Over the years, we’ve learned to accept that wine probably isn’t entirely good for us. And now a link has been made between white wine and skin cancer.
According to a new study published in the American Association for Cancer Research journal, those who drink alcohol every day are at a 14% greater risk of melanoma than those that don’t drink at all.
And if you don’t live somewhere where you’re regularly exposed to the sun, but drink at least 20 grams of alcohol per day, you’re at a 73% greater risk of developing skin cancer.
The real tragedy here is for white wine lovers – researchers compared melanoma risk among those that drank certain alcohols most frequently, and regular white wine drinkers had a 13% greater risk than those who preferred red wine, liquor or beer.
According to the study’s authors, compared to other types of booze, wine often has high levels of alcohol’s carcinogenic byproduct, which is linked to a risk of developing certain cancers.
The research is quite limited and more is certainly needed; the scientists weren’t sure why alcohol is linked to skin cancer risks in covered areas, and as the study sample contained too few people of colour they’re not sure if the findings could apply to non-white ethnic groups either.
Either way, there’s no harm in swapping your Chardonnay for a Shiraz, or ditching the bottle altogether – especially for anyone who believes themselves to already be at high risk for melanoma.
