We all know the misery that can follow a night of partying a little too hard. If you’re lucky, it’s nothing that a few extra hours in bed and a big greasy breakfast won’t fix.  But what about your skin? The dehydration that causes hangovers is terrible for it, too. You may notice that you have dry skin after drinking, but that’s not all a skin hangover does. Depending on your skin type, it can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, cause broken blood vessels around the cheeks and nose, and leave dark circles under your eyes. Dehydration can also exacerbate rosacea and cause acne breakouts. You may even lose some skin elasticity. And what’s worse is that your skin could take up to 30 days to fully recover. 

So what can you do to repair alcohol damaged skin? A little extra love will go a long way. Take a look below at the following 5 tips for hangover skin care. 

#1. Drink water. Lots of water.

It’s crucial to hydrate skin after drinking alcohol, and you’ll want to start from the inside out. This means drinking lots of water. If you drink water before you go out drinking and drink water between drinks while you’re out drinking, and then drink more water before you go to bed, you may be able to avoid a skin hangover altogether. But if you didn’t manage to down quite enough water last night, you should get started rehydrating yourself now.  

And don’t stop just because you start feeling better. Keep up the hydration over the next few days and weeks. In fact, staying hydrated is an important part of keeping your skin healthy whether you drink alcohol or not, so you might as well make it a habit.

#2. Gently cleanse and exfoliate

You probably know not to sleep with makeup on. But sometimes after a night on the town, it’s all you can do to make it to the bed. A makeup wipe really isn’t enough to get all the makeup off and out of your pores, but it’s better than nothing. Sleeping in makeup is terrible for your skin, as it can clog your pores and result in exposure to damaging free radicals. If you didn’t get your makeup off before you went to bed last night, or if all you did was wipe it off, then you’ll need to cleanse and exfoliate right away to slough off the dead and alcohol-damaged skin cells. 

We recommend trying Skinmedica’s AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. It will clear out your pores and improve your skin’s texture in a single step so you can get back into bed sooner. 

#3. Hydrate from the outside in

It will take some time to rehydrate your skin by drinking water, so you’ll also want to combat dehydration from the outside as well. Skincare products containing hyaluronic acid are a good choice to help hydrate skin after drinking alcohol. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that attracts and holds up to 1000x its weight in moisture. We love Skinmedica’s HA5® Rejuvenating Hydrator, which promotes epidermal health by supporting the skin’s natural ability to replenish its own hyaluronic acid. 

#4. Take a break from alcohol, soda, and sugary treats

While you may be tempted to fix your immediate hangover with “the hair of the dog,” it won’t help your skin hangover. The sugars in alcohol, soda, and candy can weaken the immune system and make it harder for your body to fight off bacteria. So if you’re acne-prone, more alcohol and other sugary treats will increase the likelihood of a breakout. Alcohol also causes capillaries to dilate, which means it could exacerbate rosacea or at least keep your hangover skin puffy and red. And if that’s not enough, too much refined sugar can lead to inflammation and increase the enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

#5. Exercise

You may not want to go for a run the day after a wild girls’ night out, but if you do, it can help your skin tremendously. Just make sure you’re well-hydrated first, or you’ll end up further dehydrating yourself. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t make it to the gym right away. Whenever you get to it, exercise will be beneficial to your skin’s health then, too. Exercise helps reduce bodywide inflammation and increases circulation so that the skin gets vital nutrients. These nutrients repair damage and increase collagen production. Additionally, sweating flushes out toxins, which is also great for your skin as long as you cleanse thoroughly after you exercise. 

Take your skincare routine to the next level at Siti Med Spa in San Diego

It’s a new year, and there’s no better time to take your skincare routine to the next level. Whether you’re in detox mode after the holidays or you want to start the year off right by treating yourself to a medical spa treatment, you’ve come to the right place. At Siti Med Spa, we know skin, and while you may not be exactly sure what your skin needs, we’re here for you. We’ll evaluate your skin, listen to your concerns, and design a treatment plan to help you meet your beauty goals—through 2020 and beyond. We also carry Skinmedica products, and we can guide you to the formulas that will help optimize your skin’s health and radiance.  

Give us a call at 619-717-8484 to schedule a consultation today!