Glucocorticoids, also known as steroids are man's best friend and worst enemy. They are excellent at reducing inflammation, but at the same time slowing down the healing process, thinning the skin, stimulating the development of infection. Very often, patients use topical steroids for self-treatment of acne, however, this is only fraught with a worsening of their condition, and the development of steroid-induced acne. It is important for the doctor to understand how steroids affect the skin, and why their use in acne therapy is strictly limited to severe forms of acne skin with acne.
Read on estet-portal.com how bad steroids are for acne, how to recognize steroid acne, and in what cases steroids can be used to treat acne.
- why steroids are harmful for acne
- how to recognize steroid acne
- when steroids for acne are acceptable?
What is the harm of steroids for acne
If steroids in the form of a cream, ointment or other form of preparation are repeatedly applied to areas with slow chronic infection (as in acne), then hormones reduce the level of the body's natural control over this infection.
Suppression of the immune response increases the severity of chronic infection, and sometimes the number of bacteria, fungi, and even mites multiplies by a surprising amount.
Then, after stopping the use of topical steroids, the "double whammy" is applied.
The immune system is rapidly recognizing the increased population of these intruders. The protective immune response restarts very quickly and tries to catch up.
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If steps have been taken in advance to cleansing the skin using antiseptics or antibiotics and/or antifungal agents in order to keep the population of proliferating microorganisms under control, syndrome cannot be canceled will happen.
How to recognize steroid acne
Steroid-induced acne is not much different from regular acne. But still, there are several main features:
- Sudden onset of acne;
- A lot of blackheads;
- More acne elements are located on the chest and shoulders, less – on the face;
- Secondary infection quickly joins.
Acneform dermatoses: features of diagnosis and treatment
The side effects of topical steroids are not limited to the development of steroid acne, but include: telangiectasia, dyspigmentation, hypertrichosis, and perioral dermatitis.
In addition, patients commonly report erythema, burning, and itching when topical corticosteroids are discontinued.
When is it acceptable to use steroids for acne
Sometimes with acne vulgaris in emergency situations (wedding comes to mind) you need to quickly relieve the inflammation on the face.
In this case, one-time use of glucocorticoids for a short period of time can be used.
Post-Acne Treatment: Real Help for the Patient
This is concomitant administration of ketoconazole, full dose doxycycline or minocycline, and a topical topical steroid, possibly 0.1% ointment with triamcinolone every night for a week.
The patient must be warned about the termination of such treatment after no more than seven days.
Fulminant acne may also require steroids.
In this case, intralesional injection of very small volumes of triamcinolone diluted with isotonic sodium chloride solution to 2.5-5 mg/ml using a 30-gauge needle is used, and preferably under the guise of oral antibacterial and antifungal drugs.
Thus, steroids most often aggravate acne, however, in emergency cases, their use becomes necessary.
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