We get asked a lot about steroids and acne. Do they go hand in hand, the answer is a yes and no. It can depend on the steroid and also how balanced your hormones are. Many people who are known to ask this question are, without being too blunt, uneducated on the subject.
Even if you were prone to acne in your teens, you may or may not be prone to acne on steroids, as it is a completely different situation. The only similarities might be that if you were or are prone to acne, you may (or may not!) get it in those areas. Hey, I bet you didn’t know that some steroids, such as anavar and turinabol can actually improve the appearance of your skin, should you have old acne scars or skin rashes.
In most experiences acne is not usually experienced on steroids until the PCT (post cycle therapy) part of your cycle. Drugs like Nolvadex, Clomid and Armidex are designed to lower estrogen in your body that has built up from your cycle. During your PCT cycle (and slightly after) your hormone levels will be out of balance. Now here’s something important to remember: it takes pimples more than 2 weeks to form in the hair follicle, so make sure you start treatment and knock them out of the park at the first sign of a pimple.
Typically when acne is experience on cycle it is because of increased flow in your sebaceous glands. (more oil and sweat) Both men and women can be affected by this if you have oily skin in general. Is this the end all for you? Certainly not if you don’t mind upping your skin care and hygiene regime.
The treatment for acne caused by excess oil and acne caused through PCT are the same. I follow it all the time and to be honest, with the occasional breakout here and there (which is manageable), I constantly receive compliments on my skin.
The treatment for Steroids and Acne:
Tea Tree Oil Facial Scrub 1-2 daily – If you are prone to getting acne on your face, this is a must. Your face will thank you with a cool refreshing tingle.
Tea Tree Oil Exfoliator — This is only for when you want to scrub deep down and get rid of some blackheads. I recommend this every few days—it’s not a must.
Tea Tree Toner — This is a complete must. Just before you go in the gym, dab some on a cottonball and wipe your face clean (if you’re like me you can take pride and look at the dirt on the cottonball and smile.)
Tea Tree Wipes — Again, not a must, but great for on the go.
Why do I recommend Tea Tree products so highly? Because they work for acne and they don’t over dry your skin like Benzoyl Peroxide or Silicyc Acid. Tea tree is more soothing to your skin. I have also seen people have fantastic and dramatic results from tea tree—sometimes overnight. Oh and tea tree is also cheaper than proactive and some of the other things on the market that are advertised that don’t work as well.
So there you go, problem solved. I told you it wasn’t the end all. If you have steroids and acne and this solution doesn’t work for you, I would honestly be surprised, as I’ve never seen it fail yet.
