During summer, alcohol becomes a big part of social gatherings. But how does it really affect our skin?
Alcohol can have harmful effects on your skin. It dehydrates the skin, disrupts the natural moisture balance, dilates blood vessels, leading to redness, and can exacerbate skin conditions like acne. It also contributes to premature aging, fine lines, and wrinkles due to collagen degradation and decreased skin elasticity.
To understand this better, let's start with what alcohol is and what happens when it enters the body. Alcohol, or ethanol, is a psychoactive substance found in beverages like beer, wine, and spirits. When consumed, it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. From there, it travels throughout the body, affecting various systems, including the skin.
When alcohol enters the body, the liver works to metabolize it. However, this process can only handle a certain amount at a time, leaving excess alcohol circulating in the bloodstream. This excess alcohol causes dehydration by increasing urine production and drawing water out of tissues, including the skin. Dehydrated skin appears dull, dry, and more prone to fine lines and wrinkles.
Alcohol also causes inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging skin cells and breaking down collagen, the protein responsible for skin's firmness and elasticity. This leads to sagging skin and the formation of wrinkles. Blood vessels in the skin also dilate, causing redness and an uneven skin tone. Over time, heavy drinking can exacerbate skin conditions like rosacea, psoriasis, and acne.
Recipe
One great natural way to combat this the next morning is simply by drinking one delicious cup of green iced tea. It may seem simple, but it has an immense, powerful effect.
Here’s my recipe for four glasses of green iced tea:
- 4 cups of water
- 3-5 teaspoons green tea (sencha green tea is my favorite)
- The juice from one lemon
- 6-8 tablespoons cane sugar or honey
- First, bring the water to boiling point.
- Then add the cane sugar or honey until it has dissolved.
- Now remove the pot from the stove.
- Once the water has stopped boiling, add the green tea leaves and the lemon juice.
- Cool it down to room temperature or keep it in the fridge.
- Just before serving, add some ice cubes.
You can also blend the tea together with the ice cubes for a delicious icy drink. Additionally, you can make a sugar rim on the glass and serve the tea with fresh mint leaves on top.
This provides a great detox for when the hangover kicks in ;)
Stay healthy and protect your skin!
