Useful tips
Content:
Benefits or harms
Premature aging
Hair problems
Skin changes color
Changes in facial expressions
Accumulation of fluid in the body
Harm from cosmetics
Irreversible liver damage
Alcohol and a bad smell of sweat
Beer tummy Constant fatigue
syndrome
To drink or not to drink
This article is intended for lovers of various alcoholic sweets who do not always know when to consume them.
Please look in the mirror. Now start reading this article, in which we will tell you how regular (even moderate) consumption of alcoholic beverages affects our appearance.
Benefit or harm
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Despite the fact that alcohol is generally considered a harmful product, for many decades (if not centuries), there has been debate about whether all these distilled and fermented laughing drinks are at least some good for our health. While arguments continue, we sometimes get horrified in the morning after a feast when we look at ourselves in the mirror.
Moderate (albeit regular) consumption of alcohol-containing beverages is unlikely to cause you to lose your human appearance in the near future. Moreover, there are a number of studies (we'll talk about one later) that supposedly prove certain health benefits for individual organs (but not for health in general!) from very moderate and occasional drinking.
In the long term, when it comes to regular consumption of alcohol-containing drinks (even if they are of very high quality!) in quantities that are hardly moderate, we begin to notice some changes in our appearance that are clearly caused by many years of “friendship” with alcohol.
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While disputes about the dangers and benefits of drinking are ongoing at the domestic level, read not articles on the Internet, but the conclusions of numerous experts and scientists based on the results of hundreds and hundreds of studies. And these are not some British scientists! Although they even say that 60 percent of our health problems are related to alcohol consumption.
As part of this article, the conclusions of experts from the Alcohol Research Institute, based in London, UK, are interesting. Experts, having studied the results of various international studies, conducted a detailed analysis of the changes that occur in our appearance over a long period of drinking alcohol. It's time to read them.
Premature aging
According to dermatologists and cosmetologists, nothing destroys our skin as actively and quickly as alcohol-containing drinks do. The famous women's fashion magazine Vogue once published the findings of world-renowned health nutrition experts who confirmed that the skin of most of their patients is premature wears out precisely because of alcohol.
Let's look at the mechanism by which alcohol acts on the skin.
It is not disputed that excessive consumption of alcohol leads to regular dehydration. After a violent libation, some drink a lot of water during the night; others wake up in the morning praying for a glass or bottle of life-saving liquid by their bedside, which is greedily absorb. Still others drink plenty of fluids at night and in the morning.
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It would seem – what does dehydration have to do with it? However, this water, as they say, does not really go to us for the future! Regular consumption of alcohol slows down the production of the so-called antidiuretic hormone called vasopressin. The purpose of this hormone is to preserve fluid in our body, which is especially important for blood vessels.
It is necessary to compensate for the lack of fluid in the body after drinking alcohol, but this is a double-edged sword. A large amount of fluid overloads our kidneys, which begin to work twice as actively as usual. The kidneys seem to be trying to maintain the balance of fluid in the body, which in any case leads to temporary dehydration.
Our skin (by the way, the largest organ in our body) is a kind of litmus test that tells us that we dehydrate our bodies too often. In this case, a person's skin, even if it is relatively young, loses its elasticity, softness and moisture, becoming covered with wrinkles, cracks, and potholes. And we're starting to look older than we really are.
Helpful advice
No one is forcing you to give up alcohol — this should only be your conscious and individual decision. However, it is highly recommended that you accompany every glass or glass you drink with a small amount of water to prevent dehydration rather than combat its effects. The “don't drink” rule has long discredited itself! The main thing is to drink clean water (non-carbonated).
Hair problems
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Lush healthy curls – a reason for pride and envy others – also suffer from regular alcohol consumption no less than our skin. The drinker's hair becomes brittle, turns gray earlier, split ends appear (even if you have never encountered this problem before).
In modern cosmetology, there are many ways to combat split ends of hair, as well as means to give volume and a healthy look to our hair. However, answer this question: you would stop drinking if you knew for sure that without drinking alcohol on a regular basis, you simply would not need to use all this expensive hair cosmetics?
The thing is that excessive alcohol consumption leads to zinc deficiency in our body. According to research by American scientists from the National Institutes of Health, about 30 to 50 percent of regular drinkers suffer from significant permanent zinc deficiency in the body , which leads to intense hair loss.
