Tuesday 12 February 2013

Caffeine and the skin

This is a long term argument I have with my boyfriend who is, to say the least, a coffee fanatic. I don’t drink coffee, I just never got into the habit of it and I'm glad I never have! I've been doing a lot of research into this subject as it seems to be quite a controversial one. Is coffee bad for your skin??? There is a lot of evidence to prove that it can be detrimental if consumed in large quantities.

DEHYDRATION ; 60% of body weight is made up of water and every tissue and system in our body requires it to function. Caffeine acts as a stimulant causing a diuretic action meaning you urinate more frequently. This leads to dehydration. So, for every cup of coffee you drink make sure you are drinking enough water to rebalance it.

LIVER SPOTS ;
this is a problem most commonly found in older people and is due to a high level of toxicity in the liver. Long term coffee use can prevent the liver from purifying the blood. This impure blood can then taint to skin cells, and as you age will result in liver spots.

INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE ; causing redness to the skin. So, not great for rosacea sufferers or anyone suffering from red, sensitised or flushed skin.

However, in saying all this, I do have to point out that caffeine can have good effects on the skin when used topically. The coffee berry is a natural antioxidant and is found in many antiageing creams, caffeine is also used to constrict blood vessels, thus tightening the skin. It is also a very popular ingredient in eye creams as it’s great for reducing puffiness and dark circles. This is down to its anti-inflammatory and stimulating properties. It’s also used to reduce the appearance of cellulite!

*Look out for my at home body scrub that i'll be posting soon, containing coffee to help break down cellulite.

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