Damage caused by drug abuse is becoming more and more challenging for camouflage. You may see signs of yourself; you may see signs of people you care about. The mirror rarely lie. Your reflection will eventually reveal the burden that is so hard to hide in your work.
Substance abuse damages skin
For those who are relatively healthy, skin changes are often the first identifiable indicator of substance use and abuse. This may explain why dermatologists are often the first medical professionals to recognize early signs of drug abuse disorders.
Good or bad, your skin reflects what is happening in your body. Addictive chemicals can damage the skin's ability to repair and heal. The effect is cumulative. Although chemical abuse can cause dull, unhealthy tones on your skin, certain types of substances are known to cause specific skin problems. Some common skin problems include:
•infection
•ulcer
• vascular injury
• Oral ulcers
• skin flushing
• hyperpigmentation
• Breakout
Use stimulants to accelerate the aging process
If you are addicted to any type of stimulant, you may accelerate the aging process. Your heart beats faster and your body needs to work harder to meet growing demand. Under the pressure of stimulants, your body produces stress hormones, cortisol. Cortisol breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin.
Collagen is a support structure in the skin. Elastin keeps skin soft. When the body is under chemically dependent pressure, the loss of collagen and elastin will cause sagging drooping, drooping eyelids, sagging skin, wrinkles and deep wrinkles around the nose and mouth. In fact, stimulant abuse may make you look old for decades. When you combine the effects of collagen loss with potential weight loss and malnutrition associated with stimulant abuse, the acceleration of skin aging is more pronounced
Scars and scars used in methamphetamine
Chemical imbalances and dehydration caused by drug use, especially methamphetamine, may cause skin irritation and trouble. You may feel that there are bugs crawling under your skin and under the surface. This feeling is maddening. You can react by scratching or picking up the skin. Stimulation leads to more scratching and sorting. Repeated skin irritation and skin damage can cause pain to heal slowly or not at all. This cycle will hurt your skin.
Slow healing, blisters, scarring and scarring are some of the more recognizable skin problems associated with the use of methamphetamine. Often referred to as nail sores or hyperthyroidism, these sores most often occur on your face and arms.
Because methamphetamine also interferes with blood flow, sores may appear anywhere in your body. Methamphetamine destroys blood vessels, interferes with the body's ability to repair cell damage, and may also cause the skin to look like leather.
Expansion of intravenous drugs, prominent or damaged veins
Many intravenous drugs are vasodilators that can also cause vasospasm. This means that intravenous drug can cause blood vessels to dilate, but then shrinks rapidly. Vasospasm can upset your blood circulation, causing pain, swelling, skin ulcers, skin infections and blood clots.
About 88% of intravenous drug users also develop chronic venous insufficiency. Intravenous insufficiency means that the blood vessels in the vein cannot be properly closed. The leaking valve allows blood to flow back into the vein. This causes the vein to enlarge, can bulge and twist, and varicose veins.
Severe venous insufficiency can also cause skin ulcers, which are difficult to heal due to reduced circulation. The skin on the calf will change color and will have a rough scaly appearance. This is not just a beauty issue. Venous injury increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis [thrombus] and increases the risk of life-threatening pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that spreads to the lungs.
Cellulitis as a consequence of skin burst
Although most of the microbes that live on the skin are harmless, they can have devastating consequences when they enter your body through the injection site. When the vein is damaged by the use of the drug, some injecting drug users will use the skin to burst and inject the drug on the surface of the skin. Skin bursts are associated with an increased risk of cellulitis, a rash-like skin infection caused by staphylococci or streptococci. Although this form of bacterial infection does not spread, it forms a soft, hot, red and swollen rash that spreads rapidly.
Cellulitis requires immediate medical attention. If left untreated, this infection can enter your blood and lymphatic system. Cellulitis can cause chronic swelling of infected limbs, or more severe. Although this condition is rare, cellulitis can destroy soft tissue and requires surgery to eliminate the damage.
Staphylococcal and fungal infections due to impaired immune system
Substance abuse disorders can damage your immune system. They make it difficult for your body to fight infections, which can lead to an increase in infections that your once healthy immune system eliminates before it can cause any problems. You may find yourself prone to staphylococcal and fungal infections, especially on your feet, where the fungus thrives in a humid environment. If you are prone to psoriasis or eczema, you may find that your lighting is more frequent and more difficult to manage.
Surface indication for alcohol abuse
Skin flushing may be a manifestation of alcohol abuse. Alcohol is a vasodilator. Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, which causes histamine to be released, which is the same as what can happen in an allergic event.
During long-term alcohol abuse, you may also notice an increase in spider veins, small, broken capillaries near the surface of the skin. Spider veins are usually most noticeable on your face, neck, chest, arms, hands and abdomen. Especially those who have liver damage.
Liver damage caused by alcohol dependence can also cause jaundice, yellowing of the skin and eyes. This discoloration indicates that your system contains excess bilirubin. Your liver usually breaks down bilirubin, but this function has been damaged by alcohol. In early treatment, it can improve jaundice caused by alcohol-related liver disease.
Breakthrough and increased severity of acne
As the amount of cortisol produced under stress increases, you may also find that your skin reflects the internal struggle through a breakthrough. Cortisol increases inflammation; acne is the cause of your skin's inflammatory response to cortisol. Acne can also be exacerbated by skin picking habits associated with methylation use, and the addiction that addiction can lead you to neglect basic skin care needs.
Drug abuse and alcohol can cause inflammation, malnutrition and dehydration. It will weaken your immune system and damage your blood vessels. Addiction can have an adverse effect on the body's ability to heal. Your skin reflects the damage, and your brain, bones and internal organs continue to pay the price.
Restoring your appearance may be enough to get you or get you on the right non-toxic lifestyle. It may not. But when you conquer addiction, you will see signs of your progress. You can rest assured that improving skin health is a clear sign of internal healing.
Orignal From: Beyond the needle mark - how substance abuse affects the skin
No comments:
Post a Comment