Why does my face get red when I drink?

Question

From the moment I start to feel a slight buzz, from drinking alcoholic beverages, my face starts turning red. This happens to my mom and my aunt also. They think we all must be allergic to it but that’s the only side effect. So…do we have an allergy or is there something else going on?

Answer 1

Your face (and your mom’s and your aunt’s) gets red because of a genetic issue called “Alcohol Flush Reaction.” This is the full process: When you drink alcohol, your body naturally breaks it down (as with anything you consume). Your liver metabolizes the alcohol and turns it into a form called acetaldehyde. From acetaldehyde, it becomes acetate by the enzyme ALDH2 (Aldehyde Dehydrogenase).

People who turn red after drinking alcoholic beverages actually have a genetic change in this enzyme. This makes the alcohol itself metabolize more quickly in the liver but takes a much longer time finishing the breakdown from acetaldehyde to acetate.

When there remains a lot of acetaldehyde in your system, your blood vessels will begin to dilate, turning your skin red.

PICTURE SOURCE: www.physrev.physiology.org

There is no cure. People that have this genetic issue should just avoid alcohol completely. If this happens too frequently your will become at a higher risk for hypertension as well as cancer (especially cancer of the esophagus. 

Comments

Good answer to the question why does my face get red when I drink

Answer 2

Now, some people actually can’t handle drinking because of something wrong on the inside of them. There are enzymes in the body that help finish the breakdown of alcohol and sometimes they don’t work in certain people. The enzymes are named ALDH2. This is usually something that runs in families, and seems to happen to Asian families even more. Sometimes this issue is called “Asian Glow” because of it happening so much in people of Asian descent. That's why your face get red when you drink.