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- Joined
- Jan 17, 2013
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- 107
It seems a never ending story and with so much information and varying views out there, it is no wonder this subject just keeps staying current as one of the most requested. Ultimately we are all individuals and must take personal responsibility for our own actions and wellbeing, so I can only advise you all to do just that, and hopefully, based on your acquired knowledge and your own situation, will make an informed choice on whatever actions you choose.
Acne is by far the most common sign of steroid use.
When it comes to steroid- related acne, oral and injectable forms are equally culpable. That kind of acne doesn’t always respond to routine medical treatment, and it may persist for an extended time even after an athlete stops using steroids. Athletes who continue to use steroids while undergoing treatment for the acne often show a delayed response, which obviously suggests that steroids play a potent role in causing acne.
Glands in the skin-called sebaceous glands, secret sebum, which lubricates the skin. Just as using anabolic steroids leads to muscular hypertrophy, or size increases, it also leads to growth of the sebaceous glands, which then produce more sebum. That combines with abnormal production of keratin in the skin to cause the formation of comedos, which have nothing to do with comedy! And aren’t the least bit funny.
They are, in fact, pre-acne lesions that contain larger amounts of skin lipids (fats) including cholesterol and free fatty acids. Those fats are like a buffet for bacteria that is normally latent in the skin, and the bacteria thrive. Their banquet produces extremely inflammatory end products in the skin follicles, resulting in the inflammation characteristic of acne.
In some bodybuilders, and athletes, the acne, known as acne vulgaris, progress to a more serious form called fulminans – ulcerative acne, apparent as ugly red pustules. That form is known also to cause joint pain, particularly in the hips and knees. While many bodybuilders who get acne with steroid use have a genetic tendency (which explains why many others using steroids don’t get acne), others have no previous history of the condition.
The stimulation of sebaceous glands can also cause other skin diseases, including rosacea, epidermal cysts, seborrheic dermatitis and oily skin and hair.
Keloids are another type of scar tissue and are more common in people with darker than lighter skin. Some studies have found increased keloid formation in bodybuilders who had used both injectable and oral anabolic steroids.
None had any previous history of keloid formation, and while no new ones formed once stopped using steroids, the keloids did remain on the skin, so this may be related to steroid-induced formation of excess collagen in the skin- as keloids are largely composed of collagen, as are most other forms of scar tissue.
Unfortunately, steroids can also worsen existing skin pathologies, and can interfere with any acne treatments being used. In some cases, comparatively benign acne can progress to the disfiguring inflammatory types.
If you have psoriasis and are using a topical cream, there is a possibility that the condition can dramatically deteriorate if using steroids, so if this is the case, you must come off the steroids.
Finally, there are more involved causes and treatments of acne, including new info on nutrition and acne so again I suggest you all keep doing your own investigative homework.
As always, we recommend using natural skincare developed specifically for men’s skin and there’s no better range out there than VitaMan.
For acne, it’s imperative you don’t aggravate or inflame it more by using skincare or shaving products made with synthetic and artificial ingredients, which is basically why I have been using and can highly recommend VitaMan’s natural range. Great thing is they use unique scientifically proven potent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal herbal extracts, which is a must when working with acne prone skin.
Power Pack of the Month - VitaMan Clear Skin Pack
**broken link removed**
Acne is by far the most common sign of steroid use.
When it comes to steroid- related acne, oral and injectable forms are equally culpable. That kind of acne doesn’t always respond to routine medical treatment, and it may persist for an extended time even after an athlete stops using steroids. Athletes who continue to use steroids while undergoing treatment for the acne often show a delayed response, which obviously suggests that steroids play a potent role in causing acne.
Glands in the skin-called sebaceous glands, secret sebum, which lubricates the skin. Just as using anabolic steroids leads to muscular hypertrophy, or size increases, it also leads to growth of the sebaceous glands, which then produce more sebum. That combines with abnormal production of keratin in the skin to cause the formation of comedos, which have nothing to do with comedy! And aren’t the least bit funny.
They are, in fact, pre-acne lesions that contain larger amounts of skin lipids (fats) including cholesterol and free fatty acids. Those fats are like a buffet for bacteria that is normally latent in the skin, and the bacteria thrive. Their banquet produces extremely inflammatory end products in the skin follicles, resulting in the inflammation characteristic of acne.
In some bodybuilders, and athletes, the acne, known as acne vulgaris, progress to a more serious form called fulminans – ulcerative acne, apparent as ugly red pustules. That form is known also to cause joint pain, particularly in the hips and knees. While many bodybuilders who get acne with steroid use have a genetic tendency (which explains why many others using steroids don’t get acne), others have no previous history of the condition.
The stimulation of sebaceous glands can also cause other skin diseases, including rosacea, epidermal cysts, seborrheic dermatitis and oily skin and hair.
Keloids are another type of scar tissue and are more common in people with darker than lighter skin. Some studies have found increased keloid formation in bodybuilders who had used both injectable and oral anabolic steroids.
None had any previous history of keloid formation, and while no new ones formed once stopped using steroids, the keloids did remain on the skin, so this may be related to steroid-induced formation of excess collagen in the skin- as keloids are largely composed of collagen, as are most other forms of scar tissue.
Unfortunately, steroids can also worsen existing skin pathologies, and can interfere with any acne treatments being used. In some cases, comparatively benign acne can progress to the disfiguring inflammatory types.
If you have psoriasis and are using a topical cream, there is a possibility that the condition can dramatically deteriorate if using steroids, so if this is the case, you must come off the steroids.
Finally, there are more involved causes and treatments of acne, including new info on nutrition and acne so again I suggest you all keep doing your own investigative homework.
As always, we recommend using natural skincare developed specifically for men’s skin and there’s no better range out there than VitaMan.
For acne, it’s imperative you don’t aggravate or inflame it more by using skincare or shaving products made with synthetic and artificial ingredients, which is basically why I have been using and can highly recommend VitaMan’s natural range. Great thing is they use unique scientifically proven potent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal herbal extracts, which is a must when working with acne prone skin.
Power Pack of the Month - VitaMan Clear Skin Pack
**broken link removed**
