You Don’t Look ‘Cool’ Drinking

By Brianna Dickinson

Aside from the health consequences binge drinking can bring about—excessive drinking can have some pretty unattractive effects on your appearance. Keep reading as we answer the question: How 'cool' does drinking really make you look?

Do I look fat?
Alcohol is fattening because it adds empty non-nutritional calories to your body. Toxins in alcohol contribute to the buildup of cellulite. There are around 125 calories in a medium-sized (175ml) glass of wine; 500+ in a bottle. A vodka and coke or gin and tonic is 120 calories, so imagine the cocktails, ladies!

No more beauty sleep?
Alcohol affects the normal sleep process, so as your body is trying to catch up to deal with daily stresses, the alcohol is making it harder for your body to do so. The deep sleep the body needs is when the body is restoring itself, but alcohol can interfere with this. So, instead of the usual 6-7 cycles of REM sleep, you’ll only have 1-2 and may wake up feeling–and looking–exhausted.

Can't I just wear more make-up?
At least women have the option of make-up to hide the tell-tale hangover signs, right? Only for a while! Research has shown that drinking more than government recommends promotes aging, wrinkles, swelling of the capillaries under the skin, glassy eyes, aggravated acne, a puffy face and Rosacea, a skin disorder. When you abuse alcohol, you tend to be undernourished, which can make your hair dry out, give you cracked lips, and make you feel depressed and tired. Not to mention, alcohol also affects your coordination–something make-up cannot hide.

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists explains: “Alcohol dehydrates your body generally, including the skin, which is your body’s largest organ. This happens every time you drink. Alcohol is also thought to deprive the skin of certain vital vitamins and nutrients,” she concludes.

Even more unattractive?
Speaking of morning-after problems! It is said that drunk and hung-over people don't smell too good because five to ten percent of the alcohol leaves the body straight through your breath, sweat and urine.

Still think drinking is attractive? Think again! Although drinking can have some detrimental effects on your appearance, what it does to your health is a more concerning matter. To learn more about alcohol's affect on your health, visit this article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brianna Dickinson is an Operation PAR intern and junior at Eckerd College majoring in International Relations Global Affairs with minors in Spanish and Sociology. Brianna is originally from Atlanta and hopes to live in a Latin America country soon through the Peace Corps.