Wine is many things. Your knight in shining armor at the end of a long, hard day at the office. The most luxurious, if not wasteful, spa treatment in all the land. A major reason you wake up with puffy eyes after knocking back one too many glasses. And, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, wine might also be the culprit behind rosacea flare-ups — especially if you're drinking the white variety.
The research comes from data collected from more than 82,000 female nurses in the U.S., and it found that women who consumed one to three glasses of white wine a month had a 14% increase in the risk of developing the skin condition. Those who drank five or more glasses a week upped it by 49%. Red wine, on the other hand, was only identified as a rosacea trigger for those who already have the condition.
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"That might be because red wine has flavonoids, which are anti-inflammatory," says dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. "While more research needs to be done on how each alcohol affects the condition, there is an undeniable correlation between alcohol and rosacea. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels in your skin, which could contribute to redness and flushing if you have the condition, or at least magnify the effects."
What should you do if you imbibe to the point of redness? Dr. Engelman recommends Rhofade, a new topical prescription cream that's getting a lot of good buzz in the dermatology world. That, or step away from the Sauvignon Blanc.