Bulbous red noses on drunks

What causes this? It seems like a cliché, but I’ve come across many a long-time, hardcore alcoholic* with a gigantic red nose.

So what about years of drinking causes this? Something I’ve wondered for quite a while now.

  • s.e.
  • Not to say I don’t drink regularly, and sometimes to excess. This is just a GQ.

Well, in the case of W.C. Fields, it was rosacea.

(Scroll down to “What Causes Rosacea?”)

Rosacea can be triggered by many things. For some people it’s alcohol; in my case it’s wind and/or cold.

Duh – that should be “Who Gets Rosacea?” :smack:

Just as an aside, it comes from blown capillaries just under the skin. Also known as gin blossoms (hence the name of the band).