These Foods Could Be Drying Out Your Skin

If you find your skin is dry and flaky, and no matter how much moisturizer you load on, it doesn't do any help, it may be time to change your diet. Just as certain foods can make you break out, other foods can dry out your skin and even increase fine lines and wrinkles. Dry windy weather, too much sun, and hot showers and baths are some of the few things that can cause skin troubles, but foods that contain specific ingredients can also suck the life out of it.

"The foods you eat truly have an impact on your skin. The different components that make up a food can either help or hurt your skin appearance, texture and elasticity," Beth Warren, RD tells me over email. "For example, your skin is made up of collagen, which is a protein, so if you are lacking protein in your diet, your skin will lose firmness and shape."

Dry skin sufferers can attempt to fix the problem by eating foods that help moisturize from the inside out, but knowing what dietary culprits can work against your skin's nourishment is also important. Next time you discover your skin is flaking or less radiant than you desire, considering cutting down on these seven foods that may be drying out your skin.

1. Alcohol

"Because alcohol acts as a diuretic, it draws out liquid from the body," says Warren. "Less fluid can lead to dehydration and take away moisture from the skin, contributing to dryness." This can make fine lines and wrinkles appear more pronounced as well.

2. Salty Foods

"Excess salt in the body draws more fluid out of the cells to help neutralize the salt and draw it out of the body," says Warren. "As a result, your skin gets drier because of the lack of fluid." If you find that you've eaten a lot of salty food (because to abandon fries forever would just be insane) be sure to balance things out by drinking loads of water too.

3. Sugar

Too much sugar in the bloodstream can begin to affect tissue such as collagen, weakening and drying out the skin. "As a result, damage will be caused to the body and the collagen will lose its elasticity," says Warren.

4. Refined Carbohydrates

High-glycemic carbohydrates such as white rice, bread, and pasta can wreak havoc on your skin the same way sugar can. "Your body metabolizes these processed carbs the same way as sugar, meaning they actually cause wrinkles by damaging the collagen in your skin," Andrea Cox, RD tells me over email.

5. Foods High In Vitamin A

"Foods high in vitamin A, when eaten to excess, could be drying to the skin," says dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi, founder of Capital Laser and Skin Care over email. "Excessive amounts of vitamin A can cause skin dryness and hair brittleness, so don’t take 'mega' vitamin doses of vitamin A."

6. Coffee

Coffee, like alcohol, can dehydrate your skin by constricting your blood vessels so less fluid flows through to your skin. The drink can especially have an impact on the area around your eyes, and the effect is worsened when coffee is consumed on an empty stomach.

While balance is key (a cup of coffee is fine, seven cups in a single day might not be a great idea) Changing your diet is a good first step to fixing your skin, so watch out for any culprits that may be drying your skin up or messing with your diet.

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