What Is An Alcoholic Nose Drinkers Nose?

The condition often leads to significant changes in the shape and size of the nose, causing it to appear bulbous and deformed. These physical changes can be distressing and impact a person’s self-esteem and social interactions. “Rhinophyma” is the medical term for “drinker’s nose”, which is a side effect of the skin condition rosacea. Contrary to popular belief, a “drinker’s nose” is not necessarily caused by alcohol addiction or abuse.

What Is Alcoholic Nose or Rhinophyma—Is That More Than a Myth?

Obviously, this can decrease a person’s quality of life and be a hindrance to daily life and chores. Aside from physical repercussions, those who deal with rhinophyma can also face prejudice for their physical appearance. The eyes can also be affected by a specific type of rosacea known as ocular rosacea. In some cases, people may experience ocular rosacea before symptoms on the skin begin. This often looks like some exaggerated patches of red on the face with thin spidery lines along the cheeks and other parts of the face, which are the visible blood vessels.

Topical Treatments

However, if somebody has rhinophyma or rosacea and drinks heavily, their symptoms will be agitated. In general, people with rosacea tend to flush more when they are drinking. So a person with rhinophyma may see their nose get redder or more pigmented when they drink.

What Is Rosacea?

Rosacea is a skin condition that is characterized by red cheeks or red patches on the face along with visible blood vessels. While drinking alcohol is not the root cause of rhinophyma, it can aggravate rosacea symptoms. People with alcohol intolerance or sensitivity may experience more severe reactions, leading to the progression of rosacea into rhinophyma.

Does Alcohol Abuse Cause Rhinophyma?

• A red face alone does not necessarily signify that someone is an alcoholic.
• Your doctor will treat early rhinophyma with oral medications, such as antibiotics or isotretinoin.
• It’s not entirely clear why Rosacea sometimes develops into and causes Rhinophyma.
• Yet chronic alcohol abuse can worsen the condition (rosacea), which leads to drinker’s nose when left untreated.
• Topical retinoids might also be recommended for anyone who catches the condition in its early stages.

That’s important because they can help manage any medications you might be taking to treat your condition and support any other underlying addictions you might be dealing with. Addiction is complicated, and dealing with addiction and other conditions can be even more complicated. That means it’s even more important than usual to make sure you’re getting treatment and have extra help and support while dealing with the addiction.

• Dermatology experts recommend anti-acne treatments, moisturizing your dry skin caused by rosacea, and using sunscreen lotions.
• That being said, someone who already has rhinophyma may find their condition is worsened by drinking alcohol.
• For some people, the condition can spread to the chin or the ear, causing extra tissue growth and disfigurement.
• Consistency in these practices can lead to long-term improvements in skin health.

Some people who do not have rosacea may also develop rhinophyma, and the exact cause is unknown. Alcohol affects your face and skin in general alcoholics nose by enlarging both pores and blood vessels. Blood vessels expand and sometimes break, making some heavy drinkers look red and flushed even when sober. Excessive consumption of alcohol may also lead to the development of spider veins on the face. While rosacea and alcohol abuse have similar symptoms such as a flushed face and bumpy skin, alcoholism is not believed to be the cause. If you are worried about alcohol abuse, our admissions team is available to help you or your loved one.

How To Get Help If Struggling With An Addiction Or Repeated Cases Of An Alcoholic’s Nose

As discussed above, rosacea can be a main contributing factor to redness and flushing of the cheeks. To understand how rosacea can lead to rhinophyma, it’s important to understand what rosacea is, its symptoms, and how it develops. The truth is that studies have shown there is very little, if any, connection between alcohol use and rhinophyma. The condition is understood and treated as a condition that is totally separate from alcohol use disorder.

Alcoholics Nose: What It Is, What Causes It, & How to Get Help for an Addiction to Alcohol

• Environmental triggers are highly individual, meaning that what affects one person may not affect another.
• Located on a 15-acre campus in the beautiful mountains of Colorado, our state-of-the-art facility can provide you with the ongoing support needed for lifelong addiction recovery.
• The symptoms might be very mild for an amount of time and then the cycle is repeated again.
• That means someone drinking heavily may show flushed cheeks and an enlarged nose with a red or purple tint if they have rosacea.
• Of course, there are many snap judgments that people make when they see the physical effects of rhinophyma in person, especially in extreme cases.

Another common reason why this skin condition has been called alcoholic nose is that if a person has this condition, drinking alcohol can cause flare-ups. “Alcoholic nose,” or drinker’s nose, is a skin condition commonly identified by a red, bumpy, or swollen appearance of the nose and cheeks. It’s hard to say when exactly this condition became linked with heavy alcohol use, but stereotypes in popular media have kept this connection alive.