Of course there are much more serious reasons for going sober than to get really, really, really, ridiculously good-looking, but it’s a nice bonus.
Despite the attractive packaging and marketing that does a great job convincing us otherwise, booze is literally a toxic chemical that our bodies need to work hard to eliminate and recover from. When we put alcohol into our bodies, it’s like filling up your car with diesel instead of petrol. It’s going to break it. When we stop doing that, it works a lot better.
At around the four week sober mark, other people started to comment on the physical improvements they had noticed since I had stopped drinking. This was a bit of a confidence boost, and helped spur me on during the tougher times or when I was having a wobble or questioning my decision. It led to me listing them all down in my journal and referring back to them when I needed a pick me up, which I’m sharing with you now.
Here are the ways I could physically see my body improving, from head to toe, as I dried out:
1. Hair
This was unexpected, but my hair since quitting has improved drastically. I always had thick hair, but since my early twenties it had become dry and brittle and had the texture and appearance of a Brillo pad. I tried all sorts on it, but eventually just got into a routine of loading it up with gel to hide it. I could never leave the house without putting something in it. Now, I have a thick strong mop that, whilst still a bit wild, actually resembles human hair, rather than something that should be used for cleaning the oven.
I looked into it and it turns out that alcohol and hair do not get along. Over time, alcohol use can cause dry, brittle, breaking hair, and even excessive hair loss. The combination of dehydration and malnutrition makes it hard for your body to rebuild your hair and function at its best.[ii]
2. Eyes
After a big session my eyes would of course be bloodshot, but even in day-to-day life they would be dry and irritated. I blamed this on wearing contact lenses, or the air conditioning in the office (literally anything other than booze), but of course when you look into it, booze does not do our eyes any favours. At the extreme end of the scale you can do long term damage, but fortunately, most short-term signs of the impact of alcohol on the eyes should improve as the body rebounds from alcohol exposure.[iii]
3. Skin
Around the age of 15 I started to get terrible, cyst like acne. The type that was deep under the skin and painful to have, and painful to look at. It was terrible for my self-esteem. Given my age, the various doctors and dermatologists I went to were always of the opinion that it was due to teenage hormones and that I would grow out of it. I never did.
I was eventually put on a drug called isotretinoin in my mid-twenties, which is powerful but has multiple side effects and is not suitable for long-term use. So whilst I would have bursts of clear skin when I was on those drugs, the acne would come roaring back during my off cycles. Since I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve no longer needed to use it. My skin has miraculously cleared itself up of its own accord. I now get compliments on my glowing complexion.
Coincidence? The research would say not. Whilst there is no direct link between alcohol and acne, e.g. proof that one pint of lager equals one cyst in the morning, the multiple harmful health effects of alcohol on the immune system, liver function, inflammation, and hormone balance reduce overall skin health, and can indirectly cause acne or make it worse.[iv]
Clarins[v] (a big make up company for the men not in the know) commissioned a team of experts to weigh in on the question of the impact of alcohol on your skin. They went well beyond acne. Dry skin, enlarged pores, puffiness and rosacea were all added to mix. The key takeaway was that there is no level of alcohol intake that’s good for your skin. If you want to ensure your skin is in top condition, avoid alcohol completely and stay well hydrated, oh, and stick on some sunscreen whilst you’re at it.
4. Face
I’ve not got any science to back this one up, so this one is just my own personal experience. As I reached my thirties I noticed that my face was puffier and more bloated in pictures. I just attributed this to being something that happens as we get older. But since I quit, my jawline has returned, and my cheekbones are back. (Quietly strikes Zoolander Blue Steel pose)
5. Beer Belly – Gone!
My beer belly was another thing that was chalked up to being one of the things that just needed to be accepted as you got older. By my mid-twenties I had a bit of paunch that slowly grew year on year. By my early thirties I had a well-defined beer belly. I got a personal trainer, tried multiple diets (intermittent fasting, the 5:2, tracking calories) but I could never shift it. Eight months after quitting, admittedly once I stopped replacing booze with cheesecake, it just sort of left of its own accord.
This isn’t actually all that surprising when you take into account how calorie laden booze is. A pint of lager contains roughly the same calories as a bar of dairy milk[vi]. I was consuming the equivalent of nine dairy milks on a Friday night, then topping it off with a kebab or some chips and cheese on the way home. Waking up the next day I would crave something stodgy to take the edge off the hangover, before doing it all again on the Saturday. It’s no wonder I was piling on the pounds. A study for The Times reported that the average wine drinker puts on half a stone of fat a year.[vii]
There is a bit of a multiplier effect here. It’s not just that I was taking away the calories from booze, I was also replacing the unhealthy food I craved when I was drinking with healthier alternatives. It’s not like I’ve got a six pack, but I no longer have to suck in my belly and hope no one looks at me as I dash from the lockers to the pool when I take the kids swimming.
6. Goodbye unexplained bruises
When I was boozing, I had what seemed like permanent bruises on my shins, legs and thighs from banging into things. Some days I would wake up with hand mark bruises on my arms from, I can only assume, being man handled out the way in my more inebriated of states. I told myself that I ‘bruised like a peach’. I don’t. Nowadays I rarely get bruises, because nowadays, I walk into tables a lot less.
So whether you are choosing to stop forever, trying Dry January, or considering the 99% sober approach, it’s worth giving it a go. Your reflection will thank you.
Patrick@99percentsober.com
Instagram @99percentsober
[ii] Fuller, Tiffany. “Alcohol And Hair Loss: Are They Connected?” The Hope House, 1 November 2022, https://www.thehopehouse.com/alcohol-abuse/related/alcohol-and-hair-loss/. Accessed 7 October 2023.
[iii] Mile, Heroes. “Alcoholic Eyes: Drinking Alcohol & Your Eyesight.” Heroes’ Mile, https://www.heroesmile.com/alcoholic-eyes-drinking-alcohol-your-eyesight/. Accessed 7 October 2023.
[iv] Yellayi, Sirisha. “Does alcohol cause acne? Effects on the skin.” Medical News Today, 24 June 2020, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-alcohol-cause-acne#does-it-improve-acne. Accessed 7 October 2023.
[v] CLARINS. “What are the Effects of Alcohol on Your Skin? The Experts Weigh In.” Beauty Daily | by CLARINS, https://beautydaily.clarins.co.uk/wellness/health/alcohol-skin-ageing/. Accessed 7 October 2023.
[vi] Nutracheck. “Calories in Chocolate.” Nutracheck, https://www.nutracheck.co.uk/calories/calories_in_snacks_and_confectionary/calories_in_chocolate#url. Accessed 7 October 2023.
[vii] Smith, Rebecca, et al. “Average wine drinker puts on half a stone of fat a year, says campaign group.” The Telegraph, 18 April 2009, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/5171660/Average-wine-drinker-puts-on-half-a-stone-of-fat-a-year-says-campaign-group.html. Accessed 7 October 2023.
One Response