Women urged to 'drop a glass size'

Jan 8 2013

Women in Scotland are being asked to look into a "drinking mirror" to see the effects of alcohol on their bodies.

A phone app has been developed as part of a health campaign to encourage people to think about reducing the amount they drink this year.

It allows users to take a photograph of their face and view the potential impact of over-indulgence.

Dr Samantha Robson, a GP and skin specialist in Aberdeen who helped launch the campaign, said: "Alcohol undoubtedly has an effect on our appearance in the short and long-term.

"As well as causing bloating and dark circles under your eyes, alcohol dries out skin and can lead to wrinkles and premature ageing. Many people forget that alcohol also affects their sleep, which doesn't do skin any favours.

"But drinking more than you should over time can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin and, more importantly, your overall health.

"Many women don't think about the longer-term effects of drinking or that on average it takes them longer than a man to recover from the damage caused by a big night.

"But cutting down a glass size, or having a break some nights, the result could make a huge difference to how they look and feel."

The wider campaign asks women to "drop a glass size" and think about how many units they are drinking each week.

About 38% of women regularly exceed daily or weekly drinking guidelines, the Scottish Government said, and alcohol deaths among women aged 30 to 44 doubled in the past 20 years.