Hi my brothers in ADT -
I'm 10 months in to a 2-year stint (so far) on Eligard and abiraterone + prednisone. Lately I find that my skin seems to tear and bleed very easily -- scraping against something that wouldn't even have broken the skin in the past ends up with a skin tear, or at best bleeding under the skin like a blood blister. I just turned 70, but I suddenly have the skin of a 90-year-old. Does this happen to you guys? Is it due to the meds? Is there anything I can do to mitigate this?
Been on ADT for 7 years in June. No problems here but I am only 60
Interesting you mention this, I put thin skin down to age of 74 now, but maybe ADT?
Im 67 been on double pronged adt.i now have old man skin...itis thin and i blame it on the meds...lupron/erleada 5.5 yrs.....i tear and bleed regularly.....ive ruined shirts....no testoterone gotta be culprit.....surely not the 50 years banging nails in texas sun....😂
Common complaint. Various threads on this, which you can consult if you can figure out the right search words.
I've been on Lupron & Abi + prednisone for 4+ years, and I definitely have this easily bruised and cut tender skin condition, mainly on forearms. An old post recommended DerMend fragile skin moisturizing formula. I get it from Amazon, and it seems to help.
Thanks! I just ordered some for my hubs on your reco. He’s been on prednisone (which notoriously thins the skin) off and on for years with his asthma and now with PC
Hi. Been on ADT+ABI for 5,5 years. I noticed my skin is thinner more fragile. Wounds are common as soon as garden or build something. I think hydratation gives it elasticity back.
one more agreement. i am a young 69 and never had weak skin before ADT. no it tears off if i look at it too hard. banging into a rounded plastic corner of something and there goes the skin. i am covered with scabs slowly healing from past injuries. my skin does not look real saggy or weak but it sure is 
I am the same age and have been on abiraterone + prednisone for just over 3 years and have the same problem. I try and be really careful when doing jobs outside or in but it still happens. Guess this is just one of the many side effects we have to put up with.
Iam the same Abi+Firmagon
Also on zytiga and have the same problem. Oncologist says it's because I take aspirin every day to keep my blood thin. I'm 71.
"Thinning of the skin can occur in people with androgen deficiency because there is less testosterone for conversion to estrogen via an enzyme in the skin (aromatase). Low testosterone in women and men is associated with thinning skin and reduced wound healing."
bioidenticalbalance.com/201...
I'm glad someone else has this problem. It just surfaced a few months ago. I'm on abi+dexi 5 1/2 yrs now age 79 working outside a lot with sawmill gardening etc. Looking like an old man now.
Same. And wounds take longer to heal.
Its the steroid prednisone. I have got the same problem.
Definitely the prednisone. During the fourteen years of battling the beast, my husband has been on and off this medication several times. I just wanted to bundle him up in bubble wrap! He uses a lot of Aveeno and we keep a large supply of bandages, antibiotic creams and rehydrating creams at home and in my purse. The sight of blood or injury can trigger my daughter's seizures. That was one of many issues that caused her to move out and not help.
Same here with my husband. I have a stockpile of first aid supplies and carry small emergency kits in the car and my go bag. Went to see a concert last week and the coat hook behind the restroom door tore the skin on his arm as he entered. Luckily coat check had first aid supplies.
I'm 55 and have been on Lupron since 7/22 and abiraterone since 1/23 and I have noticed "thin skin". My Dad passed at 78 in 12/17 and my skin seems not too far from his. I remember him bumping things and easily cutting the skin and bleeding.
Last weekend doing some yard work at my girlfriends I bumped something and easily had a scratch that bled. WTH! 🥴
6 months into therapies (Lupron+Abi+prednisone) and there is definitely a difference. Just yesterday, I was changing an ignition coil on my truck and my forearm was covered in blood. No idea what I scrapped it against.
You are not imagining that your skin is thinner.
