Katie has always enjoyed a glass of wine to unwind a few times per week. In recent months, her one glass has turned into two or more, sometimes even a whole bottle. Katie has told herself she was just releasing the pressure of balancing work and helping to care for her grandchildren. But she’s finding it harder to get going in the morning and occasionally feels cravings for a drink during stressful times in the workday. Her friends and family have noticed a change but are not sure how to talk to her about it.

But at 38 years old, I couldn’t escape the consequences of drinking. At night, my mind raced with anxious thoughts and I never felt well-rested. The day after drinking, even just one glass of wine, I’d feel groggy, hungover and just sad. Back in my 20s, it would have taken four or five drinks to make me feel this way. Pounding water and electrolytes like I did when I was younger was no longer a fix.

Addiction Destroys Dreams, We Can Help

Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it causes blood vessels to relax and widen. Changes to blood vessels brought on by excess alcohol consumption can affect various does drinking make you look old parts of the body. Many addiction treatment programs, support groups, and 12 step programs provide the tools needed in order to be successful after detox.

does drinking make you look old

Joy Manning, a Philadelphia-based freelance writer and creator of the Instagram account Better Without Booze, can also attest to the life-changing effects of sobriety. She said she just celebrated her 600th day of not drinking. Although free radicals play their own role in protecting your health, when they’re not kept in balance by antioxidants, they begin to damage your fatty tissue, DNA and proteins. That damage can, in turn, contribute to diabetes, heart disease, neurodegenerative illnesses and other age-related conditions you want to avoid. And about those “according to science reports.” Have there been clinical human studies on collagen? A lot of these studies are performed by people selling collagen supplements.

Does Alcohol Make You Look Older?

If you’re bothered by wrinkles and the appearance of ageing, contact the team at the Harley Clinic to talk about your options. When exposed https://ecosoberhouse.com/ to the sun, the skin develops fine lines and wrinkles. Wearing sunscreen of at least 30 SPF will keep your skin looking fresh and youthful.

does drinking make you look old

Heavy drinking can cause irritation to the blood vessels in your eyes. This is why oftentimes when someone is drunk they get bloodshot eyes. Over time, continual bloodshot eyes due to excessive alcohol use can lead to the depletion of nutrients. This can also lead to impaired eyesight and the need for glasses, contacts, or surgery to correct your vision. Alcohol can affect the way some vital organs work and make them age faster. While heavy drinkers are more likely to have cirrhosis (permanent damage to your liver), even moderate drinking can lead to problems like fatty liver disease.

How Else Can Alcohol Age the Body?

There’s a reason why your skin can feel different after a series of holiday parties, BBQs, or mojito-filled beach days. “What you eat affects your skin—for better or worse,” Ariel Ostad, MD, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, told Health. Depending on the type of coffee you drink, for example, you could be aiding the development of skin dryness—one change related to aging skin. At North Jersey Recovery Center in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, we offer various therapies so that a patient can enjoy a successful recovery from alcohol misuse.

  • This is why oftentimes when someone is drunk they get bloodshot eyes.
  • A 2017 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found the number of adults in the United States who regularly consumed alcohol went from 65 percent in 2002 to 73 percent in 2013.
  • They also agreed to several medical exams to measure signs of heart disease and aging.

One benefit includes a possible link between coffee or caffeine and a reduced risk of non-melanoma skin cancers. A few of the other drinks and foods that can age you include alcohol, red meat, and fried foods. Here’s more about what you should eat or drink in moderation to reduce the risk of skin aging.

Could a Daily Glass of Wine Lower Your Risk of Developing Dementia?

Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine may lead to insomnia, irritability, nervousness and restlessness. At North Jersey Recovery Center, we strive to make your addiction treatment experience as comfortable as possible. Drinking alcohol may make you more likely to develop certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, rosacea, and seborrhoeic or nummular dermatitis. However, these conditions can also develop in people who don’t drink at all (5).