Alcoholic Nose Rhinophyma

For a long period of time, a certain skin condition called Rhinophyma was thought to be caused by an over-consumption or abuse of alcohol. It has been called “Alcoholic Nose” or “Drinker’s Nose” because of alcohol’s link to the condition. Alcohol nose is often characterized by a red, bumpy texture on the nose. It occasionally occurs on and near the cheeks as well and often appears to be extremely swollen¹2.R. Chauhan and S. N. Loewenstein, Rhinophyma: Prevalence, Severity, Impact and Management – PMC, PubMed Central (PMC).; Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429105/.

Rosacea Alcoholic Nose

Alcoholic nose is a specific type of another, larger skin condition. This condition is rosacea and is characterized by a long-lasting, consistent inflammation and swelling of the skin. This swelling and inflammation is caused by the breakage of blood vessels and pustules forming around and on the nose.

What Does Alcoholic Nose Look Like?

So, what does Alcoholic nose look like? The nose of someone with Rhinophyma will often lose its natural shape and swell to look larger than normal. The nose will appear bumpy in texture and pink to red in color. Those broken blood vessels and swollen pustules are what give the Alcoholic nose or Rhinophyma its swollen, red, and bumpy appearance.

Symptoms of Alcoholic Nose

• Redness
• Bumps
• Sensitive skin
• Facial flushing
• Enlarged pores
• Thickened skin on the area
• Scarring

Previously, this appearance of the nose and form of rosacea was thought to be caused by an over-consumption of alcohol. This thought created a stigma around the appearance and those who developed the condition were thought to be alcoholics or heavy drinkers.

Alcohol Aggravates Rhinophyma

Studies have recently proven that this is not the case. Rhinophyma or Drinker’s nose is not caused by alcohol or heavy drinking. Those that participated in the studies were diagnosed with Rhinophyma but were not regular or heavy drinkers.

The thought that alcohol caused an alcoholic nose held on for many years because alcohol abuse can give the appearance of inflamed skin or redness in the face and neck. That thought has been proven to be incorrect. However, alcohol can aggravate symptoms of Rosacea and Rhinophyma.

What Causes Alcoholic Nose?

Those that have a history of Rosacea, for starters. If you already have the condition, heavy alcohol drinking can aggravate the condition and make it worse than it usually is. Outside of that, scientists have guessed that genetics have a lot to do with who develops Rhinophyma.

Studies suggest that those who descend from certain western, northern, or eastern European countries may be more likely to develop the skin condition. More males than females develop Rosacea and Rhinophyma and those with extremely fair skin are more likely to develop the skin condition as well.

If you already have a history of Rosacea or Rhinophyma, it is best to avoid certain alcohols and heavy amounts of alcohol most of the time.

Get Rid of Alcoholic Nose

• Stop drinking alcohol (This may only be necessary if you have an extreme version of the skin condition)
• Watch what you drink and how much (Avoiding red wine has been said to help and watching the amount that you drink will help avoid flare-ups of your Rhinophyma or Rosacea.
• Drink plenty of water in between your alcoholic drinks.
• Avoid spicy foods
• Cut down on caffeine
• Avoid extreme temperatures
• Stop overexposure to sunlight
• Stop smoking

Treatments for Alcoholic Nose

These methods can help alleviate any flare-ups of alcoholic nose, but will not cure or treat your skin condition. If you have Rosacea and occasionally develop Rhinophyma when you regularly drink there are options for treatment of the condition.

• Doctors will often prescribe retinoids or antibiotics for general types of rosacea. This may or may not work for your Rhinophyma.
• If your Rhinophyma is not severe, oral isotretinoin is usually what doctors will prescribe and suggest first.
• Doctors may prescribe an antibiotic to help reduce redness or inflammation.
• For severe and consistent Rhinophyma, surgery is often the best option. The tissues and blood vessels have grown out of their usual pattern and will need surgery to resume regular growth. Surgery is best to be performed as early as possible to avoid permanent damage and disfigurement to the nose.

Rhinophyma Summary

Alcoholic nose is not the first bodily condition to be redefined and it will not be the last. For a long time, this skin condition brought many people shame because of its reputation. That does not have to be the case anymore. While this condition can be made worse by alcohol, it is not caused by it. It is a genetic skin condition, just like rosacea, that is developed with or without the presence of alcohol or heavy alcohol use.

Previous: ETOH Abuse

Next: Alcohol Related Chest Pain