This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Alcohol increases rosacea risk in women

Increased alcohol consumption was significantly associated with higher risk for rosacea in women, according to study results recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

“Drinking alcohol has a number of effects on your body that can impact your skin,” researcher Abrar A. Qureshi, MD, MPH, FAAD, chair of the dermatology department at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, said in a press release from the American Academy of Dermatology. “While alcohol has been linked to a variety of skin diseases, including psoriasis and acne, our research suggests that it’s also associated with the development of rosacea in women.”

Qureshi and colleagues reviewed data from 82,737 women included in the Nurses’ Health Study II between 1991 and 2005. Information on alcohol use was collected every 4 years during the study. In 2005, information on the history of clinician-diagnosed rosacea was collected.

There were 4,945 cases of rosacea identified in the study.

Increased alcohol intake was associated with a significantly increased risk for rosacea (P < .0001) when compared with never drinkers. Alcohol intake had a multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios of 1.12 (95% CI, 1.05-1.2) for 1 to 4 g per day and 1.53 (95% CI, 1.27-1.84) for 30 g or more per day.

Smoking status did not affect the association between alcohol intake and rosacea risk.

White wine (P < .0001) and liquor (P = .0006) were associated with significantly increased risk of rosacea.

“Our research contributes to the sizeable body of evidence that demonstrates alcohol’s harmful effects on the body, including the skin,” Qureshi said in the release. “Science has identified many factors that may potentially cause rosacea, and our study indicates that alcohol may be one of them.

“Women who wish to maintain the health of their skin — and their overall health — should limit their alcohol consumption.” – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: Qureshi reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for a full list of other researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.