Alcoholic Nose Rhinophyma: Can Alcohol Affect the Appearance of the Nose?

Medication – topical and oral antibiotics helped to reduce inflammation and thickened skin could be used, such as metronidazole, sulfacetamide, tetracycline, erythromycin , and minocycline . However, it will not work for moderate to worse cases of ocular rosacea and rhinophyma. Stress and depression – People undergoing a mental health crisis are prone to having severe rosacea as stress is a key contributor to your body going haywire. It’s just one of alcohol’s effects on health that you should always watch out for. For starters, communicate with close friends and family about your situation. Entrust your addiction with people who love and care about you and want to see you happy.

Although it has been commonly referred to as a drinker’s nose, it’s a skin condition known as rhinophyma. Rhinophyma is another type of skin condition known as rosacea, which has been known to cause chronic inflammation of your skin. 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.

Physical Side Effects of Alcohol Abuse

The cause of rosacea is not fully understood; however, there is some evidence that it may be related to problems with the immune system. Transcend Recovery Community family of sober living homes provides a safe place for those undergoing mental health and addiction treatment to live with like-minded peers. Rhinophyma is a treatable condition with various treatment options present at hand.

• Alcohol misuse and addiction can contribute to changes in a person’s appearance.
• You can only use rhinophyma as a starting place for someone you know well.
• The most common symptom of rhinophyma is a bulbous nose, which can gradually become larger over time.
• Ocean Recovery has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations for our references.

It is incredibly important to remember that alcohol does not cause this disorder. There is no connection between alcoholism and having a big nose. It is like having an allergic reaction to peanuts and alcoholic nose eating a spoonful of peanut butter. You already have an allergic reaction to the peanuts, but by adding more peanuts, you are adding a bigger reaction and agitating the reaction more, making it worse.

So, What Exactly Is Alcoholic Nose?

Treatment for basal cell carcinoma usually involves surgery to remove the affected tissue. While the previous belief was that rhinophyma was the result of alcohol consumption, there is no factual link between alcohol and rhinophyma. However, drinking alcohol and consuming caffeine can dilate blood vessels, which can aggravate existing rhinophyma. So, alcohol may not be the primary cause of “alcoholic nose.” However, it does cause red, inflamed skin and can trigger rosacea and rhinophyma. Alcohol misuse and addiction can contribute to changes in a person’s appearance. It can be if people have other conditions, such as rosacea or rhinophyma.

Excessive drinking can damage and disease the liver, heart, and other parts of the body and contribute to diseases such as diabetes and various types of cancer. Alcohol might contribute to rosacea and rhinophyma, but the substance doesn’t seem to cause the conditions in the first place. Doctors believe that rhinophyma is a more severe form of rosacea. W.C. Fields was a popular U.S. comedian who appeared on stage and in several movies in the first half of the twentieth century. He was known for his large, bulbous nose and his connection with alcohol.

Does Alcohol Affect Rosacea?

Surgery may be done with a laser, scalpel, or rotating brush . Rhinophyma was once thought to be caused by heavy alcohol use. Rhinophyma occurs equally in people who do not use alcohol and in those who drink heavily. Some people will experience a flushed or red face when they drink alcohol. A red face alone does not necessarily signify that someone is an alcoholic. Some races, such as Asians, lack certain enzymes to process alcohol, leading them to have a flushed face upon consuming alcohol.

So while drinking alcohol may not make your nose physically bigger, it can play a role in altering its appearance. Individuals with rhinophyma are at risk for skin cancer within the affected tissue. The most common type of skin cancer in these cases is basal cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing type of skin cancer that is not typically fatal. However, if severe cases are left untreated, it can cause disfigurement.