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This is not limited to zinc: if alcohol is a regular “guest” in our body, it also leads to a lack of a number of essential vitamins and minerals. In particular, drinkers lack vitamins B and C, which, against the background of increased levels of the hormone estrogen, leads to impaired hair structure, loss and growth retardation.
Helpful advice
If it so happens that you often fight the “green serpent” and lose it, getting drunk from time to time, it is strongly recommended that you organize your hair more serious careful care. And it's better to stop abusing alcohol!
The skin changes color
Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages is often the cause of redness on the face. In the most severe cases, these color changes can be so obvious that the face becomes not only red, but also bluish. This phenomenon is called rosacea and, worst of all, it can be irreversible.
But let's start: everyone knows that excessive amounts of alcohol lead to a significant increase in blood flow to the skin, which is unhealthy (at best, not very natural) its shade. Often this shade persists for several days (we don't discuss the extreme signs of alcoholism, like a puffy face and a swollen blue nose!).
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The reason is that alcohol dilates even the smallest blood vessels in the skin. Because of this phenomenon, a large amount of blood ends up at the very surface of our skin. Quite often, vessels and capillaries simply do not stand up and burst. The results of this are particularly good on the faces of heavy drinkers.
Warning!
Not only the skin of our face suffers, but also the vessels of our eyes. But even if this fact does not bother you much and is unlikely to force you to give up regular libations, think about this: bloodshot eyes are just the beginning. In particularly severe cases, this can lead to complete or partial loss of vision.
This phenomenon is called neuropathy (toxic amblyopia, that is, visual impairment). But that's not all! The consequences are also a decrease in the functionality of our pupils. In other words, the normal rapid relationship between our eyes and our brain is being lost.
Changing facial expressions
The devil, of course, is in the details — that is, some signs that you regularly overdo alcohol can be seen in skin problems, hair problems, circles under the eyes, and so on. However, all these changes in the complex significantly change the facial expressions of our face in the complex.
Kzenon
There is such a not-so-scientific term — the face of an alcoholic. Of course, an obvious fan of “filling the plum” changes his face in a radically specific way. However, even relatively moderate but regular drinkers can see the same symptoms, although they are less pronounced.
One of the typical signs that you're overdrinking with alcohol may be facial wrinkles on your forehead that appear prematurely (which is also one of the signs of premature aging). The reason is that in people who drink often, the face itself is usually relaxed (facial muscles), while the forehead muscles, on the contrary, are tense.
Relaxed facial muscles cause the face to fall slightly: the corners of the mouth sag, the nostrils dilate, the lips become larger, and folds form near the inner eye. These signs may be subtle, but together with other characteristics that indicate frequent alcohol abuse, the face of a frequent drinker begins to look smaller it's attractive.
The accumulation of fluid in the body
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A beautiful fogged glass of exotic cocktail, decorated with pieces of equally exotic fruit, beckoning with its cosmic beauty. Is it possible to resist such a temptation, especially in the company of friends and in a cozy place? However, if this is repeated day by day, you begin to notice some changes in your figure — and not for the better! This is not about being overweight due to fat. It's about the accumulation of fluid in the body.
The explanation is simple — our body, being exposed to constant exposure to alcohol, regularly feels deficient in fluids and electrolytes (potassium, chlorine, sodium). This accumulates fluid that enters with food and drink. And these are not all signs that indicate that it's time for you to change your lifestyle!
The more alcohol you drink, the more often you go to the toilet. Surely you have noticed that the smell and structure of your sweat has changed in ours. And alcohol abuse makes us sweat more. On the other hand, our body reacts to an inadequate supply of ordinary fluid, begins to retain it in its body, as if organizing reserves.
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A swollen abdomen is formed due to fluid that is retained in the body due to alcohol abuse. However, fluid does not only accumulate around the waist. Fluid also stays in other parts of the body; arms and legs swell, the face becomes puffy, and fluid accumulates in the internal organs.
The harm from cosmetics
Time in the company of close friends flies by unnoticed, which, by the way, is facilitated by drinking. Our assessment of the surrounding reality is becoming inadequate, the state of altered consciousness does not allow us to control and solve those simple everyday tasks that we always control sober condition.
