Bodybuilders often sacrifice a lot of things to achieve their desired body. The harsh workout and a perfectly maintained routine for life can be a bit of a challenge. In this process, a bodybuilder also goes through a phase of steroids. And Steroids have multiple side-effects, and steroid acne is one of them.
If you are looking for a solution to steroids acne, then you are in the right place. You may not have steroid acne, but you can be aware of and take prevention beforehand. Sometimes it better to be safe than sorry. Keeping all the factors in mind, we are presenting this article for you.
What is steroid acne?
Before jumping into what steroid acne is, first, we need to clarify what acne is. The word acne refers to the inflammation of the oil glands in your hair roots or skin. In technical terms, it is known as Vulgaris. Acne is commonly known as zits, pimples, or spots.
A specific type of bacteria combined with many other factors causes the oil gland to swell, which is acne. The name of the bacteria is Propionibacterium acnes.
Steroid acne is similar to general acne and has the same symptoms. Systemic steroid uses elements that make this glad susceptible to inflammation and may cause infection. That is how steroid back acne can start showing its symptom and affect a person.
There are more forms of acne, like fungal acne or Malassezia folliculitis. This type of acne is caused by a yeast infection of the hair follicles. Fungal acne occurs naturally or for taking oral steroids.
What are the symptoms of steroid acne?
Steroid acne first starts from taking place at your chest. But there are useful ways to reduce them or prevent them. There are chances for steroid acne to show up on the back, face, and arms. The symptoms of steroid acne are
- open and closed whiteheads and blackheads (comedones)
- white or yellow spots (pustules)
- small red bumps (papules)
- cyst-like swellings (pseudocysts)
- large, painful red lumps (nodules)
Secondary symptoms (Other symptoms to observe)
- Red marks from spots that are headed recently
- Darker spots from older marks
- You may observe scars
Important note: Steroid acne or Vulgaris can be a bit more uniform than usual non-steroid acne. For fungal steroid acne, most acne will be of the same size but without black or whiteheads. If you observe uniform acne of the same size and shape, you can take the necessary precautions for steroid acne.
Causes of steroid acne
The main reason for steroid acne is for taking steroids either orally, in injections, or with an inhaler for bodybuilding. Taking steroids may cause many other symptoms and physical problems; acne is just one of them.
Anabolic steroids used in bodybuilding
Steroid acne may take place in a person’s body for taking a high dosage of anabolic steroid for bodybuilding. Sustanon is the formulation’s name, which is a common cause of steroid acne among bodybuilders. When a high amount of testosterone is there in your body, you may face an outbreak of acne.
Treatment
The treatment of steroid acne s similar to regular non-steroid acne. You have to use antibacterial or topical anti-fungal ointments and oral antibiotics to prevent steroid acne.
Oral antibiotics
Physicians usually prescribe oral antibiotics in the tetracycline group for moderate or severe cases when observing steroid acne. Many times the condition gets a bit too severe, showing up scars. The antibacterials are
- Tetracycline
- Doxycycline
- Minocycline
These are the most useful ant-bacterial medicines that help to prevent inflammation and kills bacteria effectively. Though it may take around 5 to 8 weeks for the medicine’s action to show up and within six months, you will get a full treatment result.
Useful tips
Steroid acne is caused by taking steroids; by reducing the steroid, you can avoid these skin diseases. That may not be possible if the steroid is prescribed to prevent other severe conditions, then you have to take additional precautions.
Oily food and food with too much fat or milk products and sugar may add to the acne outbreak. In that case, you can avoid this food and take anti-acne-diets. Some of the cosmetics that contain an ingredient that is prone to cause acne should be avoided as well.
Final Word
If you are using steroids for bodybuilding, do not worry about the acne because it is normal. Fifty percent of the steroid users have the problem of steroid acne. The preventions are simple if you go to the doctor immediately and take your necessary medication.
When you plan on taking steroids, you can contact a doctor from before head so that steroid acne does not have an outbreak. Stay healthy and stay strong. Have a good day.