To think booze wrecks your face

[Everythingnotsaved]

I normally have a booze break of 6 months every year- during that time I regain my skin and my jawline which at 47 is no mean feat.

I’m on summer hols at the moment & have been drinking for 2 weeks and I look bloated, fat, jowley and awful. I feel so crap about myself & look 10 years older.

Aibu to think as you get older, even small amounts of booze have a huge effect?

[Everythingnotsaved]

My main reasoning is that actually me & booze need DJ part waves permanently

[funnyonion1]

YANBU. Booze definitely affects your looks.

[L8Bloomer]

You're not wrong. I know twins and one has a drinking problem. Obviously they were born on the same day and it's getting to the point where they hardly look like siblings nevermind twins.

[mdh2020]

I had a secretary who smoked and drank vodka visiting her local pub several times a week. Her face was bloated and she looked ten years older than her actual age.

[L8Bloomer]

Ps, I have not drunk for about 12 weeks. I had two glasses of wine with food last night and I woke up at 6.00 am feeling bad. Went back to sleep. Kind of. Got up at 8am and got sick.
Felt a bit better. But that was just from two glasses of wine. I'm not able for it.

[NancyNoNickers]

For sure, booze makes all the features in your face swell and look grim, even a glass or two. Drank so much over lockdown, am a stone heavier and look shocking. Knocking it on the head now though.

[LunaNorth]

Yup. The morning after a night off the booze my skin looks better and I’m a lot less puffy.

[Everythingnotsaved]

I’m trying to get through August & holiday season & then I will stop again until Xmas. It’s shocked me though how much impact it’s had in 2 weeks

[Imissmoominmama]

I didn’t drink from July last year to April this year and people remarked on how good I looked. I’ve caned it over the last few weeks and I look awful.

No more.

[PurpleDaisies]

How much are you drinking when not on your break?

Booze doesn’t affect my skin but I don’t usually drink more than a couple of alcoholic drinks a week.

[AntiAuntieAnty]

YANBU. I am also on a booze break, considering giving it up forever! I'm not a huge drinker, but it does affect my skin big time. The last time I gave up alcohol for a few months, just this year, I bloody gained weight! But, I think, once I get used to not drinking at all, my tendency to snarf down cakes metabolism might even out a bit though.

I do see people sometimes and I just know they drink a lot, and very unfairly I do think it's more noticeable on women for whatever reason... Alcohol does effect women more than men in terms of health as well. A doctor friend of mine said that gastro wards are frequently half full of middle aged, middle class women, with serious health problems as a result of not even that much alcohol, but obviously too much. Meanwhile, men do seem to get away with it a bit more. I was a teenager in the ladette culture, where it was cool to match men pint for pint. Not a good idea at all!

[Thefab3]

I think it can but weirdly I have friends (mid 30’s) who still drink very heavily and look fine, well rested etc. They don’t have kids yet , sleep loads etc. Can you negate the damage with extra sleep?!
But apart from that I generally think 100 percent it ages and really does a number on the skin.

[QualityFeet]

I am always really disappointed to see that I look and feel no better for swearing off the stuff.

[bunpot]

I have eczema and booze gives me awful flare ups

[L8Bloomer]

I think the damage really starts to show around 42 -43 ish? Thinking of my own friends who aren't very healthy. They all looked great on their fortieths even if wine and cigs were their best friends, but by 45, without a doubt, looking after your health pays.

[Ponoka7]

@Thefab3
" Ithink it can but weirdly I have friends (mid 30’s) who still drink very heavily and look fine, well rested etc."

It's around 42 when alcohol is no longer your friend. I used to love drinking, my advice to anyone who likes a drink is to make the most of your 30's.

Celebrates counteract it with expensive skin treatments.

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

Large quantities of booze definitely ages ppl, but I personally think that a glass or two on a regular basis can affect ppl differently. My bil and his wife, both 51, have a drink every night and Like a good party. They ook slim and athletic ( they do exercise). My other bil (52) is a fitness fanatic and rarely drinks, goes to bed about 9 pm...but he looks more tired and older. Neither have children so it’s not broken nights. I have no idea why this is, it seems really unfair on clean-living bil2.😂

[cheezy]

I don't notice much difference in my skin when I drink less, but then I've never for a long time without booze, a month max.
What is it about alcohol, the dehydrating effects?

[BeforetheFlood]

I so want to believe that giving up drinking would be the silver anti-ageing bullet because of all the money I could save, but whenever I've tried it I honestly can't see the difference. (Perhaps haven't persevered for long enough though)

Also, don't French women tend to drink more than British women and still look infuriatingly marvellous?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

So in your 40s is the 14 unit limit too high, if you don't want feel like crap/ don't want the booze to show in your face?

[NiceGerbil]

Dunno genes play a part

I have always been careful in the sun, but did smoke like a chimney for years and drink a huge amount.

I look pretty good for my age I'm told (46).

Some of it is luck.

Certainly my alcoholic uncle looked rough towards the end but he was a full time boozer and kept going impossibly well for years.

I think there's a genetic component for sure.

[PhilSwagielka]

French women eat a more Mediterranean diet though, olive oil and tomatoes and whatnot. And they drink more wine.

My mum definitely looks better now that she's quit drinking. Alcohol really ages people. Shane McGowan is an extreme case.

[NiceGerbil]

I mean I still drink a huge amount. The cigarettes I gave up.

[PregnantAndTiredMum]

It can obviously make you look awful if you're drinking too much of it.
If you're only having small amounts and plenty of water during the day then it really shouldn't change your looks.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Oh god yes, it’s like taking a hammer & chisel to your collagen,