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subscribe to beauty blog via RSSEat, Drink, and Still Look Merry
December 24, 2008 12:25 pm
This column features weekly tips and advice from a revolving cast of industry leaders, on hand to discuss your beauty dilemmas, from blemishes to Botox. To submit a question, e-mail celia_
ellenberg@condenast.com.
With all the holiday imbibing I’ve been doing recently, I’m curious what the real stats are as far as alcohol’s effects on the skin.
While you probably know that overindulging in alcohol is bad for your health, it can also have negative consequences for your skin. Excessive alcohol consumption dilates the superficial blood vessels in your face and allows fluid to leak out of these vessels resulting in skin that looks red, puffy, and swollen. Seeing that dehydration of the entire body is the number-one side effect of alcohol, overconsumption can also make skin appear dry and sallow. But knowing all of this won’t
necessarily make it any easier to abstain over the holidays. To counteract the ill effects of any potential binges, make sure to wash your face thoroughly, apply plenty of moisturizer, and drink plenty of water before you turn in for the night.
A member of the American Academy of Dermatology and an Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Mount Sinai Hospital, Debra J. Wattenberg has a cosmetic dermatology practice in New York City, where she specializes in antiaging cosmetic procedures as well as the prevention and early detection of skin cancer. In addition to making regular television appearances as a skincare expert, she has served as a consultant to some of the leading cosmetic companies in the world, including Procter & Gamble’s Dove advisory council, Medicis, Allergan, and La Roche-Posay.
tags: Alcohol, Dr. Debra J. Wattenberg, Skincare
