Acne rosacea and alcohol consumption to excess have long been linked in the imagination of many. The reddened, coarse “whiskey nose” belonging to W.C. Fields is a visual reminder of the effects of untreated rosacea. The rosacea-plagued skin becomes increasingly red, and can cause over-development of tissue on the nose, leading to a bulbous appearance. However, the common impression that rosacea only occurs among drinkers is patently false. However, drinking exacerbates the flushing effect of rosacea, so heavy drinkers often display more severe symptoms. But even teetotalers can suffer from the disease,
Acne rosacea and alcohol usage, then, do not go hand in hand as disease and cause. Actually,damage from the sun is a much-greater contributor to the development of acne rosacea than drinking alcohol is.The disease is a skin disorder leading to redness and inflamed areas that appear to be pimples on the nose, forehead, cheekbones, and chin. It is especially prevalent in fair-skinned females aged 30-60, particularly those of Irish, British and Scandinavian descent. It should be noted that acne rosacea is not the same condition at all as regular acne. As rosacea advances, it often causes inflamed areas known as pustules and papules which are hard nodes similar to appearance to regular acne.
Acne rosacea and alcohol are linked, however, in the fact that alcohol is a trigger for the flushing that contributes to rosacea. Red wine is the worst offender for flushing. In a study of rosacea sufferers, red wine that caused rosacea flareups in 76% of the cases. Many sufferers find they avoid all types of alcohol to prevent the skin flushing that makes rosacea symptoms worse. In the same study, 64% stated that it only took a single drink to cause a flushing reaction.
Acne rosacea and alcohol–Is alcohol the only trigger in flareups? No, there are many factors which will worsen the appearance of rosacea. Really, anything that triggers flushing should be avoided. This includes sun exposure (use a high SPF sunscreen daily), overheating from hot baths and showers, exercise, spicy foods, hot drinks such as tea and coffee. Anxiety and stress can also be factors in triggering rosacea outbreaks as well as can exposure to cold weather.
