When I say “face shape” I mean they often have squarish/jutting jawlines and somewhat sunken cheeks. I see it in those that are very heavy users of opiates or amphetamines.
Is it the method of administering that causes it (IV vs. smoking etc) or something else?
In: Biology
Their face shape often comes from tooth loss. “Meth mouth” is extremely recognizable with methamphetamines because it is made of very acidic ingredients that weaken enamel, and causes dry mouth. Heroin similarly causes dry mouth which is harmful to the teeth because saliva helps keep bacteria under control. Add in that both meth and heroin can cause behavior like grinding of the teeth and you end up with a recipe for dramatically poor oral health.
Without the teeth to support the cheeks they are free to sink in, causing the characteristic look you recognize.
Its called not eating because their hunger is reduced by the drug use, which causes the wiry body and thinned out face.
Weight loss combined with malnutrition/dehydration. “Ozempic face” (and anybody who rapidly loses weight) is the same. Plus, as you age, the collagen in your skin loses integrity, this is why people who lose weight when they are older often look haggard and sick – there isn’t enough connective tissue to do the good, uplifting work the fat was doing.
What you’re seeing is a person who have very little body fat. This is because they are malnourished. Two things at play here. The first is that stimulants like meth and crack decrease your appetite. You’re basically in fight-or-flight mode at all times so you just don’t have much appetite. The second is that the financing and obtaining of drugs becomes a total preoccupation. They use up every penny they have to obtain drugs, and have none left for food.
Human skulls all look pretty similar. When drug users neglect themselves to the point of losing a lot of their fat and muscles, it’s really just a skull with skin that’s left.
Weight loss and general decline of health. The appearance isn’t about genetics and facial structure (though there are some people who look that way while healthy), but rather what anyone’s face would look like if they were 20 pounds underweight and declining in health.
Jaw clenching is common with amphetamine users and can make the jaw look more pronounced. Also weight loss
A lot of drugs decrease saliva production and increase dental issues. Loss of teeth causes loss of bone in the jaws. The distance between the bottom of the nose and the top lip gets shorter which can make the lower jaw appear to be jutting. Bone loss also causes the cheeks to look more hollow.
Some drugs reduce appetite which leads to weight loss. An increase in the sunkenness of the eyes can be a sign of malnourishment. An underweight person often appears to have a large head proportionally because the skull doesn’t change in size while the body does.
Dentures or bone grafts and implants (depending on finances) can fill the lost bone area and better nutrition can rectify many other issues. I have seen people completely transform with sobriety.
If you ever want a cause to support, dental clinics can completely change a person’s life. They don’t only need money, they often need volunteers for things like registration or people to direct parking. I have worked a few and it is one of the most fulfilling thing I have done. Highly recommend.
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