5 Sneaky Ways the Holidays Can Mess With Your Skin

If you've increased your cocktail consumption this season (how else can you get through the holiday office party?), your liver isn't the only thing that will suffer. According to Dr. Bank, excessive drinking can mess with your skin in a variety of unattractive ways, including:

Dullness: Excessive drinking leads to dehydration and depletes skin of vital nutrients, leaving you with a "blah" complexion.

Dryness: Alcohol zaps the body of vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant that is necessary for maintenance and repair of skin tissue. When vitamin A levels drop below normal, your skin will look dry and flaky.

Premature Aging: As mentioned above, increased alcohol intake can leave skin looking drier and less youthful. Plus, the loss of necessary vitamins and nutrients needed to maintain skin elasticity and vibrancy can lead to wrinkles and fine lines.

Rosacea: While not a cause, increased alcohol consumption, especially red wine, can trigger rosacea flare-ups in some people.

The Solution: Drink lots of water to counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. A good strategy is to have a glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you consume. You can also combat dry skin by being extra diligent about applying moisturizer.

Check out this list of Healthy Holiday Cocktails.