For example, our eating behavior is impaired. In other words, we eat much more at the time of the feast than on a sober head. However, this is not the only moment we lose control. Having returned home well after midnight (or even closer to the morning), many people just want to go to bed as soon as possible, not paying attention to everything else.
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If we talk about the fairer sex, women “tired of narzan” simply do not have enough strength to wash their faces, wash off makeup from their eyelids, or even brush their teeth. If this happens sporadically, then there is no need to talk about a negative effect on our appearance.
However, regular neglect of these simple hygiene rules leads to acne, tooth decay, gum disease and many other logical troubles. A few years ago, the popular American scientific medical publication Journal of Clinical Research published the results of a study on the aging of women's skin (link to the study is provided at the end of the article).
Helpful advice
Based on the results of the study, experts came to the conclusion that improper skin care has a strong effect on the rapid aging of the skin. The report also included advice from dermatologists. Here's one simple but effective tip: use petroleum jelly to remove makeup. Remove excess ointment with a dry cloth or napkin. The remaining amount of petroleum jelly will help moisturize the skin.
Irreversible liver damage
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Our liver, which is regularly exposed to alcohol, is destroyed. This simple truth is known to everyone who regularly drinks alcohol (especially in large quantities). However, not everyone knows that there are a number of external signs that appear on our body (especially on the face) may indicate life-threatening liver problems.
First of all, do not ignore the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, which persist permanently. Secondly, slightly yellow whites of the eyes should alert. Actually, they signal an overabundance and accumulation of bile in the body.
There are also many other symptoms of a sick liver that can not be ignored – heartburn, bitter taste in the mouth, frequent nausea, vomiting (often just bile comes out). And if everything happens against the background of constant libations, then there is almost no doubt that alcohol is the cause of the problems.
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In fact, liver problems on this list of troubles that directly or indirectly affect our appearance due to alcohol abuse should be put forward by importance to the forefront. As you know, this unpaired organ, due to the absence of nerve endings, does not hurt. And most often we go to doctors just when we have a sore problem.
Women often mask signs of liver problems by inducing the usual morning (afternoon, evening) marathon, that is, by applying makeup. Pay closer attention to your face at this point. If you notice even the slightest signs of changes that may indicate a poor metabolism (not to mention the discomfort caused by an enlarged liver), go for an examination immediately — otherwise it might be too late!
Alcohol and a bad smell of sweat
Above, we have already touched on the issue of excessive sweating of people who regularly drink alcohol. People who often drink alcoholic beverages probably notice for themselves how much their smell and sweat structure have changed (it becomes sticky).
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And this is not surprising, because about 10 percent of alcohol leaves our bodies through urine, breathing and, of course, through sweat glands. Keep in mind the fact that we sweat much more intensely with a hangover. There are several reasons for this: from problems with liver functioning and obvious intoxication of the body to impaired heat exchange (we are thrown either in fever or cold).
Perhaps the problem of a bad smell of sweat will not seem as terrible to many as, for example, broken blood vessels on the face. And lifeless dry hair scares many women much more than some fragrances, which, moreover, can be disguised with perfume. However, our appearance is also how we smell, so think about it and try changing your lifestyle.
Beer tummy
A beer tummy is not about accumulating and retaining fluid in the body. A beer tummy is about the formation of subcutaneous fat. This phenomenon is very typical for people who drink regularly. Of course, not everyone's use of alcohol leads to weight gain. Numerous studies also testify to this.
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Those who only occasionally allow themselves to relax by occasionally drinking small amounts of alcohol are not at risk of obesity due to alcohol. But for those who drink often and a lot, overweight in most cases is the cause of alcohol abuse. This relationship is clearly demonstrated, for example, by the results of a study by Spanish scientists from the University of Navarra (a link to the study is provided at the end of the article).
As part of the study, scientists studied the long life span (from 1984 to 2010) of a large group of subjects. With moderate use, no clear link was found between excess weight and alcohol. On the other hand, the higher level of consumption of alcoholic beverages clearly indicated this connection. This is also confirmed by the results of research by scientists from other countries.
Constant fatigue syndrome
It is not a secret that a person who gets enough sleep regularly looks much better than someone who does not sleep well. But regular consumption of alcoholic beverages does not have the best effect on our sleep patterns. In other words, we don't sleep well because of alcohol and under alcohol.
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People who regularly drink large amounts of alcohol know that it takes much longer to get enough sleep when intoxicated. As a result, constant lack of sleep is not only manifested in accumulating fatigue, but also affects our appearance.
