Alcohol, smoking and your skin

[ANGEL BRANT]

:wink: I have had several clients ask about what effects smoking and alcohol have on the skin and what can be done to "reverse" if not slow down the effects.

Let me first say, I have been of late using Dermalogica like a fiend. I am very happy with this product and it is the easiest product to use for new users.

Ok, smoking...second to the sun, smoking causes the release of free radicals to the body which deplete the Vitamin C content in the skin and body. Ever notice people that have smoked for some time, have that sort of daft, gray coloring to their skin? Sort of asphysxiated looking and ultimately yellowish? Nicotine in cigarettes also causes the smaller blood vessles in the skin to contract (choke) the vessles disallowing blood and other nutrients to be delivered to the skin where needed.

Vitamin C is needed in the skin to help with connective tissue, repair and also helps the skin to guard against disease. It is essential in the safeguard against free radical damage such as pollution and environmental toxins that we "face" everyday!! For those who have sun damage, Vitamin also helps to fade sun damage. Vitamin C also provides clarity to complexions.

For those of you who smoke, you are also susceptible to premature aging and that oh so beautiful, "smoker's pout" that people who smoke develop around their lipline... :scared: I hate seeing that in my yonger clients.

Now for those concerned with drinking.....

Drinking as you probably know robs the body of hydration. According to such sites as WebMd, those who consume water while consuming alcohol will not suffer tremendous hangovers as those who party hard!! The brain is robbed of water and this is what causes the body to react in a meltdown!! :frown: Anyhow back to skin...alcohol not consumed in moderation also leaves behind a residue in the body because not all alcohol is filtered out of the body as fast as we think. :yuck: :ill:

Alcohol consumption, Like smoking, capillary activity. In this case, alcohol consumption causes capillaries to be dialated. This causes a rosaceic-like appearance to the face because if alcohol consumption becomes excessive, capillary walls break down and this can become visible in the face. This is especially an important thing to take into consideration especially if you are very light complected or of Northern European Descent. (Irish, Italian, Swedish, etc)

Excessive Alcohol consumption may also cause a condition known as "rhinophyma". This is a reddening of the face and eventual excessive growths to the face. At this time, this is more predominent in men. But women should be cautioned especially if rosacea is in their family. An example...Google a picture of 30's actor W.C. Field.

The best advice I can offer for those of you who partake in either of these past times is to make sure you get plenty of water and to try as hard as you can to stop in excess.

I will admit, I am a Dermalogica junkie....so I would suggest anything in their MultiVitamin Line when it comes to those of you who smoke. For those of you who imbibe, the Dermalogica "Intensive" products are for you...

Hope this helps and answers a few questions and I am not sounding like I am preaching... :blabla:

Angel

 

[xkatiex]

Great post!

About the drinking bit.. I never over drink alchohol if you get what I meen, 2 glasses is enough... would that still be effecting my skin? This is again only now and then (once twice week) thanks x

 

[ANGEL BRANT]

Good Day, Miss Katie!

My question to ask you Katie is this...when you drink, are you eating something with it? What are you doing ot replace the hydration that alcohol takes out of the body?

I know there is room for arguement, especially from the red wine drinkers in the house. But I would say you are fairly safe as long as you are remembering to be hydrated with water or are drinking in combination with a meal.

Just my opinion....but I am also looking at it from a standpoint of what will happen in the long run. My Grandmother is Irish and drank Guinness like a fish when she was young. But she also drank plenty of water and was not a soda/pop drinker. She has beautiful skin to this day!!

Hope that helps...just keep in mind for your skin/body to be hydrated, a normal human being should be drinking 1/2 their body weight in water daily.

 

[Kathy]

Thanks for the post! More reason for me to quit smoking! Gave up drinking a long time ago though. So...one out of two ain't bad, right?? lol...

 

[emily_3383]

thanks for posting! I dont drink or smoke and its a good reason not to start. lol

 

[Kookie-for-COCO]

Don't do either. Look at my Profile. I am 55 years old and have never put anything in my body that does not need to be there. Will talk about about chemicals later. Prescription meds---OMG!!! I am an RN.:sleepyhead:

 

[xkatiex]

I drink water all the time! thanks for answering my question /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> x

 

[michal_cohen]

never drinked never smoked

but my skin still look bad

 

[CubNan]

Longtime smoker, I appreciate the info. Rarely drink due to medication.