Ways the Holidays Can Wreak Havoc on Your Skin (And What You Can Do About It)


The holidays are a great time to enjoy the company of friends and family, indulge in delicious foods and splurge on a dream vacation. That said, the festive season can also have a tremendous effect on the skin—and not in a good way. We share all the ways the holidays can wreak havoc on your complexion, plus some of the best holiday skin care tips to get you through, ahead.

1. Lack of sleep deprives your skin the chance to repair itself.

Between food prep and party hosting, getting a good night’s sleep around the holidays can be quite the challenge. Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg, board-certified sleep medicine physician and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day, clarifies what happens when our bodies are asleep. “Our brains have a system—the lymphatic system—that flushes out neurotoxins. This is turned on mainly during sleep,” he explains.

But it’s not just that. According to him, our brains also produce body-repairing hormones when we sleep, such as growth hormones, which are necessary for tissue repair and cell regeneration, as well as myelin, the sheath that surrounds and insulates the nerves. Constantly depriving yourself of sleep also causes an elevation of cortisol, putting your body in a constant state of stress. As the body’s largest organ, skin is usually where the first signs of damage appear, and we’re not just talking about dark circles and eye bags.

2. Sugary treats trigger glycation, which accelerates skin aging.

Let’s be honest, the best part about the holidays is all the delicious treats. That said, Dr. Jaliman warns against indulging too much on sugary desserts, which leads to glycation.

“Glycation is when sugar binds to other molecules in your body, such as protein and lipids,” says New York–based dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe. “These sugar by-products do two things. First, they stop your cells from functioning properly, and then they create free radicals, which can further damage your cells. As a result, the molecules in your skin that keep your complexion looking tight and young—namely, collagen and elastin—are no longer able to do their jobs. Furthermore, you become more vulnerable to environmental stressors such as UV light, pollution and cigarette smoke.”


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