Anyone who notices a red face after drinking alcohol should take care of themselves. Because there could be alcohol intolerance behind it. And that can increase the risk of certain types of cancer.
It’s not just the end of the day that many people ring in with a toast. Beer, sparkling wine, schnapps and the like have long since become a normal part of our everyday lives. That’s not healthy, we all know that. However, experts draw special attention to an immediately visible side effect. Because you should watch carefully whether you have one red face from alcohol receive.
Why does my face turn red when I drink alcohol?
Behind the unusual response of your skin to corresponding drinks is a condition called “alcohol flush reaction”, roughly translated as “redness caused by alcohol reaction”. Anyone affected by this doesn’t just get a warm, red face from alcohol. The neck and chest area can also show corresponding changes. Other side effects include nausea, headaches and a rapid heartbeat.
The disease is one of the main signs of alcohol intolerance. Acetaldehyde, also known as ethanal, is built up immediately after consumption. This occurs in the body when ethanol contained in alcoholic drinks is broken down in the liver or stomach. Among other substances, acetaldehyde is responsible for the “hangover” the next morning.
Increased risk of cancer in those affected
Acetaldehyde is actually converted relatively quickly into the safer acetate. If you get a red face from alcohol, it’s different for you. Acetaldehyde is then produced more quickly and the liver needs more time to further break it down. However, this is where the problems only begin.
Apart from the discomfort, there is another particular problem with the disease. Acetaldehyde is highly toxic and a known carcinogen, i.e. carcinogenic or cancer-promoting. Anyone affected by this is subject to one higher risk of mouth and throat cancer. As individual studies show, alcohol consumption has long been underestimated when it comes to the risk of esophageal cancer.
What helps against blushing when you drink alcohol?
If your face turns reddish, you should stop drinking immediately and think carefully about whether alcohol is necessary in the future. There are no real treatment options for this. The red face after alcohol is genetic and hereditary. It occurs primarily in East Asia, and anyone can have an enzyme disorder that causes alcohol intolerance.
By Dana Neumann