Can Drinking Alcohol Really Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer?

Alcohol is well known to negatively impact skin health and increase facial aging. But is there a verifiable link between alcohol (drinking) and skin cancer? The most accurate answer is that the relationship is… complicated. While alcohol is a well-known carcinogen, with well documented ties to increasing the risk of certain cancers, Ultraviolet (UV) exposure from the sun and tanning devices remains the primary cause of most skin cancers.

However, alcohol may contribute to skin cancer risk indirectly in both behavior and biological ways. In this blog post, we’ll take an in-depth look at how drinking (in particular excessive or irresponsible drinking) can have an effect on skin cancer development.

Is Alcohol a Cancer Risk?

Alcohol consumption is a key risk factor for cancer development, a fact that is universally supported by several public health institutions. The National Cancer Institute explains that alcohol increases the risk of several cancers, and that even low levels of alcohol consumption can raise risk for some cancer types. One reason is that the body breaks alcohol down into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound that can damage human DNA.

The CDC also links alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of several types of cancers including:

• Breast cancer in women
• Colorectal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Liver cancer
• Mouth/oral cavity cancer
• Throat/pharynx cancer
• Voice box/larynx cancer

Can Alcohol Cause Skin Cancer?

To be clear: UV radiation is still the biggest skin cancer risk factor. The CDC and NCI both state that most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun, tanning beds, or sunlamps.

That said, alcohol still enters the skin cancer conversation for two reasons:

First, alcohol is associated with behaviors that can increase sun exposure and reduce sunscreen use. Drinking often happens outdoors, including at beaches, pools, patios, festivals, and sporting events. In these settings, people may spend more time in the sun, forget sunscreen, skip reapplication, or delay moving into the shade.

Second, some research suggests alcohol consumption may be associated with a modestly higher risk of melanoma and some nonmelanoma skin cancers. These studies purport that alcohol might act as a photosensitizer, increasing the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. Furthermore, alcohol can deplete the body’s antioxidants and increase free radicals that damage DNA in our skin cells. Finally, alcohol has been shown to suppress the body’s immune systems thereby decreasing our immune surveillance against skin tumors and tumor development. Interestingly, one medical study suggested white wine carried the highest risk of skin cancer, perhaps due to fewer antioxidants found in other alcoholic beverages such as red wine.

This does not mean alcohol is a direct skin cancer cause in the same clear way UV exposure is. The connection is likely more complex and may involve behavior, sun exposure patterns, oxidative stress, inflammation, or other lifestyle factors.

How Alcohol Encourages Skin Cancer Risky Behavior

Alcohol is often consumed in environments where UV exposure is already high, including beaches, pools, patios, sporting events, and outdoor festivals. While alcohol itself is not considered the primary cause of skin cancer, drinking in these settings may increase risk indirectly by making sun protection less consistent and sun exposure more prolonged.

People who drink alcohol while spending time outdoors may be more likely to:

• Spend more time in the sun: Drinking often happens during beach days, pool parties, boating trips, patio dining, vacations, festivals, and sporting events, all situations where UV exposure may be higher.
• Use sunscreen inconsistently: People may forget to apply sunscreen, reapply it less often, or use it incorrectly when drinking.
• Stay outside longer than planned: A “quick drink outside” can easily turn into several hours in direct or indirect sun.
• Increase their risk of sunburn: Alcohol can lower inhibition and impair judgment, which may make people less likely to move into the shade, put on protective clothing, or notice they are burning. Additionally, the NIAAA notes that laboratory research suggests alcohol may lower the amount of sun exposure needed to produce burns.

This matters because sunburn is a visible sign of UV damage, not just temporary redness. Repeated sunburns can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, and risk tends to rise with more lifetime sunburns. For this reason, alcohol-related behaviors that make sunburn more likely, such as longer outdoor exposure, inconsistent sunscreen use, or delayed reapplication, can indirectly contribute to long-term skin cancer risk.

How to Reduce Alcohol-Related Sun and Skin Risk

If you plan to drink outdoors, a few practical steps can help reduce added skin risk:

• Make a plan and stick to it: If you know you will be drinking outdoors, think ahead about how long you plan to stay, whether there will be shade, and how you will keep up with sun protection. Choosing a shaded spot, limiting how long you stay in direct sun, and having sunscreen with you can make it easier to be consistent once the event is underway.
• Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen before drinking outdoors: Put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher before you head outside, not after you are already in the sun. Starting with sunscreen already on your skin gives you a much better chance of staying protected.
• Make sure to reapply: Reapply every two hours, and sooner if you are swimming or sweating. Set an alert on your phone so you remember! This is one of the most commonly missed steps during beach days, pool days, and outdoor events.
• Add hats and protective clothing: A wide-brim hat, sunglasses, a cover-up, or UPF clothing can give your skin extra protection, especially if you know you will be outside for an extended period of time.
• Be extra cautious in all outdoor settings: Pools, beaches, festivals, patio brunches, and rooftop events can all lead to more sun exposure than people realize. These are also the kinds of settings where sunscreen reapplication is easiest to forget.
• Alternate alcohol with water: Water will not prevent UV damage, but it may help you stay more aware and less likely to neglect basic sun protection while drinking outside.

Adam Mamelak, MD is an American and Canadian Board Certified Dermatologist and an American Board Certified, Fellowship-Trained Mohs Micrographic Surgeon at Westlake Dermatology. Dr. Mamelak obtained his Bachelor degree and graduated in the top 5% of the Faculty of Science from McGill University, and was a gold medalist (the highest honor obtainable) in his medical class at Queen’s University. He completed his Dermatology residency training at The Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed a research fellowship in Molecular Immunology. Dr. Mamelak completed fellowship training in Mohs Surgery/Procedural Dermatology at the Methodist Hospital in Houston.

Disclaimer: The contents of the Westlake Dermatology website, including text, graphics, and images, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct medical advice from your physician or other qualified professional.