Christmas Ages a Woman by Four Years in 24 hours - December 2007

Non surgical skin treatment specialists SkinGenesis have estimated the effects of the stress of Christmas Day on the skin, as well as advising on measures that can be taken to prevent the problems.

Hangover skin from Christmas Eve, coupled with a day spent in the kitchen and an abundance of sugary snacks and alcohol can leave the skin looking tired and grey by the time Boxing Day rolls round.

Too much sugar in the diet on Christmas Day will lead to increased blood sugar, aggravating inflammation in the skin. And it’s not just the obvious sugary snacks that cause the problem, but also hidden sugars in a number of other foods.  The huge amounts of food we put away on Christmas Day can push the recommended sugar level up by a huge amount, with a real detrimental effect on the skin.

And increased alcohol consumption will also show in the skin, as it expands the blood vessels causing redness.  By depriving the body of anti-oxidants, alcohol also slows the skin’s healing capacity and preventing recovery.

Spending the day toiling in a hot kitchen is another way we can damage our skin on Christmas Day. Prolonged exposure to heat, and the transition from hot to cold environments, will dehydrate the underlying structure of the skin leaving it looking dry and tired.

And the lead up the Christmas can also wreak havoc on the skin. Lack of beauty sleep, rushing between the cold outdoors and centrally-heated shops and offices, as well as copious mince pies can also deprive the skin of the nutrients it needs to look fresh and youthful. By taking no measures to protect the skin during December, the average woman’s skin could look up to 7 years older by New Year’s Day.

And many people won’t deal with the ravages of Christmas skin until well into the New Year. The leftover Christmas chocolates and lack of exercise or fresh air means our skin doesn’t recover until we start our New Years Resolutions on January 1^st.

SkinGenesis recommend a number of measures to help protect the skin from the ravages of the festive season. Increasing the number of “super skin foods” in the diet, such as nuts and seeds and oily fish, will help it recover from the odd excess. Also, making sure you get enough sleep will help with the skin’s healing, reducing the effects of hangover skin.

SkinGenesis’s Director of Skin Treatments, Peter Beard comments “Christmas can have a devastating affect on the skin that people often don’t take the time to deal with until the New Year. Making a few small changes during December can prevent serious damage and ensure the skin remains healthy throughout the Christmas season.”

~Ends~

Issued on behalf of SkinGenesis by Adessi

For more information contact Anna Geraghty at Adessi on

Tel: (0113) 234 3862 or Fax: (0113) 243 9040

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it