We lose the incentive to wake up on time in the morning, our attention and concentration decrease, circles under the eyes appear, the complexion deteriorates, and the health and structure of the hair are impaired. But this is not all that insufficient sleep associated with regular drinking leads to.
According to studies conducted by specialists from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, stationed in the United States of America, lack of sleep is closely related to obesity. It turns out that our predisposition to excess weight is influenced by at least two factors due to drinking alcohol — alcohol itself and poor sleep.
The body of a person who often drinks does not get enough rest during sleep, so it does not have enough internal resources to restore heart vessels, maintain the tone of the immune system, and brain rest. All these things together lead to the fact that our bodies begin to age prematurely, and our appearance is far from changing for the better.
To drink or not to drink
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What will come from one glass or one glass of liquor? Probably nothing from one. What if more? And then more and more? New Year's holidays are approaching, which for us are strongly associated with drinking alcohol, and we certainly need one glass or one glass. At least a lot of people are so used to it.
And it's not even about holidays — over the centuries, alcohol has become firmly established in our lives, becoming an integral part of it for so many people; alcoholic beverages have literally become part of people's culture, and for many representatives of humanity — a product that shapes a way of thinking and even life in general.
When we're celebrating, we're drinking. If we're sad, alcohol comes to the rescue. If we are trying to forget someone or something (or just forget ourselves), we still have the same “assistant” next to us — alcohol. It turns out that regardless of our mood, alcohol is (or at least seems to be) a thing you can't do without.
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Moreover, if we take one of the studies above as an example (a study by Spanish scientists at the University of Navarra), it turns out that episodic use a small amount of alcohol (especially wine) helps to normalize body weight (as opposed to heavy and undisturbed drinking).
If you're not ready to completely eliminate alcohol from your life, it's highly recommended that you heed the following advice. Some may find this advice trivial; others too naive; and others will find it completely meaningless and unrealizable.
And yet: if you drink, drink responsibly.
It's not as hard as it sounds. There are several proven ways to help stop in time, or at least reduce the harmful effects that large amounts of alcohol have on our physical and mental health.
Jacob Lund
This is not an instruction on how to drink properly! This is an attempt to get you to drink less, with less serious health consequences!
1. Can't say no? It's good. Then the next time you're going to have a drink in company, ask yourself to pour a little smaller one first, or even take the initiative, filling the glass or glass only half.
2. Before you drink another serving of alcohol, take a few sips of pure non-carbonated water. First (we've already talked about this), it will save you from dehydration by reducing the effects of drinking in the morning. Secondly, you will objectively drink less (and eat too!) , as your stomach will be partially filled with water.
3. Choose only high-quality alcohol. Drinking alcohol that contains a large amount of fusel oils (not to mention a surrogate containing life-threatening non-ethyl components) “kills” our appearance many times faster. And ourselves too.
4. If you decide to make it a little worse, as they say, do it only with clean drinks
— that is, drink vodka, dry red and white wines. This will also reduce the likelihood that you will be “sick” in the morning.
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5. Drink activated charcoal tablets before the next libation at the rate of one tablet per ten kilograms of your weight. Coal absorbs harmful substances, helping our body cope with the breakdown products of alcohol.
6. Take care of your skin regularly, always wash off your makeup before going to bed, consume enough vitamins and vitamin-containing foods. Do not neglect other hygiene rules — always, regardless of your condition, brush your teeth before going to bed and use dental floss.
Read also: What drinks should not be mixed with alcohol
7. Many people live in such a way that they spend their rare days without alcohol. Of course, you can always find an excuse — for example, you're a music producer or something like that, so you have to do business “under alcohol”. However, start organizing drink-free days for yourself, gradually increasing their number per week.
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8. Change your company. Your company may be very fun, but practice shows that if the majority drinks in the company, it can be difficult for a minority to resist temptations. No one is telling you to break up a relationship! Just get yourself a new parallel social circle, just in time for the days you'll be spending without alcohol.
9. The last tip may sound harsh, but it works for many impressionable people. If you sometimes drink alcohol at home, do the following: on another difficult hangover morning, take a selfie, print it out, and place a photo in front of a bottle that keep it in the locker. Perhaps your scary appearance will make you stop the next time you reach for a bottle.