Liquor And White Wine Might Raise Women’s Risks Of Developing Rosacea


In what many might consider a cruel joke on women, it turns out, even a glass or two of white wine on the weekend might increase a woman’s risk of getting rosacea. Rosacea is a common disorder of the skin on the face that affects over 16 million Americans. Rosacea presents as a reddish discoloration of the skin. According to the National Rosacea Society, the condition often causes “significant psychological, social and occupational problems if left untreated.”

“In other surveys by the NRS, more than 90 percent of rosacea patients said their condition had lowered their self-confidence and self-esteem, and 41 percent reported that it had caused them to avoid public contact or cancel social engagements. Among rosacea patients with severe symptoms, 88 percent said the disorder had adversely affected their professional interactions, and 51 percent said they had even missed work because of their condition.”

According to new research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, white wine and liquor are the alcoholic beverages most likely to be associated with an increased risk of rosacea.

According to Medical News Today, the early symptoms of rosacea are “flushing of the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin.” It stated that sometimes swelling of the facial skin and a burning sensation can also occur with rosacea’s early development.

The study looked at 82,737 participants in an ongoing prospective cohort study. It was led by Dr. Wen-Qing Li who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Brown University. The team looked at what type of alcohol was consumed and whether the study participant had been diagnosed with rosacea. The National Rosacea Society explained the findings.

“Neither beer nor red wine were found to significantly increase the risk. In contrast, white wine drinkers’ risk of developing rosacea increased by 14 percent for those drinking one to three glasses a month, and up to 49 percent for those drinking five or more glasses a week. The risk for liquor drinkers ranged from 8 to 28 percent depending on the amount consumed.”

Dr. Abrar A. Qureshi, chair of the department of dermatology at Brown University, was also one of the study’s authors. Dr. Qureshi said that alcohol has been associated with a number of skin disorders, including acne, liquor and white white appear to be associated with the development of rosacea in women. Red wine was once thought to be a trigger for people who already were suffering from rosacea, but the data from this study indicates that drinking red wine is not significantly associated with developing the condition in the first place. They speculate that red wine might trigger the condition in people who already have it, because it contains substances like histamine and resveratrol that might encourage the red flushing.

The authors speculate that white wine and liquor might increase the risk by weakening the immune system or by dilating the blood vessels. They say they aren’t sure if alcohol affects men in the same way and that further research will be needed to determine that. Further research will also be needed to figure out the exact association, and whether its a causal association, according to an article published in Medical News Today about the rosacea findings.

“Our research contributes to the sizable body of evidence that demonstrates alcohol’s harmful effects on the body, including the skin. Science has identified many factors that may potentially cause rosacea, and our study indicates that alcohol may be one of them,” Dr. Qureshi said. “Women who wish to maintain the health of their skin – and their overall health – should limit their alcohol consumption.”

In all, the study found that alcohol intake is significantly associated with developing rosacea, but more specifically, white wine and liquor are associated with the development of rosacea in women.

[Featured Image by Jacob Lund/Shutterstock]

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