Ogochukwu Ugwu

· 09 Jan 2022

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Why do drug addicts have sores on their skin

Do you know any drug addicts? How does his skin looks, supple and succulent? Or swollen and a pus-like?

The truth is, most drug addicts don't know how they became so much attached to drugs.

Some know though, but believe me most started with a desire to quench anger or depression. But they weren't on guard enough to stop the push and thirst for more.

And this continual ingestion of drugs have have affected their skin greatly. Let's have a look on why the skins of drug addicts are filled with sores and  look swollen most of the times.

The degree at which drug affect users depends on
1. Lifestyle
2. Skincare routine
3. Underlying skin condition
4. Drug type
5. Quantity consumed at a time

Effects of drugs abuse on the face
1. Drooping eyelids
2. Appearance of sores on the face
3. Darkened eyes
4. Symptoms of ageing
5. Meth mouth  
Effects of cocaine on the skin of drug addicts
Cocaine adversely affect the skin of drug users in these ways
Necrosis, formation of dead skin, pustulosis (pus-like mucous formed on the skin). Cocaine is believed to be cut with diverse substance which have a deteriorating effects on the users. Report found that 65-80 percentage of cocaines are cut with livestock deworming agent - levamisole.

Hence, the over use of cocaine tend to cause rotting of the skin and ulcerated skin lesions.

Also phenacetin is widely used in cutting cocaines and have been reportedly increased the rate of bladder cancer.

Causes of sores on the skin of drug addicts

Hyperpigmentation
This is a condition whereby the skin of the face, eyes, lips become darkened following prolonged drug abuse.

The more medication you consume the paler, the more gray and darkened your skin becomes.

Meth mouth
The condition whereby the mouth skin, gum skin and the lips get swollen and look pus-like, in some cases the skin around the mouth could crack or break.

In addition, tooth decay and loss of teeth may occur with prolonged drug abuse.

Inflammation
Soreness of the skin could result due to inflammation. Drug abuse is highly evidenced with appearance of rashes all over the skin.

Some part of skin may look swollen while some part may just looked flecked.

Also, the swollen areas of the skin may be itchy, red and easily irritates the victim.

Underlying skin infection
Drug addicts who never had any skin condition may develop one with continual use of  drugs.

However folks who already have skin infection like acne tend to worsen their condition with continual injection of drugs.

Needle tracks
Most drug addicts tend to suffer from hallucinations. Because of this, they often feel certain sensation on their skin as though insects are crawling on their skin.

This sensation triggers them into scratching their skin, resulting to open sores and wounds on the skin.

The aftermath is the formation of ugly marks known as "needle tracks" on the skin.

Skin infection
You are very much aware that continual use of drug inappropriately affect your overall health.

Your immune system isn't left out, it get weakened to the extent that it becomes difficult to defend your body of impending threats.

This makes your body to easily get infected by diverse skin condition.

#mentalhealth #drugaddict #healthandwellness