Effects of Caffeine on Your Skin - It doesn't take a medical degree to realize that tired brain functions at a lower level than a well-rested one, but it may be a surprise that the same can be said of sleep-deprived skin.
Lack of sleep, according to natural beauty expert Merrady Wickes, "lowers your [skin's] natural moisture levels, slows it down your cell turnover, and then just makes you feel awful." (I mean, we're well aware of that last one.) You might be thinking right now that these are the kinds of drawbacks that justify downing a few quadruple espressos. Caffeine, unfortunately, may not be the skin savior you're hoping for—at least not when consumed in excess.
First and foremost, it is critical to emphasize that caffeine is caffeine, regardless of its source (i.e. coffee, tea, energy drinks, and etc). Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare emphasize that what matters in maintaining healthy skin is how much is consumed. "There are no negative consequences [for your skin] if you limit yourself to one 12-ounce cup of coffee daily." "Dr Gross claims ", However, if consumed in excess, there may be some negative side effects." (Don't worry, caffeine has some skin-boosting properties as well.) (We'll get to that later!)
The disadvantages of caffeine on the skin
1. Caffeine can dehydrate you.
"Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it promotes diuresis, or increased urine production, which can lead to dehydration," explains Dr Gross."Dehydrated skin can show up dry and dull."
Melissa Rifkin, MS, RD, CDN, says that because caffeine has a diuretic effect, it's essential to stay hydrated throughout the day."Looking at the color of your urine is the best way to check your hydration status: light yellow implies adequate hydration," said her
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2. Caffeine can cause sleep disruption, resulting in tired-looking skin.
Caffeine consumption late in the afternoon can disrupt your sleep cycle. "Consuming caffeine after 4 p.m. can have an effect on sleep even hours later," Dr Gross says."It can end up causing insomnia or interrupt restful REM sleep, going to act as a stressor on our nervous system and starting to cause under-eye circles and puffiness as a result of exhaustion,"
3. Caffeine can aggravate rosacea.
Keep in mind that not everyone reacts the same way to caffeine. Some people are caffeine sensitive—even one cup of coffee may be too much for them—and their skin will react more strongly to caffeine consumption than those with a high caffeine tolerance."Caffeine is a famous rosacea trigger, particularly for those who are sensitive towards it," Dr. Gross explains. "Like most other known triggers, such as red wine and spicy foods, that could cause swelling and redness."
4. Caffeine can aggravate internal stress and dull or oily skin.
According to Dr Gross, caffeine can aggravate agitation and nervousness by causing a spike in cortisol and adrenaline levels, adding to the stress people experience daily. "Caffeine, even when consumed in moderation, can aggravate the physiological events that occur in the human body when stressed." "When stressed, your body will prioritizes flow of blood to vital organs over the skin, going to result in sallowness, dullness, under-eye circles, and even oily skin."
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When applied topically, caffeine and skin work well together
Caffeine has numerous topical benefits, even though it can have some adverse effects. "This is because applying caffeine topically does not get into the bloodstream as quickly as ingesting it," explains Dr. Gross. According to the manufacturer, "caffeine can truly be effective ingredient in skin care, esp for eye and redness-reducing products." "It aids in the reduction of inflammation, redness, and puffiness ."It helps in decreasing puffiness, redness, and inflammation."
1. When applied topically, caffeine has anti-inflammatory properties.
"Caffeine whether in coffee or not, knowns is a vasoconstrictor, which means caffeine can constricts the blood vessel," explains Dr. "Putting it directly to the skin can reduce puffy, red, and or inflammatory skin."
2. When applied topically, caffeine has antioxidant properties.
"Because coffee is high in antioxidants, using it topically can reduce free radical damage and protect skin from future damage," explains Dr. Gross.
Also Read: Benefits of Coffee for Your Skin Health
Until you totally ditch your beloved morning oat milk latte, Precision Nutrition's principal nutritionist and adviser, Ryan Andrews, MS, MA, RD, RYT, CSCS, emphasizes the importance of remembering that we consume many compounds through our diet every day. Furthermore, these compounds elicit a wide range of reactions. "Caffeine is no different: some people metabolize caffeine faster or slower, which influences the type of effect caffeine has," he says.The relationship among both caffeine and skin, like most things in life, can be boiled down to everybody's favorite adage: All within moderation.
source: Well and Good