Hello Fellow Warriors,
I was on Zoladex and Xtandi (enzalutamide) for five years with no serious problems. In October I was switched to Prednisone and Zytiga (abiraterone). Eight months later my hands and arms are covered in blood bruises (red splotches). I mentioned this to my oncologist at the Cancer Agency and she reduced the Prednisone from two pills per day to one. She also said this was a common side effect of Prednisone. Might try skin creams to help with the healing process.
I don't have cancer but have noticed the thin skin problem, 67 years young
Hello Nugger,
If you don't have cancer what are you doing here?
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Saturday 06/03/2023 10:47 AM PST
Oh yeah! ADT plus Zytiga/Prednizone does it. It's the Prednizone. I was on it for 2 years, skin like wet tissue paper. Bought padded arm guards. Flaps of skin would tear, I would dab the wound with hydrogen peroxide, place the flap back as close as I could to "original", cover with bandages, and leave alone. Most tears healed to a "no see um" state. I have been off it for almost 4 years now. Skin a bit thicker but never "normal". Lots of bruising.
On the other hand, my testosterone went from 20 on ADT to 3 when Zytiga/prednizone was added. Plus, the Z/P inhibited the cancer cells from making their own testosterone. Worth the trade off.
Best,
Craig
I get these bruises all of the time, and most of the time I'm not aware of injuring myself. My skin also tears or punctures easily.
I'm 67, and this started during my first year of ADT & prednisone.
I've been on the blood thinner Eliquis for almost ten years now and had only a very minor problem with bruising. But one year ago my MO switched me from Xtandi to Zytiga with 5 mg of Prednisone. Now I am a walking bruise, especially my forearms and the back of my hands. Just brushing up against an object leaves a bruise and often a skin tear. My arms are covered in bruises and numerous bandaids. In addition I have to be very care about the bandaids I use; the skin often tears when I remove them. Need the right bandaid and do it in the shower.
I have the same issues, I just turned 59, been on eligard, zytiga , prednisone and xgeva for 49 months and the bruising started before I was officially diagnosed, but has gotten much worse since therapy began, Tearing skin and bleeding is a more recent manifestation...probably from prolonged ADT. As well as Bone pain, muscle pain, receding gums, overwhelming fatigue, and tooth pain (sensitivity)
My 83 yr old husband has been battling pc for over ten years. He has been on so many different meds etc. His skin is a mess and has been for years. It tears so easily. His worse problem is our rambunctious dog. I buy huge boxes of bandaids and keep them handy everywhere. We learned to live with it.
I’m right there with you! I’m on Lupron, abi and prednisone for 2 1/2 years. I’m 65 and the skin on my forearms looks like my elderly father’s did at 80. Easily bruised/scraped or cut, little blood blisters and very dry skin despite daily moisturizing. I read that using Retin-A can help thicken the collagen so I’m trying that. Insurance won’t cover it so I’m buying it out of pocket for $30 a tube. Good luck to all!
Seems like we're all in the same boat. 69 and yr and a half on Zytiga, prednisone and Lupron and my regular doctor said I'm getting old ,no sheet I claim the drugs. Worked on my mower and came out looking like a meth head all picked up. Wore long sleeve shirt for a week so people didn't look at me like I was and it was 80 some all week. Now I just wear them proud because like the song says "I'm still Standing " ✌💪
Hi Friend, I was on Abiraterone + Prednisone an i am thinking this caused all my stomach problems , with gas and noisy bowel movements. The meds were stopped because they were not working to hold the PSA down. Just started "Pluvicto" and it had me feeling louse for two weeks. Have the second infusion on September 11th, so we shall see. Will be taking a new nausea pill , that you take one the night of the infusion and then three more the following three nights. Can't think of the name of it, must be old age lol
So I see that I am not the only one with this think skin issue at 55. I don't see anyone mention that they've found something that works to return the skin back to normal though.
I already drink some collagen mix as well as Vitamin A supplements but that does not appear to reverse anything. Either it takes much longer to reverse this or it cannot be reversed. Anyone knows?
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