Meth use produces a number of side effects. Perhaps more than any other drug, it is notorious for the physical transformation many users undergo when in thrall to the drug. Extreme weight loss, oral decay, and acne are all common experiences for someone who is using meth regularly. Meth is a highly addictive type of stimulant. As a stimulant, meth boosts energy levels and alertness while offering a euphoric high. Meth can be used in a number of different ways, including smoking and by injection.
Contact La Fuente Hollywood at 888.903.9898 to learn more about meth addiction treatment.
Why Does Meth Cause Acne?
With all of the physical manifestations of meth use, people are often curious as to why they occur. For instance, why does meth cause acne? It is not, in fact, technically correct to call the skin sores meth causes acne. Meth acne is actually more accurately considered skin sores. They can show up on the hands, chest, arms, and around the mouth. Their appearance on people’s faces is part of why people call them meth acne.
Since calling them acne makes it easily understood by people, there’s no real issue in lumping meth and acne together in this way. The kind of acne from meth use that people get is very different from typical facial acne, even if they share visual similarities. These meth sores appear as red sores that may look scabby as they heal. A few reasons why they begin to appear following repeated meth use include a weakened immune system, lack of hygiene, infection, and scratching or picking due to skin irritation.
How Acne From Meth Develops
As indicated earlier, meth acne can appear in multiple areas of the body. Yet meth acne occurs so often around the mouth and on the face because of how meth interacts with certain bodily systems. One way that many people choose to use meth is through injecting. To inject meth, it must be mixed with water.
Taking meth dissolved in water eventually means the body will sweat it out through skin pores. This means traces of meth appear in the sweat of a user hours after using the drug. Facial pores excrete sweat and oil at higher rates than most other places on the body. Sweat with meth in it irritates the skin, ultimately causing meth acne.
Another way that meth and acne are linked is because of how meth causes skin issues. Regular meth users often experience itching and urges to scratch. Doing so can lead to open wounds on the face and other parts of the body. The last way that acne from meth appears is due to smoking. This method of using meth leaves people in danger of burning their lips or cheeks. That can lead to blisters that eventually become open wounds.
How to Treat Meth Acne
Getting acne from meth is not inevitable. Just using meth once or twice is unlikely to produce any noticeable physical outcomes. But acne from meth is more likely the longer someone uses the drug. Treating meth and acne, in this case, comes down to getting someone into quality meth addiction treatment. The root cause, in this case meth abuse, must be addressed. No amount of skin treatments or facial creams will help meth acne because the root is drug use.
Since meth sores tend to appear in long-term or heavy meth users, the best approach is detox and inpatient treatment for meth addiction. Inpatient rehab can provide the wraparound care, medical support, and therapeutic services necessary to help someone overcome meth addiction. A few common meth addiction treatment approaches include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- The matrix model
- Contingency management
Break Meth Addiction at La Fuente Hollywood
The best and safest way to treat meth addiction is at a professional treatment center. Call 888.903.9898 or fill out our online form to learn more about how La Fuente Hollywood treats meth addiction and how we can help you.
