Besides the symptoms of having a red face, flushing, or red patches, some skin disorders can be signs of alcohol abuse. Alcoholic nose, or drinker’s nose, is an informal term that refers to an enlarged purple or red nose thought to be caused by chronic alcohol use disorder. It’s essential to note that these terms are often stigmatizing, and it’s paramount to treat individuals with addiction and related health issues with compassion and sensitivity.

By looking at it from this perspective, someone with agitated rosacea or rhinophyma will have a visible agitation of their skin. Thus, somebody who is an alcoholic and rhinophyma may have a redder and more bulbous nose than their red, and bulbous nose usually is. While there are no severe side effects of alcoholic nose, the main side effect is their physical appearance. Alcoholic nose does not prevent someone from breathing or give them any trouble in their day-to-day life. It does not affect their ability to drink alcohol or do their job. In addition, we offer detox services as part of our addiction recovery program.

Treating Alcoholic Nose And Alcohol Use Disorder

However, many people who use alcohol heavily do not develop rosacea, and rosacea does often occur in people who do not drink alcohol or only use it in moderation. 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.

Talking to a counselor or a sober escort is also introduced post-rehab as part of reliable after-care programs. Excessive drinking – Although this may seem like a more obvious reason, flushing skin as you consume alcohol is said to flare up the condition. People with rhinophyma that limit alcohol intake should notice a steep decline in facial redness and a less flushed overall appearance.

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

Individuals who live with rosacea and rhinophyma report that it can impact their social life. Besides regularly seeing a dermatologist, individuals are recommended to visit a mental health professional and/or even join a support group. Some people may be at greater risk of developing an alcohol alcoholic nose use disorder, which is why some can drink in moderation, while others struggle with drinking. An alcoholic nose looks4red and larger than normal, and it has a bulbous shape. The skin may appear bumpy and red, and the nose may have a somewhat disfigured shape due to the bumpiness of the skin.

Rhinophyma is commonly linked to chronic alcohol use, colloquially being misnamed ‘whisky nose’ or ‘rum blossom’. However, the true reason for this disfiguring condition has no clear causative trigger. The exact cause of rosacea is not fully understood; however, there are ways to treat it7. If alcohol is contributing to the severity of rosacea, stopping alcohol use may help to reduce its severity and make treatment more effective. Someone who drinks heavily should stop drinking as soon as possible and speak with a dermatologist about what treatment options may be best for them. Rhinophyma is thought to be caused by chronic, untreated rosacea.

Why Someone May Have A Bulbous Nose

The inflammation causes broken blood vessels and bumps both on and around your nose. This gives it the swollen, red, and bumpy appearance that’s attributed to the alcoholic nose. What is commonly called “alcoholic nose” is actually a skin condition called rhinophyma (Greek for “nose growth”). Rhinophyma is in a category of skin conditions known as rosacea, which causes chronic inflammation of the skin.

The skin can become inflamed and turn purple or red depending on the amount of blood in that body area. This is because a lot of blood rushes into the area and swells as different bumps begin to grow. While misusing alcohol over a prolonged period of time may not be likely to cause an alcoholic nose, there are many otherways alcohol can affect your body. Alcohol can cause liver disease and kidney problems as well as increase your risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke. Using alcohol heavily, especially over a long period of time, can have a devastating effect on your health. Rhinophyma, the condition often referred to as alcoholic nose, has a red, swollen, lumpy appearance.