What Is Meth Face?

Causes & Effects of Meth Face

Meth use can cause a wide variety of effects that can alter a person’s appearance. There are several possible visual indicators that a person is using meth, including changes involving the eyes, mouth, teeth, and skin.

Meth Eyes

The term “meth eyes” is used to refer to the appearance of a person’s eyes when they use meth. In particular, the eyes of a person on meth will be dilated, and they may also appear red or bloodshot and have yellowing of the sclera. Likewise, the person’s eyes may appear to twitch and move around rapidly, and they may complain of blurry vision. Meth use can also directly cause conjunctivitis (pink eye) and corneal damage. (1) Over the long term, prolonged use of stimulants like meth may even lead to cataracts, glaucoma, and eventual blindness.

Meth Mouth & Meth Teeth

The terms “meth mouth” and “meth teeth” refer to the severe dental damage prolonged meth use can cause. Indeed, meth mouth is one of the most recognizable consequences and physical stigmas of meth use. Habitual meth use damages the teeth and gums due to a combination of factors.

Because it is a powerful stimulant, a person high on meth may exhibit bruxism, or excessive teeth grinding and jaw clenching. This can wear teeth down or cause them to chip or break over time. In addition, meth is associated with decreased saliva production, which under normal circumstances acts as a protective layer for the teeth and gums. When less saliva is present, a person is generally more likely to experience gum disease and tooth decay.

Individuals suffering from meth addiction also tend to neglect routine self-care, including brushing and flossing. These other factors are complicated by dietary disturbances frequently seen with prolonged meth use, including poor nutrition and irregular mealtimes. Teeth and gums need nutrients to stay healthy, and eating food and drinking water at regular intervals helps keep the oral cavity clean. Finally, meth use is commonly associated with cravings for sugary and carbonated beverages, which accelerate dental damage. (2) Oral damage from meth use is often severe, and it is not uncommon for users to require extensive dental work and even dentures.

Meth Sores, Scabs, & Lesions

People who use meth on a regular basis often get sores and scabs from compulsively scratching and picking at skin. Meth use can induce formication, which is a tactile hallucination that causes the person to feel as if they have bugs crawling on or under their skin—a condition also known as “meth mites.” (3) Meth use is associated with dry and itchy skin, as well as a disruption of the body’s ability to heal wounds and fend off infection. (4) Common locations for meth sores are the arms, legs, and face.

Dry or Cracked Lips

Another visible manifestation of meth use is dry or cracked lips, which occur due to a few factors. The decreased saliva production that meth causes leads to the person experiencing dry mouth in general. Likewise, habitual meth users are prone to dehydration due to going long periods without consuming water. This is compounded by the fact that meth causes hyperthermia, because it constricts blood vessels, preventing heat from being exchanged through the skin. (5) Meth use can also lead to repetitive lip licking and biting, which can worsen their appearance.

Wrinkles & Visually Older Appearance

Chronic meth use can cause a person to exhibit signs of premature aging for various reasons. First off, meth degrades skin collagen, which is the protein the body uses to create new skin, and disrupts wound healing. (6) As such, sores caused by repeated episodes of skin picking end up healing slowly and poorly, which can make the skin look dry, flaky, and damaged. Less collagen in the skin also causes it to lose its elasticity, which in turn gives rise to premature wrinkling and sagging. The person’s skin may eventually become sallow, pallid, or even slightly gray, due to a combination of poor blood flow and malnutrition.

Furthermore, poor hygiene, nutritional deficiencies, and chronic physiological stress frequently cause meth users to experience rapid thinning and loss of hair. Their fingernails may also begin to yellow and become brittle due to poor blood supply, malnutrition, or a fungal infection.

The appearance of aging isn’t just an appearance. One study of young adult meth users found that they showed shortened leukocyte telomere length, suggesting that meth accelerates biological aging. (7)