Introduction
It’s abundantly clear that steroid acne does present many of the same symptoms as those shown by regular acne such as for instance, pimples. The meaningful difference is that in the case of steroid acne, the taking of steroids in bodybuilding and athletic competitions is the direct cause of the acne. For the moment it’s not clear why anabolic steroids are able to cause acne. Read on to learn more about steroid acne.
Some special highlights of steroid acne
If you command a solid understanding about steroid acne, you will know that the two types of steroids used by people for bodybuilding, prescription steroids and other steroid types all increase the risk or those using them to be infected by acne outbreaks.
You will also realize that the use of steroids can also result in the formation of other conditions of the human skin.
What is also interesting to know is that young adults and teenagers may actually prove more vulnerable to steroid acne in the same way that they are susceptible to infection by regular acne.
However, regardless of age, anyone can develop steroid acne if they are in the habit of taking steroids on a regular basis.
We believe that the causes of steroid acne should be given some serious treatment because after all, prevention is always better than curing a condition.
Tackling the cause of a condition is preventive, so we should start by identifying the causes and identify suitable solutions before they change into fully fledged steroid acne cases. Let’s get into it.
The main causes of steroid acne
When you use one or more of all the known methods of steroid uses such as inhalation, injectable, or oral intake, you are bound to develop steroid acne that stem from the following causes:
Corticosteroids prescription
When you have steroid acne, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids for treating your condition.
Doctors will usually prescribe either a natural or synthetic steroid for treating inflammatory condition or to stop the rejection of a transplanted organ by a new host. These treatments will cause steroid acne.
You should know that steroid acne won’t appear immediately but can actually take some weeks of steroid treatment before steroid acne actually appears, so in effect the steroid treatment is the reason for you having steroid acne.
Normally, when steroid acne appears it would most likely be on the chest and upper back. However, it can also appear on your face.
It’s clear that using corticosteroids is instrumental in causing steroid acne but it also depends on the following factors which all point to the user:
- Age
- Vulnerability to acne outbreaks
- Potency of doses during the treatment period
- Duration of treatment
Using anabolic or bodybuilding steroids
You should be aware that people who are in the habit of using anabolic steroids for bodybuilding purposes are at a greater risk of suffering from a variety of health issues which also includes acne.
A previous study has pointed out that about 50% of people who misuse anabolic steroids and other steroids for bodybuilding purposes actually develop steroid acne.
The treatments used for steroid acne
You should also be aware that while treatment can begin in the home, there may be a need for medical personnel to intervene to ensure that appropriate medication is used effectively for treating the condition.
The main options available for the treatment of steroid acne may come in the form of both antibiotics and topical medication which are applied directly to the skin surface.
Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid
Benzoyl peroxide is one very common solution that does not need the formulation of a prescription for its use.
It’s a highly effective antiseptic that can be used alone or with another medication that can assist the body in eliminating bacteria that’s usually responsible of developing the acne.
It’s usually used for treating mild cases of steroid acne on its own, but for more serious cases they can use it in combination with oral antibiotics to boost its healing strength.
You should also be familiar with Salicylic acid which is another home remedy treatment of similar efficacy as Benzoyl.
It’s main function is that of helping to treat and prevent the progress of acne by exfoliating the skin and break down acne lesions with its healing process.
All you need to do to administer both these treatments is to apply them to your face, neck or chest on the areas that are experiencing an outbreak of steroid acne.
You should take care not to use both treatments simultaneously for the reason that a combination of the two administered at the same time may irritate the skin.
Another approach is for you to use a topical retinoid before you use either of the two products especially since retinoid treatment are in the front rank of acne treatment.
Retinoid treatment
You should view retinoid as others do, as an important option for the treatment of steroid acne.
Essentially, topical retinoid treatment constitute the foundation of acne care and it stands to reason that as such, healthcare experts should use this treatment as much as is possible. It’s also convenient for people to utilize at home can easily be used at home.
Retinoid treatments are derivatives of vitamin A that can be used in various forms such as creams, lotions and gel.
They are very simple to use and once they’re applied to the skin, they will immediately start working to prevent the progress of acne. However, it can take as long as 3 months of continuous use for any effects to be visibly seen.
An important caution for using retinoid treatments is that pregnant and breastfeeding women should not attempt to use retinoid treatments.
Using antibiotic treatment
As a bodybuilder or an athlete, It’s also important for your know that any doctor may prescribe the use of oral antibiotics (off label) or topical antibiotics for the treatment of acne.
You should note however, that it may take several weeks before any results can make themselves evident.
Typically, antibiotic treatments are used only for short-term periods when treating acne.
Prevention of steroid acne
The development of steroid acne is directly caused by the use or misuse of steroids. As such the best possible ways of preventing steroid acne which you should know are as follows:
Enhancing performance: if you are an athlete seeking to enhance your performance you should consider not taking steroids to prevent acne.
Stopping the use of steroids can help prevent further acne outbreaks and other more serious health conditions,
On corticosteroids prescription: if you’ve been on a corticostgeroids prescription treatment, don’t stop your treatment without consulting your physician first.
In some cases, taking steroids may have a vital role in the health of a person. Abruptly stopping the treatment without prior knowledge of your physician can be dangerous.
People unable to stop taking steroids should explore other preventive measures and treatments for treating their acne.
Bottom line
We have attempted in this article to highlight the main causes of steroid acne by stressing that it’s the main side effect of taking steroids by people such as bodybuilders and athletes who have different goals. The most convincing method of eliminating steroid acne after taking account of the health needs of other users is by totally abstaining from steroids. We hope you’ve learned a few new things about steroid acne.