By Macaela Mackenzie, Allure
Possibly bad news if your summer plans include sitting in sidewalk
cafes sipping chardonnay all day: A new study just found that drinking
white wine could up your risk of developing rosacea.
[post_ads]Alcohol
and your skin have a sordid history. In addition to sapping your glow
through dehydration, "alcohol is known to lower antioxidant stores in
the skin and can cause dilation of blood vessels,"Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical Research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, tells Allure. "Alcohol is also a well-documented cause of rosacea flares, but traditionally red wine has been predominately blamed."
In this new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,
researchers sought to find out exactly how boozing impacts the
development of the blotchy red skin condition that typically shows up on
cheeks in the form of redness and bumps. Using previous large data set
from the Nurses Health Study II, the researchers looked at the drinking
habits of over 82,000 women over a 14-year period. At the end of that
period, they also collected data on how many of the women had been
diagnosed with rosacea and when. Compared with non-drinkers, they found
that those hitting the bottle — as little as one to three glasses a
month — had a significantly higher risk of rosacea.
White wine
came out the worst — they found that just a couple of glasses per month
was associated with an 14 percent increased risk of developing the skin
condition by 14 percent. Kick that number up to five or more glasses of
Moscato a month and you’re looking at a 49 percent increased chance of
developing rosacea. While liquor drinkers saw slightly smaller increases
in rosacea risk (8 to 28 percent) red wine drinkers surprisingly didn’t see any increased risk at all. Let's hear it for the Pinot Noir.
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While
it's not clear yet why white wine in particular revs up rosacea, you
might consider switching to red if you don't already deal with the
condition as a preventative precaution. If you are already dealing with
flare ups, there are things you can do other than ditching your vino
habit. "If you have rosacea, make sure to stick to gentle, hydrating
cleanser and moisturizers," says Zeichner. "Using harsh or abrasive
cleansers can't disrupt the skin barrier, leading to inflammation and
potentially rosacea flares."
The bottom line is, sipping may not be great for your skin — but come on. Some things are worth reaching for a little extra glow-y skin product after the fact.
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