Why Meth Users Have Sores on their Faces and Rotten Teeth
People that use meth often times have sores on their faces. One reason for this is because users often feel like they have bugs under their skin and they obsessively pick at their skin until a sore forms. Also, acne appears on their skin because of poor hygiene and because blood is restricted from the vessels. Along with picking on these acne spots and the hallucination of bugs, sores take longer to heal.
Also, meth users end up with what is called “meth mouth.” This is because meth causes extreme dry mouth and users have an intense craving for very sugary drinks and food. The lack of saliva leaves the mouth free to produce bacteria that eats away at the teeth and gums leaving weak spots that are extra prone to cavities and infections. Many times all of the user’s teeth have to be pulled out–even young users and those that have only been using for a short time.
Meth is extremely addictive and should not be used even once. Many of the health effects are irreversible and depression and anxiety follow the high that meth gives its users.
One of the long term drug rehab benefits is that the meth user’s body has time to heal while they are recovering from their addiction in a controlled rehabilitation environment.
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July 13th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
How recent does the person have to have done the meth for the sore to have come out on their body?
November 17th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Meth sores, or as I call them “Cranker Sores” begin showing up as early as the same day someone uses that “Dummy Dust”. I grew up in an area where more meth was cooked than just about anywhere on earth and I saw it take ahold of a lot of people. They begin picking at themselves within a day but sometimes it is nearly instant. The obsession remains constant and only after being off for as much as a week does it subside. The more addicted they are the worse the sores.
January 6th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Do other drugs than meth cause the weeping sores on the faces, arms, backs of users? If so, what drugs?
January 6th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Kirie – Great question! Yes, other drugs do cause sores on a person’s face and other parts of their body. To answer your question, there’s another blog post all about other types of drugs that are known sore causers.
Here’s the article: http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2009/01/06/more-than-meth-sores-other-drug-addictions-cause-sores-too
Good luck!
February 12th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Does the concept of “meth mouth” apply to crack users as well?
February 13th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
It’s not exactly the same thing, but crack/cocaine users who use the drug orally may experience tooth decay and other related issues.
April 4th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
if you stop using meth how long before the sores disappear?
April 7th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I have seen so many kids from meth homes that have sores on thier bodies as well. What could these be from?
April 8th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Hi, Lonton. It really depends on the individual and how bad the sores are. However, if a person stops using meth, then that will help the body to heal quickly. It most cases, it will take between a few days or a couple weeks for the sores to completely heal.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
The sores that you’ve seen could be caused by a number of different things. It is possible that the kids you’ve seen also have meth sores on their body. Sometimes people who use meth have hallucinations that bugs, or “meth mites”, are on their body and they pick at them. Don’t forget that meth isn’t the only drug that can cause sores on the body.
May 21st, 2009 at 10:06 am
Well I had been doing meth from age 15 to 22 except for a couple incarcerations a and I have never thought I was Picking BUGS. I would dig with tweezers at flesh on my arms and face trying to get an ingrown hair-or the hair root out and I think its just other peoples perception of what your doing-the whole bug thing. But honestly if you know someone hooked on the meth there always going to know the focused feeling and just feel worthless with out it. so my best recomendation is to get them on a prescription for Vyvanse its a really none abusable kinda aphetamine adhd medicine. You cant take more to get buzzed it will just make you sick because its time release it keepes you motivated all day I think it should be prescribed like whats that heroin stuff for getting heroinaddicts off heroin…………. you know what I mean……….. oh and I guess only 4 of my teeth had to be yanked because I never ate or drank anything………… luckily they were the back teeth.
June 11th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
What is the technical term for meth sores?
June 17th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Watching a witness(meth head) on court tv..who has been incarcerated for a year..says she’s been clean while in prison..but she still has very prominent facial ulcers..must be getiing it in jail according to tthis article.
December 12th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
The “bug hallucination” is not always the case. I, like Chantai, would pick at facial hair, and ingrown hair, as well as dry spots on my hands from cleaning with bleach products and other cleaning products. Also, sometimes i would hide in the bathroom for hours trying to “clean” my face, by scrubbing at it with brillo pads, etc. I have been clean now for 21/2 months, and still expirence a milder form of acne. I have known meth addicts with “bug hallucinations”, but many others have never, ever seen “bugs”. Some also experience a reaction of meth’s chemicals in your pores. Chemicals that your liver cant process, resulting in a “bleeding” of these chemicals from the pores in your face, arms, and back. the bugs are a common misconseption that i wish there was more info on.
