Don’t Sip That Drink In The Sun

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Ditching your rooftop mojito or poolside marg is likely to make you roll your eyes. But hear us out. It’s common knowledge that catching rays means you need a decent slather of sunscreen, but there’s another factor you need to consider: an increased risk of skin cancer from what you drink.

Yep, drinking alcohol can have a significant effect on your skin, especially when it’s already vulnerable from the sun. The American Association for Cancer Research studied over 210,252 participants, who were followed over an 18.3-year period. The subjects answered questions on how often they drink, how often they drink outside and how many drinks they typically have in a day.

The results suggested that overall, drinking in the sun increases a person’s chance of developing melanoma by 73 percent compared to people who don’t drink in the sun. Here’s why: the ethanol in alcohol metabolizes into acetaldehyde, which can cause carcinogenesis. In simpler terms, this means that your rooftop rum and Coke can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. White wine was the biggest culprit, for reasons unknown to the researchers.

But no need to fear, you can still enjoy that patio or picturesque beach – we just recommend keeping yourself safe in the shade. The risk is too big not to take seriously.

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