Holiday Feasts, Treats and Your Skin
The holiday season is a time for gathering with friends and family, decorating your home for the occasion, and for delicious food. We all know that overeating during the holiday season can lead to gym memberships, but how does all this feasting affect your skin? We’d like to provide some tips on how to keep your skin glowing during a time of celebration and guilty-pleasures.
Depending on your family and friend groups, holidays could mean casually sipping on a glass of wine, or enjoying a few adult beverages until everyone is Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree. With this being said, the amount of alcohol you drink can impact the way your skin looks and feels. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, research suggests that the more alcohol consumed, the greater chance for the development of rosacea. Rosacea, which is most known for causing a “red face,” can also bring about symptoms such as puffiness or rough skin. Alcohol also causes dehydration, which will leave your skin dry (drier than it might already be in the colder months!) and it weakens the immune system, which will make you more susceptible to inflammatory skin conditions like eczema. And all the sugar in your favorite winter sangria or christmas-y cocktail can lead to breakouts.
Speaking of sugar...the best part of any holiday feast is the dessert. While some families have Christmas cookie traditions, others swap pies and spread holiday cheer with candies and cakes. With all our sugar plum dreams and stockings stuffed with candy, it’s no wonder that sugar intake tends to be much higher during the holiday season. So what does this mean for your skin?
In an article from The Dermalogica, they explain that Glycation from sugar leads to premature skin aging in the form of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are toxic by-products that cause deterioration of the skin and induce free radical damage. With this being said, the end result is loss of elasticity and the addition of wrinkles.
Now don’t worry; we’re not saying you have to pack up the wine glasses and suppress your sweet tooth. Instead, it’s all about moderation. To keep your skin feeling and looking fresh, space out your alcoholic drinks with water in order to stay hydrated, or switch to sparkling water or punch to celebrate with friends and family! Have a piece of pie and cookie or two, and then try fresh fruit or a piece of dark chocolate to curb the sugar cravings. You can enjoy the luxuries of holiday food & drink while being mindful of your skin and overall health.
Your skin will thank you for feeding your body with healthy options and decent portions, and you’ll be able to look back at those holiday family photos with a smile! If you’re looking for more advice on how to better help your skin, be sure to keep up with our blog or give us a call to make an appointment! Our dermatologists would love to help your skin look and feel its best during this busy, holiday season. Cheers!