How alcohol affects your appearance

• Alcohol and your skin
• Beat the bloat
• Spots and smells

We'll say it fast to be kind, but alcohol is fattening. In fact, a pint of 4% beer or two double gin and tonics equals around one burger! You can use MyDrinkaware to find out how many calories there are in your favourite drinks and what the equivalent of those calories are in junk food. It will also help you keep track of what you're drinking over time and set yourself goals for cutting back so you're drinking within the government's daily unit guidelines.

Alcohol and your skin

Alcohol dehydrates your body generally, including the skin – your body's largest organ. This happens every time you drink. Drinking too much is also thought to deprive the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. Over time, drinking heavily can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin. Rosacea, a skin disorder that starts with a tendency to blush and flush easily and can eventually lead to facial disfigurement, is linked to alcohol.

Beat the bloat

Alcohol can also cause your face to look bloated and puffy. You might find it bloats your stomach too. And then there's the cellulite; many believe the toxins in alcohol contribute to its build up.

How can you beat your beer belly?

Spots and smells

Sorry, there's more. Hungover people don't smell too good either; the liver processes most of the alcohol you drink, but some of it leaves the body straight through your breath, sweat and urine.

If you didn't manage to take your make-up off, you'll be more prone to spots too. Never mind your glassy, bloodshot eyes.

Why not cut down on alcohol and help preserve those good looks?