Alcohol and skin disorders: with a focus on psoriasis.

Overview

Alcohol is a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in our society and is implicated in multiple health conditions, including hepatic failure, neurological damage, hematological disorders, and nutritional deficiencies, to name a few. Although alcohol induced cutaneous abnormalities can also cause significant morbidity, they tend to be overshadowed by the other disease states associated with alcohol use. In addition to the cutaneous stigmata linked to chronic alcoholic liver disease, alcohol can directly cause or exacerbate several skin conditions. In particular, alcohol misuse is implicated in the development of psoriasis and discoid eczema, as well as confers increased susceptibility to skin and systemic infections. Alcohol misuse might also exacerbate rosacea, porphyria cutanea tarda, and post adolescent acne. Herein, we review the evidence concerning the influences of alcohol in skin conditions with a focus on psoriasis.