What Is An Alcoholic Nose Or Drinker’s Nose Rhinophyma?

Surgery may be necessary to remove large nose bumps resulting from severe rosacea. However, these lifestyle changes are ineffective in reducing swelling or the appearance of red bumps on a person’s nose due to rhinophyma. The medical name rhinophyma received the whiskey nose nickname due to the belief that alcohol causes the condition. It has also been referred to in the past as gin blossom, rum nose, potato nose, or toros nose. However, it is very important to note that rosacea and rhinophyma can be agitated by things other than alcohol. Stress, sleeplessness, dehydration, depression, improper diet, dry skin, and many other factors can agitate rosacea and rhinophyma.

Why Alcohol Abuse Gets The Blame For Rhinophyma

Topical retinoids might also be recommended for anyone who catches the condition in its early stages. Additionally, a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology noted that alcohol consumption increases the risk of rosacea in women. Similar research is needed on the link between alcohol consumption and rosacea in men. It is more common in men than women and typically affects people of Caucasian descent.

Identifying Alcohol Misuse

Dermabrasion is a procedure that involves a rotating brush that gets rid of excess skin. If you or a loved one suffers from alcoholism, please get in touch with our alcohol rehab in Orange County immediately. You deserve the opportunity to live a life free from addiction and the bondage it can create. Furthermore, you deserve the time and commitment you will invest in your future self. Just because they have swelling and discoloration around the nose does not mean they are an alcoholic.

What is an Alcoholic Nose?

• If rhinophyma continues to not respond to medication treatment, surgery will be needed.
• Now, does this mean that alcohol is completely unrelated to rhinophyma?
• In general, people with rosacea tend to flush more when they are drinking.
• Understanding these factors can help in managing and possibly preventing the condition.
• It typically manifests as a noticeably red, bumpy, or bulbous nose or swollen cheeks.
• If caught in the early stages, however, symptoms can often be managed with medication and lifestyle changes.

At the minimum, a person with rhinophyma will have reddening or inflammation of the nose and cheeks. Contact Zinnia Health today to learn more about our alcohol addiction treatment programs. We offer various services, including alcohol rehab, detox, individual therapy, and group counseling. We also have many resources available to help you through every step of the recovery process.

Other Names for Alcoholic Nose

Though rhinophyma is not caused by alcohol misuse, if you or a loved one are concerned about your drinking and other potential health effects, help is available. Take our alcohol assessment to assess your drinking habits or contact a treatment provider to explore your treatment options. Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it increases blood flow to the skin’s surface, causing redness and inflammation. While Rhinophyma is not directly caused by alcohol consumption, alcohol can trigger or worsen the symptoms drinkers nose of rosacea like redness on the skin. When the capillaries on the surface of the nose break they can then appear purple. Rosacea is not caused by alcoholism, but alcohol abuse can affect rosacea, which may worsen the appearance of a drinker’s nose.

• Alcohol can cause liver disease and kidney problems as well as increase your risk of cancer, heart attack and stroke.
• So while drinking alcohol may not make your nose physically bigger, it can play a role in altering its appearance.
• It is unclear whether the rosaceous growth itself is carcinogenic or whether a predisposition for cancer may increase the likelihood of rosacea.
• If you use rhinophyma as a starting point to monitor a close friend or loved one, you can look for agitation of their rosacea symptoms over time.
• Although there are no direct stem causes of alcoholism and rosacea that meet at one point, there is a connection between them.
• The doctor may provide a topical cream that constricts the blood vessels to reduce redness.

Many doctors advise people with rosacea to avoid drinking and cooking with alcohol. But it is still linked to chronic skin inflammation because it can aggravate flare-ups. People with an alcoholic nose often have a genetic predisposition to or a family history of rosacea. This is especially if treatment for the skin condition is ineffective. With centers all around Oregon, Serenity Lane makes your physical and mental health our No. 1 priority. In the past, and even in modern times, rhinophyma was largely considered to be a side-effect of alcoholism or alcohol use disorder.

Addressing alcohol abuse is also crucial in prevention, as excessive drinking can exacerbate rosacea symptoms and lead to further complications. Historically, it was believed that the condition was primarily caused by excessive alcohol consumption. However, modern medical research has shown that while alcohol can exacerbate rosacea symptoms, it is not the primary cause. This misnomer has led to a stigma that unfairly labels those affected by rhinophyma.

However, the cartilage in the nose is not very flexible, so it can only grow so much. Szymańska-Skrzypek, Anna; Burduk, Paweł K.; Betlejewski, Stanisław. “Rhinophyma–diagnosis and treatment.” Polish Journal of Otolaryngology, 2004.

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. If you are concerned you may be developing rhinophyma, speak to your doctor about available treatments and lifestyle changes that might help. Alcoholic nose is a term used to describe the large and misshapen red nose often attributed to heavy drinking. Rhinophyma is typically diagnosed based on a physical examination by your local medical doctor or dermatologist.