red splotches after consuming alcohol

[Mehm]

hello,

I occasionally get red splotches on my face, chest and arms when I drink more than two or three drinks. This has been happening since I was 18 (6 years). I finally did some research and it appears to be rosacea. However, they are not permanent and will go away if I stop drinking for an hour or two.

On one hand this stops me from drinking too much, which is good. At the same time, I love drinking to excess and this prevents me from doing so..because I don't like being covered in splotches and dying from kidney disease (which I already have been genetically given).

I know that the obvious solution is to not drink. However, some input on this condition would be greatly appreaciated. Also, wikipedia says that the splotches can possibly become permanent if I damage my blood vesseles enough times. That would suck..but I don't want to stop drinking either..because I love it :D

tell me the good news doc!

 

[Edvard Munch]

I'm not sure I understand you correctly. You say you have been given kidney disease by genetics, have physical symptoms of Rosachea from drinking in excess and want to know a solution that doesn't involve abstaining from drinking.

I'm not sure what to say to you other then follow your own course and nature will deal with you correctly. See a doctor, man.

 

[Mehm]

Why should I see a doctor? My kidney disease will kill me at age 60 or 70..maybe 80 or 90 if I stop drinking caffiene, and alcohol, using nicotine and eating animal protein. A doctor will tell me exactly what I just said. What's your point? Are you infering that Rosachea is dangerous to my health (not just appearance) and I should see a doctor because of that?

And yes, figuring out a way to get blotto without being covered in red splotches would be nice..sheesh.

curse of the irish I tells ya

*edit

Upon thinking about this more, I realize I implied that I probably shouldn't drink so much because I wouldn't mind the extra 20 years on my life span. Still, I'm willing to sacrifice a litte for the privilage of occasional intoxication. ya know?

 

[oxidoreductase]

you are allergic to alcohol.

 

[watering714]

this happens to me too, but only when I have been binge drinking for more than a couple of days. I start to get red blotches on my chest and it moves to my arms and face if I continue to drink.
I thought it was maybe because my liver couldn't handle all the alcohol as fast as I was taking it in?

I found that if i drink a big glass of water, the blotches go away in ten minutes or so....

Maybe you try a glass of water for every beer/shot ??

 

[Mehm]

^^I've also found that the blotches appear after drinking a couple of days in a row. And thinking about it, I'm probably dehydrated on top. I'll try the water method, thanks a ton for the input!

 

[Fujicrow-]

This happened to me too a couple of times! Both of them, I was horrendously drunk. and I mean DRUNK. And on hard liquor; it never happened while drinking just beer or wine.

And yes, both of the times happened while I was drinking more than usual (I drink daily anyways). It freaked me out a bit the first time, I didn't bother the second time. I'm guessing this is not your body's way of saying "thank you for staying so healthy master!" anyway...

I suppose it's caused by sustained vasodilation. This is why chronic drinkers sometimes have their noses swollen and red.

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

You're part Japanese

Asian Flush and Alcohol

 

[Mehm]

^^that's what I thought at first. However, asian flush is when the whole face turns red, not just parts of it. Rosachea on the other hand is common to people of northern european desent, particularly Irish..which makes more sense because I'm 100% norther euro mut

 

[Raven^]

HM think the Asian flush is a more dramatic version of this but if i drink for a week or more constantly i do get what could be only be described as red blotches on my chest an arms. which only can be relived by a few days or a week of abstinence.

Rosachea on the other hand is common to people of northern european desent, particularly Irish..which makes more sense because I'm 100% norther euro mut

jebus ta thats what it is , thought it was skin cancer

 

[tennisgreat]

Turning red after consuming alcohol is not good

This discovery is only about one month old.

Alcohol flush reaction (Asian Flush, Asian Glow, Red Cheeks, Oriental Flush, Big Blush) is a condition in which the body cannot break down ingested alcohol completely, due to a missense polymorphism that encodes the enzyme, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) [1], normally responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde, a product of the metabolism of alcohol.[2] Flushing, or blushing, is associated with the erythema (reddening caused by dilation of capillaries) of the face, neck, shoulder, and in some cases, the entire body after consumption of alcohol.
Research has shown that a history of facial flushing when drinking is indicative of ALDH2 deficiency, and that a ALDH2-deficient drinker has 6 to 10 times the risk of developing esophageal cancer as a drinker not deficient in the enzyme.

read more at below site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction

 

[Mehm]

^^I've seen asian blush many times and it is distinctly different looking than rosachea. Asian blush is a solid red and rosachea is splotchy. It could be caused by the same enzyme deficency however.

thanks for the info though.