A new survey by the National Rosacea Society found that certain alcoholic beverages may affect rosacea more than others, while also dispelling the common myth that the condition is caused by heavy drinking.
In the survey of more than 700 rosacea patients, 10 percent of the respondents said they rarely or never drank alcohol, and an additional 10 percent reported that consuming alcoholic beverages had no affect on their disorder.
"While alcohol may exacerbate the signs and symptoms of rosacea, today it is well documented that this disorder can be just as severe in a nondrinker," said Dr. Diane Thiboutot, associate professor of dermatology at Pennsylvania State University.
Of the survey respondents who were affected by alcohol, red wine caused rosacea flare-ups for 76 percent, while white wine aggravated the condition in 56 percent and champagne affected 33 percent.
Other common libations were cited as well. Beer caused rosacea to react in 41 percent of respondents, and 15 percent said they were affected by malt liquor or malt-based beverages. Among hard liquors, vodka was the leading rosacea trigger, affecting 33 percent of the respondents. This was followed by tequila (28 percent), bourbon (24 percent), gin (24 percent), rum (24 percent) and scotch (21 percent).
For 64 percent of those affected by alcohol, it only took a single drink to cause a reaction.
Eighty-seven percent of the survey respondents said they limit their consumption of alcohol because of their rosacea, and nearly 90 percent of those limiting alcohol reported that it had helped reduce their rosacea flare-ups.