You may be fond of the old drink or two a day, but beware of your drinking habits, as a new study has revealed that one drink a day can increase the risk of developing skin cancer by as much as 11%.
The study, published by the British Journal of Dermatology, explains that the reason for such marked increase is the chemical acetaldehyde, which occurs naturally when liver enzymes oxidizes ethanol, and breaks down in the human body afterwards. Acetaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, and is toxic when applied externally for prolonged periods.
According to the study, an average daily intake of 10g of ethanol (alcohol) increases the risk of developing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by 11%, and basal cell carcinoma by 7%.
The larger the intake, the higher the probability of developing cancer.