The scars on my hands turn bright red when I drink.

    by Drock967

    28 Comments

    1. I am a mechanic, not a fighter.

      I’ve busted open my knuckles more than my fair share. Normally the scars are light and pale, but after a few beers, or ANY wine, they go full Rudolph.

      What is odd is the scars on my arm or my shins stay normal.

    2. Select-Ninja-7607 on

      That’s actually fascinating, your blood vessels in the scar tissue probably react differently to alcohol dilation 👀

    3. That’s wild! I wonder if it’s due to changes in capillary response – scar tissue has altered collagen and blood flow.

    4. NoPreference7493 on

      Kinda cool and creepy at the same time like your body’s built-in warning lights 😂

    5. Worcestercestershire on

      It could be a ALDH2 gene mutation. Do you blush when you drink? You could have Alcohol Flush Reaction. Honestly it’s not a super useful mutation…..eye lasers is a much cooler one.

      Or it could be that your circulation changes after a few adult beverages.

    6. Kitchen_Medicine3259 on

      Same! My hands also heat up at random times (usually around bedtime), so there’s weird redness of scars then too. I think if alcohol heats you up, the hands and feet exert heat to cool you down, hence why it happens for me at bedtime too (body trying to cool down when it thinks it’s time to sleep).

      Sometimes I wonder if I have an inflammatory condition but I’ve always been like this and nothing bad has happened.

    7. takeandtossivxx on

      Whatever this is, I’m glad I don’t have it cause I have a ton of scars. It is kind of cool, though.

    8. This happens to my (almost decades old, don’t worry) self harm scars, it’s awkward when noticed lol

    9. meatcoveredskeleton1 on

      Alcohol is a vasodilator. It increases blood flow and can make scars appear to be more pink or red because of the vasodilation/increased blood flow in the area.

      ETA: this is especially true if it’s a newer scar, as the tissue is still resurfacing and will continue to heal for some time.

    10. My grandad used to have the same thing, apparently he got bottled in Times Square one New Years Eve when he was in his teens and if he drank his face would go red other than the scar on his cheek which would remain the same colour.

    11. icedlondonfogs on

      mine does the same, and interestingly i have a scar in that same spot however on my left hand

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