Why is it that after many years of alcohol abuse that alcoholic's noses become very large and pock marked?

Question

Crazy Horse: I am referring to hardened alcoholics, not people who drink casually every day. I have seen many with very large noses.

Answer 1

I have been drinking for years and my nose is fine.  Don't know where you get your information, but you are wrong.  Sounds like acne to me, not alcohol.  We don't snort beer, dear!  Look at the snorters and figure it out!

Answer 2

maybe the result of falling on their face far too many times :)

Answer 3

Alcohol use and abuse affects many organs in the body.  On the skin, alcohol causes dilation of surface capillaries (tiny blood vessels), resulting in facial flushing and a pinkish-red hue to the cheeks.  With chronic use of alcohol, the face and nose will sustain flushing and appear red.  Please see Alcoholism for further details.

Rhinophyma was once thought to be caused by heavy alcohol consumption, but this is not the case. Rhinophyma occurs equally in those who do not drink at all and those who drink alcohol in quantity. The condition is much more common in men than in women.

The cause of rhinophyma is unknown, though it is generally regarded as a severe form of rosacea. It is a relatively rare disorder involving thickening of the skin on the nose and the presence of many oil glands. The nose takes on a bulb-like (bulbous) look.

Answer 4

Not all alcoholic's noses do that.  If someone has rosacea (a skin problem), alchohol use can make it worse.  Over the long term, rosacea can leave your face permanently red, with broken blood vessels on your face, adult acne, and your nose getting swollen-looking.

I have rosacea (and don't drink alcohol because of it's effects).

Answer 5

That sounds a bit like all witches have big noses with warts on them.  ;-)

Truth Seeker, I have been to many AA meetings.

Everyone is as different and unique as God made us to be and how we are traveling in our recovery, if indeed a person does call it that.

You say your talking about the hardened drinker.

~smile~

- and totally not sarcastically at you.

Who are the hardened alcoholics?

The older ones?

Like I mentioned, we are sol totally different, how alcohol affects us, from an elderly lady or man who's just started drinking heavily, to a 23 y/o that has been on metho and spirits heavily since they were 11?

True as I sit here talking to you it is.

It also affects women more than men and coloured more than Caucasian.

So how can you pick a hardened drunk out of a crowd?

I believe, only if God,  was to give you discernment at that time, for the good, as He only is.

Bless you dear Brother.