Immediate changes
Better hydration
Another thing you could notice is how much more hydrated your skin can feel. Alcohol is renowned for its dehydrating properties since it urinates you more, which can make your skin appear a little dry and dull. Once you have stopped drinking, the skin can absorb and retain more moisture; thus, it looks plump and more vibrant. You might even notice that in as short a time as a few days, it feels smoother and softer.
Reduced puffiness and dark circles
Ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror after a night of drinking and see how puffy and dark circles are? This happens because alcohol makes your body retain water and increases the dilation of blood vessels, leading to swelling of the eyes and, consequently, dark circles beneath the eyes. Once you cut out alcohol, it gives your body the opportunity to regulate this puffiness and dark circles. Second, the improved quality of sleep-which in most cases follows after one has stopped drinking-may make your eyes look less tired and more refreshed.
Short-term benefits
Clearer skin
You might have been battling acne or rosacea, and for this, alcohol could be inflaming the problem. It just puts your skin on an inflammatory mode and interferes with the work of your liver to detoxify your body. A few weeks after you give up alcohol, you might notice some clearing as far as breakouts and redness are concerned. Your skin will begin smoothening out as your liver goes back to its normal functioning.
Smoother skin tones
It has been revealed that alcohol can make your skin blotchy and uneven because of its impacts on blood vessels. Furthermore, it can cause redness in skin tone. All these effects gradually wear off when you quit drinking. You may experience balancing of the skin tone, reducing redness, and flustered skin once the skin regains its natural tone.
Medium-term benefits
Better skin texture
As time goes on with no consumption of alcohol, your skin will begin to heal. It opens up your skin’s natural barrier, causing roughness and sensitivity on your skin. Within a month, your skin may start feeling smoother and healthier in general.
Smoothening of fine lines and wrinkles
Excessive drinking can cause your skin to become prematurely aged. Alcohol saps your skin of its nourishment and moisture; this will result in increased crow’s feet and wrinkles. When you stop for a month, your skin begins to heal. You might not wake up after one morning and find that things have dramatically changed; perhaps the fine lines are less prominent, and the skin is smoother.
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Long-term benefits
More elastic skin
The longer you stay alcohol-free, the more time your skin will have to renew and restore. Alcohol breaks down proteins like collagen and elastin, crucial for smooth and resilient skin. These proteins will begin building up again a month into the process, thus leading to tighter, more resilient skin.
Natural glow
Alcohol can make your skin appear sallow and tired. When you quit drinking, you are going to find out that you may develop a complexion in which you start to glow much more radiantly. This fresh, glowing look comes from improved hydration, better liver function, and overall better health.
General health benefits
Improved Sleep
Alcohol can disrupt your sleep patterns and makes your rest of poor quality. Better sleep does wonders for the skin as it helps in the repair and regeneration process. You might just wake up to look like you’ve slept, when you’re finally sleeping.
Less Stress
The reason being, alcohol is used by many to cope with stress, ironically enough, only further elevating the levels of stress more often than not. Quitting alcohol can mean lower levels of stress, which for your skin is great news. Less stress will translate into fewer flare-ups of skin problems such as acne or eczema, allowing a much more even and clearer complexion.
Taking a month off from alcohol can bring about impressive changes in your skin. It could be anything from increased hydration to decreased puffiness, a clearer skin tone, to fewer wrinkles-the list of benefits is undeniably visible. A month may not be sufficient enough for the complete resolution of every skin complaint, but you are more than likely to see enough improvements that will make you want to continue being alcohol-free.
If you’re thinking of going a month without alcohol, then your skin will more than likely thank you for this. You just might find yourself looking and feeling better than you have in ages, with a natural, healthy glow that speaks volumes to the commitment you have not just to your skin but to your general health as a whole.
Source: times of india
