Are you experiencing an eczema flare up? Do you occasionally drink an excessive amount of alcohol? Studies have shown that there may be a link between heavy drinking and a skin condition such as eczema. When it comes to skin irritation, each person is different and finding your trigger may be difficult.

Eczema is characterized by red, itchy skin that can appear on any part of the body. Typically, this skin condition is mild to moderate and affects a variety of people. These irritations can come and go in waves. It depends on the person. The exact reason why this skin irritation occurs is unknown but there are many reasons to why doctors think this arises at certain times. Different allergens such as animal dander, dust, soaps or cleaning products may cause the irritation to surface. Other triggers include different chemicals found in scented candles, cleaning products, or smoking. Each individual has to pinpoint their ‘eczema trigger’.

So, how is alcohol related to an eczema flare up? Alcohol can be another trigger for this skin condition. Alcohol is known to dehydrate a person seeing as it leads to an excessive amount of urination. Your skin is your body’s biggest organ. When consuming large amounts of alcohol, you are ultimately dehydrating your entire body, including your skin. When there is a lack of moisture in the skin, a person will tend to see dry itchy spots. The sugar in alcohol also ages the skin causing more dryness and irritation. Lastly, alcohol diminishes the amount of vitamins in the body. These vitamins help in building new skin cells. If the vitamins are being depleted, it will cause problem areas on your skin or increase the irritation of current skin spots.

How to Deal with a Flare up

There are many ways to tackle these annoying areas. One way is to decrease your consumption of alcohol. This will allow the body to stay hydrated. If you feel like you’d like to drink, try to stay hydrated at the same time. This will aid in the side effects of a night out in more ways than one. Aside from decreasing your alcohol intake, you should refrain from scratching problem areas. This will only increase the irritation site. Again, if you feel yourself ordering a drink while out, opt for a higher quality drink. Quality can decrease the side effects see as the overproduction of alcohol may affect a person’s skin.

While a link between alcohol and eczema isn’t the case for everyone, it is a reason for some. Look at your skin after enjoying a night out with friends or a weekend indulging. There will most likely be irritated spots on your skin. And for some people, quitting alcohol may be difficult. If you feel as though you cannot abstain from drinking, it’s important to ask your doctor for an alternative to treating your eczema.