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?

[wigglerose]

My skin massively improved both times after I gave up alcohol. I didn't drink that much, it just made my skin red, particularly my cheeks and nose. However I'm currently pregnant with hormonal acne so I'm a) not drinking and b)have terrible skin again, worse than when I was drinking or even when I was a teenager.

[SurreyHillsGirl]

Depends on how much booze, and genetics. I love wine but stick to a couple of (large) glasses of red on a Friday and maybe a couple on a Saturday, I'm 46 and get told I look young for my age. My dad also loves wine and looks young for his age. So yeah it's mainly genes I guess. This thread has made me fancy now

[lilgreen]

Wow @darksideofthemooncup just from booze? Well done.

[darksideofthemooncup]

I haven't had a drink for 3 weeks, I've lost a stone and I look better than I have done in years. I really hope I can keep this up

[AfterSchoolWorry]

You can definitely tell. The woman that used to be married to Ant has that look about her face. Bloated with eye bags.

[QualityFeet]

Hmmmm something to think about TakeASadSong. Am down from huge amounts to nothing most days a week other than the odd night out/in and not every week.
I was feeling quite virtuous!

[ChristmasFluff]

Sorry, wrote 'a week', and meant 'a month'

[ChristmasFluff]

@SarahBellam, you have to give up alcohol for a lot longer than a week to see the difference in rosacea - but pretty much knocking the alcohol on the head, completely cured it for me. Probably took about 6 months all told, although I was drinking occasionally.

I only drink when I go out with friends, or on holiday. I notice the difference, hugely.

I used to drink most days, and that was when I had rosacea. I also had small broken veins on my face, that I thought were due to being out in harsh weather - I am big on walking/hiking/mountains etc.

But since cutting back massively on the booze (due to age/going out less and finances) not only has the rosacea gone, but also the broken veins have gone too.

I definitely notice the puffiness when I've been on holiday. But I do love my wine on holiday!

[TakeASadSong]

Yes@QualityFeet

I was drinking too much (easily a bottle of wine a night 4-5 times a week, so really TOO much), and have completely quit and no plans to start again.

I feel SO much better for it.

[SouthOrWest]

I agree completely with @TakeASadSong. Giving up for a month (eg Dry January, Sober October etc) probably isn't long enough for most people to see or feel any real, significant benefits. In fact when I first gave up I looked and felt worse!

I've been alcohol-free for a couple of months now and am just starting to notice that my skin is clearer and the tone is more even. I've lost that puffy, tired look around my eyes as well.

I agree that long-term boozing is no good for your looks. It will affect some more than others of course but it's hard to make the argument that serious drinkers look just as good as they would without the dehydrating and collagen-destroying effects of booze!

[formerbabe]

Yes it's the puffiness

[Aceofhearts3]

Ageing wrecks most peoples faces without booze

[Pesimistic]

Yes when I've had a few wines I go all puffy and look awful.

[QualityFeet]

That’s a bit depressing TakeASadSong, turns out I just haven’t done it for long enough! Are you absolutely booze free?

[TakeASadSong]

When I gave up drinking I was gutted to find I didn’t turn into a princess within weeks . No weight loss, skin didn’t look better etc.

However, 4 months in I can really see a difference. At about the 2 month mark people (that didn’t know I’d stopped drinking) started to comment that I looked really well. I’ve honestly never had so many compliments in my life!

Around 3 months in I realised I didn’t need to use foundation any more, just a bit of concealer, as my skin was much more even. My fine lines seem a lot less visible too, especially around my eyes.

Nice bonus - I’ve lost 10lbs in the last 8 weeks doing absolutely nothing different other than not drinking. It just started to fall off after 2 months.

I think I probably look my age (early 40s), but definitely a slimmer, healthier, more glowing me.

[FourTeaFallOut]

Well, I don't know. I don't think it makes a difference for me but I don't drink very much in any case.

But I couldn't say for certain, I'm a bit blind to this stuff - I think I have that male gene that means when I look in the mirror I just see the person that I expect to see and remain blissfully unaware of any extra pounds or wrinkles.

So, I'll keep a look out for it from here on in. I honestly assumed only the most hardened drinkers look worse for the habit.

[SarahBellam]

I gave up booze for a month to see if it would help clear up my rosacea and to lose a few pounds. I was gutted to find it made no difference at all. Soolantra and a diet did make a big difference though!

[lilgreen]

I think sun and smoking are far worse than a few drinks a week. But obviously if you’re drinking a bottle of wine a night, it’s not good for any part of your body.

[Nosuchluck]

I drink but only about on average 4 to 5 units a week, for example I'll have a bottle of Bucks Fizz (3.4 units) over 3 evenings. If I have a night out I may have 2 glasses of Prosecco but that's the maximum.

[formerbabe]

I am virtually tee total...I might have a glass of champagne at a wedding or a small glass of wine with a meal in a restaurant.

It's often viewed with suspicion. You have to explain and justify yourself. It's totally bizarre.

I'm quite vain...I don't want to look old and weathered...I look younger than many women my own age.

For good skin I'd say

Keep out of the sun
Don't smoke
Don't drink
No long distance running

[AntiAuntieAnty]

Totally agree with both of your posts @NiceGerbil.

There are far more important things in life than looking good. But, feeling my best is probably my top priority in life. Just general wellbeing, family being happy, not being tired all the time etc. Not that me having a glass of wine on a Wednesday night makes my kids sad or anything, but it does, as you say, gerbil, make my perceptions a bit off, at a very low level. Looks are a part of wellbeing and sometimes a reflection of that.

But, if nights out or a few glasses of wine over a weekend in front of the tv, made me feel better than regularly getting a good night's sleep and MH never being impacted by booze, then I'd not even consider quitting!

To misquote Kate Moss, no booze up is as good as being hangover free feels! For me anyway.

And I STRONGLY disagree with her original quote about food btw, but that's another thread - there are literally thousands on here which already discuss it.

[Abraid2]

[quote JingsMahBucket]@Abraid2
French women drink moderately. They make a glass last a meal.

Yes and their glasses/pours are about 125mL or 150mL on average. In the UK it's usually 180mL or 250mL which is how a lot of British people end up drinking a bottle of wine each when going out to restaurants or at home. If the restaurant's average pour is 250mL and you have 3 glasses of wine, that's a whole bottle right there. And that might be at lunchtime on the weekend or a weekday evening too. In France it doesn't necessarily work that way.[/quote]
We replaced our glasses with 125ml ones about ten years ago and it is much easier to keep tabs on how much we drink.

[DrManhattan]

@OhioOhioOhio
This is a major factor that puts a lot of people off quitting. The only advice I have is to prioritize your own health over other people's expectations. So what if you aren't drinking, people will just have to get over it. Xx

[OhioOhioOhio]

Yes. It's the peer pressure that I struggle with too. I'd go teetotal now but am new to a group and am expected to drink on Friday.