| Does alcohol make acne vulgaris worse and does | | | | changes were reported in the effectiveness of |
| alcohol affect the acne medications and treatments | | | | isotretinoin. So the action of isotretinoin on acne |
| on the market? It appears the link between alcohol | | | | treatment is not influenced by alcohol during |
| abuse and acne has not been reported, as alcohol | | | | long-term isotretinoin treatment. The other 4 patients |
| abuse may go unnoticed (as this is thought, the least | | | | in the study showed no worsening of their acne with |
| of the patient's problems with alcohol abuse!) in a | | | | quite significant consumption of alcohol. |
| general clinic, unless specifically highlighted. With | | | | Now, this begs the question how much alcohol can |
| regard to acne vulgaris, alcohol has a strong influence | | | | be consumed before having effects on the body. |
| on the immune system function and induces changes | | | | Indeed, some physicians prescribe very small |
| in the small blood vessels in the skin. We are all | | | | quantities of alcohol, to increase blood flow, |
| aware of the vasodilator effect (widening of blood | | | | particularly in the small blood vessels that supply |
| vessels in the skin) of alcohol consumption by flushing | | | | blood to heart muscle. So the overall medical and |
| of the face, particularly the cheeks and the nose. | | | | scientific consensus, at this time, is that firstly alcohol |
| Some skin conditions have now been shown to be | | | | doesn't affect the efficacy of some of the common |
| dramatically affected by alcohol abuse, for example | | | | acne medications and secondly, doesn't make acne |
| Psoriasis and Eczema. Acne rosacea, post-adolescent | | | | worse. However, this does depend upon patients |
| acne vulgaris and superficial infections may also be | | | | consuming small amounts of alcohol. As we all know, |
| indicators of alcohol abuse. The relevance of these | | | | acne vulgaris and subsequent scarring can have |
| effects to alcohol-related to acne is shown to be | | | | profound psychological affects upon some patients |
| quite significant. | | | | and this does lead to those patients consuming large |
| A medical research study, by Doctors Larsen, Held | | | | amounts of alcohol. It is these patients that need to |
| and Nielsen-Kudsk investigated the effects of alcohol | | | | be monitored very closely, for these unfortunate |
| on isotretinoin, the effective acne medication for | | | | cycle of events, to stop the alcohol abuse and |
| severe acne. In the presence of alcohol, 7 of 11 | | | | subsequent liver problems. |
| patients had a considerable weekly alcohol intake, no | | | | |