Understanding ‘Alcoholic Face’ and Other Visible Effects of Drinking

While there are many other physical and behavioral signs of alcohol abuse, there is one that stands out above the crowd: so-called “alcoholic face.” When we think of this appearance, many of us might immediately picture someone we love and care about. For others, it might be a little more difficult to know what this looks like. In this article, we’ll talk about the tell-tale signs of “alcoholic face” and other visible effects of chronic drinking.

What is ‘Alcoholic Face’?

“Alcoholic face” is a non-clinical term used to describe someone whose face is showing the tell-tale signs of alcohol abuse. One of the biggest traits is having a red, puffy face and maybe even a red nose. Other common characteristics of “alcoholic face” include:

• Redness in the face: Facial redness, or alcohol flush reaction, results from dilated blood vessels near the skin’s surface.
• Alcoholic nose: Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to someone developing spider veins (broken blood vessels), especially around their cheeks and nose. They can appear as small purple or red lines on the skin.
• Puffy face: Perhaps one of the most common signs of chronic alcohol abuse is having a puffy or bloated face. This is caused by fluid retention, often due to dehydration and inflammation.
• Jaundice: Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to liver damage, causing conditions like jaundice, which makes the skin and eyes yellow. 
• Premature aging: Chronic alcohol consumption can accelerate aging, making facial skin develop premature fine lines, sags, and wrinkles.

Visible Signs of Alcohol Abuse

While some might be able to hide the behavior of chronic alcohol abuse, the visible signs will eventually catch up to them. Having an “alcoholic face,” or rather a red, puffy face, is one of the most common symptoms in appearance. This is caused by the skin attempting to retain as much water as possible to help offset the dehydration caused by alcohol. Alcohol can also cause the face to look bloated from an inflammatory response.

Other visible signs of alcohol abuse include having a red or purple nose with visible thin veins. This is because alcohol is a vasodilator, meaning that it opens up the blood vessels and causes a person to flush after drinking. When someone has an alcohol addiction, the blood vessels will eventually over-dilate and burst, leading to broken capillaries, better known as spider veins. Alcohol acts like a diuretic, causing someone with an alcohol addiction to become more dehydrated. This is the likely cause of “alcohol face” by fluid retention, making the face look puffy or bloated.

Other Physical Effects of Chronic Alcohol Use

Other physical effects of chronic alcohol use aren’t limited to a red, puffy face. For instance, bloodshot eyes are caused by blood vessels relaxing and expanding and increasing blood flow. The swollen blood vessels then lead to red and irritated eyes. Another effect is having dark circles, which is caused by alcohol disrupting normal sleep cycles, causing the drinker to lose sleep. Long-term effects of chronic alcohol abuse can also lead to many other eyesight issues, including:

• Cataracts.
• Nystagmus (rapid, involuntary eye movements).
• Macular degeneration.
• Optic neuropathy, which can lead to color blindness or even vision loss.

Chronic alcohol abuse can also lead to hair loss and brittle nails due to the lack of nutrients and chronic dehydration, poor sleep habits, and unhealthy habits.

Health Risks Associated with Visible Signs of Alcohol Abuse

Other health risks accompany visible signs of alcohol abuse. Chronic alcohol abuse can damage your pancreas or lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), heart problems such as high blood pressure, enlarged heart, heart failure, or stroke. Other long-term health risks of chronic alcohol abuse include:

• Heart disease.
• Liver disease.
• Stroke.
• Alcohol use disorder.
• Digestive problems.
• Weakened immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.
• Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (wet brain syndrome), a life-threatening form of dementia.

Psychological and Social Impacts of Visible Alcohol Effects

Other impacts come with visible signs of alcohol abuse. It can significantly affect social behaviors, such as how people interact with you and express emotions. This, of course, can affect one’s self-esteem and mental health when friends and family start to pull away. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and may lead people to behave in ways that they wouldn’t typically do when sober; this also goes for things that they may say that could hurt those they care about. Relationships can be damaged to the point of being irreparable while someone is under the influence of alcohol.

Recognizing the Need for Help

Recognizing when someone’s drinking becomes a serious problem can ultimately save them from experiencing the more difficult long-term effects of alcohol abuse. It may look like:

• Drinking to cope.
• High tolerance of alcohol.
• Change in personality when drunk.
• Decline in academic or professional performance.
• Experiencing memory lapses.
• Neglect of responsibilities.

When speaking to someone we care about regarding their chronic alcohol abuse, remember to remain open and honest about your feelings. While it may be difficult to admit to ourselves that someone has a drinking problem, look for the signs that it may be time to seek help for alcohol addiction treatment:

• They are unable to cut back even if they say they will only have one or two drinks.
• Constant hangovers.
• Financial difficulty due to paying for more alcohol.
• A complete change in day-to-day routine due to the need to drink.

If you’re wondering how to help an alcoholic in denial, we can help. At Resurgence Behavioral Health, our highly trained medical staff take a more holistic approach to addiction treatment, not only treating the addiction but taking into account your physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual needs. Our treatment programs, including inpatient addiction treatment, are customized and geared toward overcoming addiction and sustaining recovery. Call Resurgence Behavioral Health at 855-458-0050 or contact us online to learn more about how we can help.

David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

Research | Editorial