Caffeine vs. Your Skin

The first thing most of us do in the morning is grab a cup of coffee – it can be an absolute necessity! But after years of drinking coffee and adding some flavored creamer, – I wondered if coffee is bad for the skin. Is it the reason my skin can sometimes feel dry? Is it making you break out? Causing wrinkles? Here is what a little research found:

DAIRYIf you drink coffee with delicious creamer or lattes and cappuccinos – dairy could also be affecting your skin. Adding milk or sugar to your coffee can trigger acne. Traditional milk is filled with hormones which negatively affects the production of sebum and bonds dead skin cells together. If you notice skin problems flaring up (especially around the jaw and chin area) maybe try eliminating milk and/or dairy from your coffee to see if the problems still persist. If your breakouts go away, then it might have been the dairy causing it all along.

DEHYDRATION
Caffeine dehydrates our bodies and when this happens it makes your liver work even harder. When your liver has to work overtime, toxic build up in the body occurs and this definitely has an affect on your skin. You will notice redness and some premature aging (loss of collagen) when your skin is dehydrated and without enough water to fix the problem and detox your body, toxic buildup in the skin will also cause acne.

SUGAR
If you’re drinking anything other than a cup of black coffee, there is probably sugar in that Starbucks latte. Adding sugar to your drink could also be affecting your skin. Digested sugar permanently attaches to the collagen in your skin through a process known as glycation. Aside from increasing the effects of aging, glycation can also exacerbate skin conditions like acne and rosacea and cause inflammation.

Here is the conclusion from InStyle “The results of drinking too much coffee can cause the skin to wrinkle prematurely, and become more lax with time,” says Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy, M.D., CEO and founder of the Miami Skin Institute. “These changes definitely give the skin a more aged appearance than in people who do not consume caffeine.” So, how much is too much? Dr. Jegasothy notes that one to two cups a day is fine, but anything over that limit is overkill.

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It’s funny because caffeine can have some positive effects when used as a topical (in eye cream, say)… but I know I feel better in general when I drink less coffee, and I’m sure it has to do with many of the reasons you shared here.