What are the Effects of Sugar on the Skin
Written by Lauren Arent (Lo Clark)
Owner of Bewitched Esthetics & Licensed Esthetician since 2013
July 5th, 2024
Hello my darlings,
We all love sugar, but what are the effects of sugar on the skin? Many of us don’t realize that by consuming sugar, we can be doing long term damage to our skin and our bodies. For instance, did you know sugar is more addictive than cocaine? In a study done on rats research showed the rats would choose sugar over cocaine, even when the dose of cocaine was raised! Sugar consumption has dramatically risen in the last century, causing a growing list of health problems in its wake. Let’s talk a little about what I mean when I say sugar.
Sugar is a general name for a carbohydrate that your body will turn into energy. Sucrose (table sugar) is what we are specifically talking about, which is a disaccharide molecule made up of glucose and fructose. According to the USDA, the average American eats 34 teaspoons of sugar A DAY, which equals roughly 100 pounds of sugar a year, per person! Over the last century, sugar has drastically risen in the average diet.
Effects of Sugar on the Skin #1:
Sugar can cause the skin to age prematurely! This is the worst of all as sugar leads to the breakdown of both collagen and elastin which are necessary components in the skin for volume and elasticity. When these are damaged, you will see more fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. We are all aging, but sugar is speeding up this process.
Effects of Sugar on the Skin #2:
Sugar can lead to breakouts. Acne is one of the ways our body purges toxins. Sugar in excess is one of the things our body will qualify as a “toxin” because of the negative effects like blood sugar spikes. This will lead to inflammation (a red, painful zit, likely cystic in nature) and an excess production of sebum which can also contribute to acne breakouts.
Effects of Sugar on the Skin #3:
Sugar causes inflammation in the body. When you consume refined sugars your blood sugar levels rise rapidly and can lead to insulin resistance which causes inflammation. Inflammation can trigger and exacerbate conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and other skin conditions.
Effects of Sugar on the Skin #4:
Sugar in general is terrible for the body. Research is beginning to show how bad sugar is for your organs (if you are diabetic especially!) and even our DNA! It causes breaks in DNA strands and can even interfere with the process of repairing DNA. This eventually could mean disastrous outcomes like cancer, which holistically speaking means the skin will suffer in the onset. *I am not insinuating sugar causes cancer. The over consumption of sugar has been proven to lead to deterioration in the body which can lead to these consequences. Being aware of how food, specifically sugar, affects the body can lead to not only healthier skin but a healthier body overall!
Effects of Sugar on the Skin #5:
Glycation. In simplest terms, skin glycation is the process in which sugar molecules reduce the quality of necessary components of the dermal layer. High sugar diets speed up the making of Advanced Glycation End products or A.G.E.s. An A.G.E. is the product of a protein in the skin that has been glycated.
I feel like the simplest way to explain glycation is: sugar molecules interact with the building blocks of our skin and weaken them by causing oxidative stress, by reducing your ability to fight free radicals, by reducing water content, and attacking the protein collagen (which is what gives skin it’s “bounce” or elasticity). Again, refined sugars are mostly the culprit here and naturally derived sugars are far less of an issue.
This complicated process results in thin, dull and dehydrated skin.
Things Worse Than Refined Sugars
If you think the effects of sugar on the skin are bad, you don’t even wanna mess with aspartame or corn syrup. Aspartame is turned into wood alcohol by your body, which is poisonous. And corn syrup, which has more fructose content than sugar, leads to problems like liver disease, uric acid, and high triglycerides. If you are going to consume refined sugars, it is bizarrely best to consume sugar and not aspartame or corn syrup. Preferably, it would be best to consume organic cane sugar.
How to Combat the Effects of Sugar on the Skin
This might be overstating the obvious but the best way to prevent these effects of sugar on the skin is by avoiding sugar itself. If you would like to know how to treat these problems though, there are many ways to do so.
The easiest way is by regularly seeing an esthetician. Getting monthly facials is by far the healthiest thing you can do for your skin.
The second thing you should be doing is a proper skin care routine. If you do not have one yet, start by reading this article! Using excellent skin care is another major part of this. The products you put on your skin can make all the difference in reversing the harmful effects of aging. Look for products rich in antioxidants, products that reduce inflammation, hydrating products, and products with exfoliating properties.
Here are a few product recommendations to get you started:
Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant
Rosehip Triple C & E Firming Oil
Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream
Snow Mushroom and Reishi Masque
You might also try a skin detox! Alicia Hawthorne (Eminence Organics Product Support Team Lead) explains, “The benefit of detoxifying the skin is that it allows the skin a fresh start. Detox stimulates a healthier environment for the skin and can encourage increased production of collagen and elastin. These changes can help increase cell turnover and improve the skin barrier overall.”
Alternatives to Sugar to Avoid the Effects of Sugar on the Skin
It can be hard to cut out the sweetness in life but the good news is there are alternatives to sugar. Here are a few healthier options for you to make the swap with refined sugars.
Fruit is always an excellent choice! You can never go wrong with fruit. Especially because fruit is high in vitamin content!!
Berries not to be mistaken for fruit (lol) berries are rich in antioxidants as well as being a healthier swap for refined sugars. My husband quit eating sugary cereals a few years back and swapped in oats with fruit and berries. It has made quite the difference for him!
Honey (try this recipe Lemon & Calendula Yogurt Bark) Personally I love this option. It goes great in salad dressings and baking recipes! It is a super food with many healing properties. It’s even excellent when applied directly on the skin!
Agave (try this recipe Full Moon Cookies) a plant based sweetener that is sticky like honey but without the more distinct flavor. Great for mixing in drinks in my opinion.
Monk fruit is a better, healthier choice than stevia! It has no bitter aftertaste and it has antioxidant properties.
Dates (try this recipe Sugar Free Ayurvedic Mango Energizing Bites) have MANY health benefits! You can blend them down into a date caramel, add them into recipes for sweetness (like shakes), or my favorite – stuff them with peanut butter and chocolate chips like candy!
Coconut Sugar is not only an excellent sweetener alternative, it also contains nutrients like zinc, potassium, iron and calcium.
Remember that most of these sugar alternatives are healthier than consuming refined sugars but are not as healthy as not consuming sugar at all.
Avoid the Terrible Effects of Sugar on the Skin
As a holistic esthetician, I can’t say I don’t consume sugar even though I know the effect sugar has on the skin. Remember that life is all about balance and awareness. If you choose to eat a cookie, let yourself indulge without guilt, be aware of the ingredients as well as the sourcing (Is it organic sugar? Refined sugar? Corn Syrup?). Do your best to keep your sugar intake low and replace with alternatives if you can. But the best thing I can recommend is to protect your skin and take measure to both prevent and treat damage to your skin from the effects of sugar. If you have good results from reducing your sugar intake, let me know in the comments below or tag me on Instagram @bewitchedskinandsoul in your glowing selfies!
Wishing you a life full of beauty and blessings!