January 25th, 2010 at 5:11 am
I GO TO A METH CLINIC AND HAVE BEEN FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS NOW, DUE TO AN ADDICTION TO PAIN PILLS. SINCE GOING THERE I HAVE A BREAKING OUT THAT STARTED ON THE BOTTOM OF MY FEET AND SPREAD UP MY LEGS AND ARMS AND HANDS. ITS AN AWFUL SIGHT. IVE TRIED ANTI-FUNGAL CREAMS AND ABOUT EVERYTHING I CAN THINK OF. MY DR. EVEN PERSCRIBED ME CREAMS AND NOTHING IS WORKING. ITS LIKE RED PATCHES ABOUT THE SIZE OF A DIME.
WOULD METH HAVE CAUSED THIS? PLEASE LET ME KNOW, IM AT WITS END. I HAVE TO WEAR PANTS AND LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS ALL THE TIME TO HIDE IT.
February 1st, 2010 at 4:35 am
I REALLY THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR REPLIES, ITS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME. I DIDNT LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING TO A METH CLINIC BUT WAS USING ANY WHERE FROM 5 TO 20 VIKES PER DAY AND THEY WERE THE 750 ES ONES. IF I DIDNT HAVE THEM I WAS SUCIDIAL AND COULD NOT DO HOUSEWORK OR EVEN GET OUT OF BED. IM ON S.S.I. SO IT WAS HARD AS ID DO WHATEVER I COULD MONEY WISE TO BUY THEM OR PERKS TO KEEP GOING. AND WHEN PAYDAY CAME I OWED EVERYONE AROUND FROM BORROWING AND ID PAY THEM OFF THEN START ALL OVER AGAIN, SO; FELT A METH CLINIC WAS MY LAST HOPE. AND NOW WITH THESE SORES ALL OVER MY FEET LEGS AND HANDS AND ARMS IM REALLY EMBARRASSED AND MISERABLE. BUT IM SCARED TO DEATH TO TRY TO GET OFF THE METH AS I KNOW I COULD NOT BARE TO CRAVE IT LIKE I DID FOR THE VIKES AND OR PERKS.
CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE EFFECTS THAT WOULD OCCUR WHEN THE METH STARTED TO WEAR OFF ME?? IM ON 60 MGS. DAILY.
April 6th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Meth, like most people on a amphetamine salts (adderrall) makes the person more focused. In tune. “Stuck” if you will. While I would focus in on small things like beating a random video game while collecting all of the mission coins. Others would obsess, dwell over appearance, causing one to “pick” or become totally enthralled what whatever he or she had on there mind at the time. Bugs? C’mon. Can you straight edgers be any more ANTI? Make me laugh….lolol
April 24th, 2010 at 11:59 am
While doinq meth ; do you qet blisters && scabs on your face ? Cause this person keeps tellin’ me its carpet burn ; she keeps pickin’ at her face && she said he doctor told her ; my cat had fleas && they put an infection in her blood stream ; thats why she’s broke out . I honestly dont know what to belive ; she done meth before && her face looks like it did when she was on it . So can yall help me out ?
June 8th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Ive been a meth user for 3 and a half years now. I’ve tried to stop, and am still trying. Nothing seems to work. It really does just let you numb away your emotions, and focus, or tweak out, on such small things.
I always pick at my face and head. I don’t see bugs, I just see all these little blackheads (pimples) that i all of a sudden need to get out. Yesterday morning i spent 2 hours in the bathroom popping (probably nonexistant) pimples on my face. Now, my face is a mess.
And if I’m not picking at my face, i’m usually doing something else repetitive. I regularly play Solitaire or another card game, one day last week i play for 15 hours straight. Another time, I was “sorting out” photos on my computer for 20 hours. You don’t eat, you don’t sleep- you can’t- and you don’t even drink.
Very luckily for me, I have told my family and friends about my struggle with meth, and they are supportive of my getting help. I’m on Fluoxetine (prozac) for anxiety, which has helped in a lot of ways, but it’s like, if the meth’s there and it’s free, i’ll do it.
I’m leaving the country next month and travelling round europe and australia for 6 months. I really hope i can take this time as a chance for reflection on what i want my life to become…I’m only 23, and i never thought i’d turn out this way.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:45 am
@Gabby: Smoke pot, lots and lots of pot. I did this for about 3 months to get clean from meth. Once off of meth, I felt great. Still smoked pot, but not nearly as dangerous.
August 19th, 2010 at 7:24 am
I am listening to all the stories here and must say it sounds like a very sad life.
Never abused drugs but have family members that are complete addicts.
Just want to say, I wish everyone the best of luck!
I come from a family of addicts and anyone of the above stories could have been me.
Keep up the fight and try to get yourself off that mess.