Introduction
When vigorously engaged in your bodybuilding cycle and pumping steroids into your system for achieving you goals, it’s scarcely the time to be wondering about what would happen if you are suddenly infected with a severe outbreak of steroid acne from your virtual non-stop of taking steroid tablets. Instead you focus entirely on your target knowing that if steroid acne does appear, there’s a remedy available for it. Find out more about treatment options for steroid acne.
The issue at hand
That outbreaks of steroid acne have taken place and affected many bodybuilders and athletes is not to be doubted, but perhaps the most urgent question is how does it happen?
Well briefly, some studies suggest that it’s all tied in with the interaction between the receptors of your immune system known as TLR2 and the bacteria Propionibacterioum acnes.
It has been suggested by experts in the medical profession that the TLR2 receptors may actually play a part in causing an outbreak of steroid acne.
Options available for treating steroid acne
There’s really no real difference in the type of treatments given for steroid acne to that provided for common or ordinary acne (or acne vulgaris).
The treatment for both types of acne involves the administration of different types of skin preparations as well as oral antibiotics.
The treatment for fungal acne (malassezia folliculitis) also induced by the taking of steroids is treated by the use of topical antifungals such as ketoconazole shampoo, or an antifungal drug, such as itraconazole which is taken orally.
Antibiotics (oral)
It may well be to your benefit if you keep in mind what is written in this section as they can become very useful for your own treatment against steroid acne .
Oral antibiotics belonging to the tetracycline family are usually given under prescription for the treatment of severe and moderate infections of steroid acne as well as any case that may result in scarring.
These prescriptions of oral antibiotics include medications such as doxycycline, tetracycline and minocycline.
What these antibiotics actually do is that they destroy bacteria that have the propensity to worsen your acne and may likewise possess some properties which are anti-inflammatory.
Prescriptions of alternative antibiotics may be given to children under the age of 8.
You should note that a period of from four to eight weeks may elapse before your prescription of regular antibiotic treatment can take effect and you’ll witness the clearing of your skin only after that time..
The treatment has been known to take as long as three to six months for the treatment to reach its full response capability.
Another feature of steroid acne is that for colored people who are infected, they are even more vulnerable to the condition of scarring from outbreaks of acne and in most cases, would need to take oral antibiotics, to counteract the effects of even a mild case of a steroid acne outbreak.
It has been because of the slow action of the prescribed antibiotics medication that medical specialists have now discouraged the prescription and administration of topical antibiotics for treating steroid acne.
Use of benzoyl peroxide
If you want to enhance your chances of a speedy recovery from an outbreak of steroid acne on your chest, this is the treatment to look for.
Benzoyl peroxide is a highly effective antiseptic that can help you kill the bacteria that’s stimulating the growth of your acne and actually reduce inflammation of the affected area of your body.
It’s strongly recommended that when using it, you should combine it with oral antibiotics not only in serious outbreaks but also mild cases that don’t require the use of antibiotics.
An attractive feature of this benzoyl peroxide antiseptic treatment is its availability at many over-the-counter acne treatment shops and stores.
It can be taken in combination with salicylic acid to add more healing potency against your infection of steroid acne.
To add extra boost to the remarkable healing powers of benzoyl peroxide, it’s always a good idea to apply this medication to the whole area which is only affected in parts.
The logic behind this approach is because acne can and will develop from microscopic beginnings which you can’t see with your naked eyes.
Once you start to clean the area (your face for instance) or to apply this medication by itself or in combination with another treatment, you shouldn’t scrub too aggressively because the scrubbing can actually worsen an outbreak of acne.
Applying phototherapy
You should also know that some studies have produced evidence showing the efficacy of phototherapy using blue and blue-red light for treating steroid acne.
Mild cases of steroid acne
Your physicians may find it more expedient to avoid using oral antibiotics for treating your steroid acne outbreak. Instead, they may prescribe some form of skin preparation called topical retinoid which may include:
- tazarotene (Tazorac. Avage
- tretinoin (Retin-A, Atralin, Avita)
- adalpene (Differin)
What is a topical retinoid treatment? This type of treatment involves a mixed assortment of gels, creams and lotions that are derived from vitamin A.
Their main function is they help in the production of healthy cells of your skin and also minimize the incident of inflammation.
Nevertheless, even with their proven effectiveness at healing, retinoid treatments are not recommended to be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
How to effectively prevent steroid acne
Knowing only that steroid acne is a threat to your health which you must avoid at all costs, and knowing how it can adversely affect you bodybuilding aspirations are not sufficient in themselves.
You should also find out and use every means available to actually prevent it from happening to you in the first place. Here are some prevention tips for you to ponder and act upon:
- It was mentioned earlier that steroid acne is caused by you taking steroids for your bodybuilding aspirations. Totally putting a stop to or the reduction of your use of steroids will help you get rid of your acne.
- Unfortunately this won’t be possible to attain. The reason is that sometimes steroids are prescribed for preventing other major consequences such as, for instance, the rejection of a transplanted organ, it which case there won’t be an option for not taking steroids. And of course you still have to treat your acne.
- There’s also the issue of cuisine such as oily foods, dairy products and the notorious sugar that can contribute to outbreaks of steroid acne. Of course you could always try an anti-acne diet for a solution. But there are other issues such as Lanolin in cosmetics, petrolatum, vegetable oils, butyl stearate, lauryl alcohol and oleic acid which can also add to acne production and hence outbreaks.
Bottom line
While steroid acne has been identified as the main side effect of corticosteroids prescription, taking anabolic steroids in bodybuilding can also cause steroid acne. The best way to avoid being infected by an outbreak of steroid acne may well be a total abstinence from taking steroids. The good news is that other treatments such as antifungal drugs, topical preparations and oral antibiotics will suffice as alternative medications. We’ve got you covered against steroid acne.