Why Dry January is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Skin Right Now
Chances are either you or someone you know is participating in Dry January. Dry January is the increasingly popular trend to cut out all alcohol during the first month of the year. The movement was started in 2011 by one woman as a way to improve her training regimen for a half marathon. By 2017, there were estimated to be over 5 million people participating in Dry January. Many participants see it as the first step to creating a new lifestyle in line with their New Year’s resolutions.
The Truth About What Alcohol is Doing to Your Skin
It’s not new information that alcohol consumption isn’t the best thing for your body. An occasional, responsible beer or cocktail is fine, but over-consumption is not recommended. To fully understand the skin benefits of Dry January, it’s important to understand what alcohol is doing to your skin in the first place.
Alcohol is known to dehydrate your body, and therefor, dehydrate your skin. Skin dehydration leads to early onset wrinkles, which may make you appear up to 10 years older.
Drinking in excess can cause your body to suffer from a zinc deficiency, which leads to a strong histamine reaction. This reaction causes inflammation that can lead to facial redness or rosacea.
Depending on the specific beverage and mixtures, alcohol can contain an excess amount of sugar which can lead to acne.
In addition to the many skin benefits of Dry January, it can also help you to lose weight, improve your sleep, give you more energy, improve your overall mental health and more.
Making Smart Decisions About Alcohol Consumption
Once Dry January is over and you decide to welcome alcohol back into your lifestyle in February, do it safely and combat the harsh effects that alcohol can have on your skin. Physicians recommend eating a full meal before or during alcohol consumption. They also suggest alternating servings of alcohol with servings of water to replenish the skin from dehydration.
If you have questions on how to improve your skin’s general well-being, schedule an appointment with Dr. Wooming by calling 972-661-5476 or request an appointment online.
