Alcoholic Nose Rhinophyma: The Real Cause, and How to Treat It

Because of this, people who drink a lot or increase their alcohol intake over time and also have rosacea may experience increased side effects — including alcoholic nose. While rhinophyma is often dubbed “alcoholic nose,” the reality is that it’s a type of rosacea — meaning that heavy drinkers nose: is alcoholic nose really from drinking drinking isn’t actually linked to it. As an alcoholic nose or Rhinophyma is a medical condition, it requires medical intervention. Long-term medication can be administered to treat the issue, or surgery can be done to fix it more quickly. Because of such unjust and incorrect judgments, people prefer to take a back seat at social events and limit themselves from going out wherever it can be avoided. When such judgment is passed on one’s character and substance use habits, it is effortless for someone with an alcohol nose to develop various mental issues.

Finding Treatment and Healing From Alcoholism

The actual cause of Rhinophyma is not yet clear, but there are genetic factors, complexion, and ancestry factors that are often believed to be prone to the condition. However, it is a term that refers to a medical condition known as Rhinophyma. It is called an alcohol nose as it is commonly thought to be the result of excessive alcoholism, whereas this is not necessarily the complete truth. While surgery can be an effective form of treatment, the longer excess tissues have been left unmanaged, the more permanent they will become. If you are experiencing rhinophyma symptoms, you will need to seek out professional medical advice on how you should proceed with treating this condition.

Can alcohol consumption lead to nosebleeds?

Rosacea is a Rhinophyma symptom commonly triggered by certain drinks and food items. It is typical in individuals with a fair complexion and is most often attributed to those with a European background. Due to rosacea, these people experience a flush in the cheeks while eating or drinking foods such as spices, hot drinks, chocolates, and alcohol. There is no cure for rosacea or rhinophyma, but reducing alcohol consumption and other risk factors will help manage the symptoms.

But not many people realize that there are many ingredients, additives, and preservatives within alcoholic beverages that can cause negative side effects. In some people, these reactions look like allergy symptoms even though they don’t have a true allergy to alcohol. It’s helpful to focus on staying hydrated and flushing all the alcohol from your system, as well as resting as much as possible.

Does Alcohol Cause Rhinophyma?

Mental health professionals use these and other signs of addiction to diagnose alcohol use disorder. Systemic, medical treatment of rosacea is critical for achieving control over the condition and to keep it from worsening. Topical medications and some oral antibiotics may adequately treat early rhinophyma, with stronger medications used in severe cases. Rhinophyma is believed to be a rare but severe manifestation of inflammatory rosacea.

Alcohol Abuse and the Connection to Red Noses

This technique allows for excellent cosmetic results and relatively quick recovery times. Dermabrasion involves mechanically removing the outer layers of thickened skin to restore a more normal contour. Regardless of the cause, a persistent purple nose alcohol discoloration warrants immediate medical evaluation to rule out serious underlying health conditions. In severe cases, without intervention, the nose may appear completely enlarged and disfigured, mostly on the bottom two-thirds and tip. For some people, the condition can spread to the chin or the ear, causing extra tissue growth and disfigurement. Though rosacea is more common in women, end-stage rosacea with rhinophyma is more common in men.

Looking at the image below as an example will give you an idea of what the appearance of what someone’s nose looks like when referred to as an “Alcohol Nose” or “Drinkers Nose”. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. There is no cure for rhinophyma, and it typically does not go away without surgery.

How Can I Identify the Onset of Alcohol Nose?

While women can be diagnosed with the condition, it is found much more commonly in men. People with fair or light skin tone, or those with a family history of rosacea, are more likely to develop rhinophyma. If you or someone you know is dealing with rhinophyma, whether or not alcohol use is also a concern, professional help is available. Dermatologists specializing in rosacea can provide effective treatment options, while addiction specialists can address any substance use issues that may be complicating the situation.

For individuals with rhinophyma who also struggle with alcohol abuse, addressing alcohol use is an important component of comprehensive treatment. Systemic treatments may be necessary for moderate to severe cases of rhinophyma or when topical treatments are insufficient. Oral antibiotics, particularly tetracycline-class drugs like doxycycline or minocycline, are commonly prescribed for their anti-inflammatory properties.

• Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it increases blood flow to the skin’s surface, causing redness and inflammation.
• Still, many doctors may recommend a multi-solution approach that combines options such as carbon dioxide lasers with dermabrasion to better remove damaged tissue.
• To explore additional treatment options, you can view editorially selected providers on our site or visit the SAMHSA Treatment Locator.
• There is no cure for rhinophyma, and it typically does not go away without surgery.
• Sunset works with the body to break down alcohol quickly and effectively, so you don’t experience the negative symptoms.

Lifestyle Management and Prevention

They may be able to prescribe you medication or advise specific forms of therapy that will help you. If you are struggling to manage the symptoms, talk to a GP or therapist about your condition. For example, some patients might be triggered by internal artificial heating, and some may be triggered by alcohol and spicy food. Rhinophyma is also known to be a sign of the advanced stages of rosacea 2. We use a pharmacist-formulated blend of Glutathione, Dihydromyricetin, Cysteine, L-Theanine, & B Vitamins to stop alcohol flushing before it can begin. Even those who only deal with nasal congestion from alcohol can benefit from Sunset’s ingredients.

• People who have rosacea may not develop rhinophyma until years later in life.
• Due to rosacea, these people experience a flush in the cheeks while eating or drinking foods such as spices, hot drinks, chocolates, and alcohol.
• No, facial redness can be caused by various factors, including rosacea (unrelated to alcohol), sunburn, allergic reactions, certain medications, or other health conditions.
• These changes can make it very hard for someone to stop drinking when they choose.

In more advanced cases, surgery will be the best course of treatment for rhinophyma. So while terms like “alcoholic nose” and “whiskey nose” may have a catchy ring to them, they are not accurate indicators of what causes severe rosacea or rhinophyma nose. With that being said, alcohol abuse can lead to several other health conditions, which may be worse than rhinophyma. The association between alcohol abuse and rosacea can be traumatizing for some people with rosacea. Current research indicates that people with rhinophyma often have a genetic predisposition to or family history of rosacea, especially if treatments for their rosacea prove ineffective. However, a scientific study that came out in 2015 at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine dismantled the theory that alcohol abuse and alcoholic nose are connected.

Treatment Specialties

These groups are the most likely to suffer from alcoholic nose because the way alcohol affects circulation and skin exacerbates the situation. However, anyone can experience alcohol and non-alcohol-related rosacea it is just more likely in the above groups and people who persistently drink too much alcohol. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in educating patients and the public about the true causes of rhinophyma and dispelling myths about its relationship to alcohol use. This education helps reduce stigma and encourages people to seek appropriate treatment without fear of judgment. The persistent association between rhinophyma and alcoholism creates additional challenges for people with this condition. Many individuals report being unfairly judged or treated differently based on assumptions about their drinking habits.

ENT surgeons are versed in multiple techniques that can reduce the overgrowth of tissue while preserving the underlying cartilage. Sometimes, the enlargement can return after treatment, but surgical treatments can be repeated as needed. This common name and years of misinformation from the medical community about the condition prompted a false link between alcohol abuse and alcoholic nose. Alcohol use disorder and skin conditions like rosacea are connected because of the potential for alcohol to worsen existing skin conditions. If you’re concerned about the effects of alcohol on your nose, it’s essential to talk to your doctor.