If you puff on some nicotine or sip a tipple often, there can actually be some tell-tale signs that show on your face.
According to an Office for National Statistics 2024 survey, 5.4 million people in the UK smoke or vape. As for alcohol consumption, Alcohol Change UK reported that 57.8 percent of the population admitted to drinking alcohol in the previous week.
We all know the dangers of both habits, and while it’s generally understood to be internal risks, those things are easily mirrored on the outside.
Australian skin expert and nutritionist Fiona Tuck says she can tell how much a person smokes or drinks just by looking at them, as she explained to The Daily Mail that alcohol has a clear sign, as does smoking.
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Signs of drinking alcohol
The expert explained: “Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes the body lose fluids and nutrients. In response, the body can retain water, leading to temporary swelling in the face and other areas.”
This means that your face can look puffy if you drink a lot.
But there are also other issues booze can cause due to it being a toxin that is ‘inflammatory to the body’.
This could be showing up as brown spots, dilated capillaries, dull skin, pigmentation, redness, loss of collagen, wrinkles and congestion.
Heavy drinking can also cause a person to gain weight due to the volume of calories consumed.
“Alcohol is also a toxin and is inflammatory to the body. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to systemic inflammation, causing inflammaging (chronic, low-grade, inflammation) or premature ageing,” she said, adding that ‘chronic alcohol abuse can also damage the liver, impairing its ability to filter waste products and toxins from the body’.
“Not only that, but alcohol relaxes and widens blood vessels, which can lead to temporary redness and flushing in the face. Over time, the vessels can weaken and may become more prominent,” the expert explained, and noted that frequent use can lead to nutrient and B vitamin depletion.
Signs of smoking/vaping
It’s not just smokers who have to be wary here, as vaping is also an issue.
Fiona explains that smoking depletes nutrients like vitamin C and antioxidants, leading to elasticity weakening in the skin.
“Premature ageing due to a loss of collagen and elastin and cell damage, and pigmentation due to increased oxidation and lack of antioxidants, are the more long-term side effects associated with heavy drinking and smoking. The skin takes on a dull, lacklustre appearance,” the expert warned.
However, she did note that there isn’t a lot understood about the long-term impact of vaping, but said it can’t be good.
This is because nicotine can ‘constrict blood capillaries, reducing nutrient uptake and impeding skin healing’.
This causes the skin to be dull due to the circulatory and lymphatic system becoming hindered.
The chemicals in vapes can also lead to ‘redness and inflammation and even skin issues such as dermatitis,’ Fiona said.
So, is this look permanent even if you quit?
According to the skin guru, not always, but it does depend on how much you were using the products.
Britt Jones