Coffee and Your Skin: How Caffeine is Affecting You
There are quite a few rumors out there about what caffeine does to your skin, and especially what coffee does to your skin. Can the acidity of coffee change the pigment of your lips? Will drinking one cup of coffee per day actually be beneficial? Can too much coffee dehydrate your body and your skin? We wanted to get down to the bottom of things, so we turned to board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology Dr. Gary Goldfaden. Below, he busts the coffee myths!
Can drinking coffee for an extended period of time change the color of your lips (due to the acidity)?
Dr. Gary Goldfaden: No, coffee will not change the color of lips but can obviously stain the teeth.
What effects does caffeine have on the health of your skin? Are they mostly positive or negative? Caffeine in skin care products can be beneficial. It helps to get rid of cellulite or at least the appearance of it. Caffeine is a stimulant and stimulates the brain and nervous system. Indirectly, this can make you feel like you have more energy and therefore you may exercise more, which is beneficial to the skin. Caffeine can be used as an exfoliator as well. Coffee grounds are rough and also help to pull water from the fat layers of the skin, reducing the appearance of cellulite.
Is there a safe daily serving amount of coffee that won’t harm skin? There is not one safe serving. I think it is dependent on the person. One cup a day has been shown to actually be beneficial for health.
Would changing the caffeine source from coffee to green tea or another caffeinated beverage change the effects? Changing the source won’t make a difference. Caffeine is caffeine. Green tea has more antioxidants but other than that not likely to affect anything.
Are there any preventative measures to take to avoid the negative effects of caffeine? The negative side of caffeine can be dehydration, which is not good for the skin or body. Be diligent about the amount consumed daily. Small amounts are usually okay and won’t harm the skin.
