the skin thinner and more susceptible to wrinkle formation, among other skin conditions. Alcohol intake, especially at the high levels of an alcoholic, substantially speeds up and intensifies the natural aging process. This causes premature aging, which can also add visible aging effects that might not have otherwise occurred. Oxygen and vitamin A deficiency inhibits collagen and elastin production, reducing the plumpness and firmness of the skin, making it weaker and thinner. Skin discoloration and wrinkles develop long before they are due. Combined with dehydration, the visible effects of premature aging worsen.
Skin Discoloration
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Alcoholics eventually demonstrate red, blotchy skin that looks similar to that of someone with rosacea. Alcohol causes the blood to flow quite closely to the skin's surface. The small blood vessels of the skin layers gather and widen there, as though they are reaching out for oxygen. Fair-skinned people are particularly prone to this redness at the skin's surface. Alcohol intake, even on one isolated occasion, often produces flushed skin, and long-term excessive drinking causes permanent redness and blotchiness. The open blood vessels that seem to be reaching out for oxygen create puffiness, which is the reason many alcoholics demonstrate a puffy face and puffy under-eyes.
Broken Capillaries and Visible Veins
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Broken capillaries, from a distance, seem to create the same aforementioned visible effects of redness, except this condition is worse. The redness in the skin worsens over time into broken capillaries and visible veins. Alcohol intake causes capillary dilation, and eventually the dilated capillaries burst, which creates permanently visible red and purple veins at the skin's surface, especially on the cheeks and around the nose. Many fair-skinned alcoholics seem to develop a deep red or purple nose, often called a "drinker's nose." A close look reveals a congestion of tiny broken capillaries and visible veins.
Liver and Skin Relation
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Most people understand that alcohol is most damaging to the liver, but it is less commonly known that an alcoholic's stressed-out liver eventually causes a sallow appearance in the skin. When the liver can't perform its tasks properly and function up to par, a jaundice-looking effect becomes visible in the skin. In the same way that alcohol intake encourages "bad collagen" growth and scar tissue in the liver, it also delivers this parallel effect to the skin.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit "Pink Drink Splash with Cherry," by Giniger, flickr.com/creativecommons
