Steroid acne??: Hello folks, for month or two I... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

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Steroid acne??

Sillydogsmum profile image
25 Replies

Hello folks, for month or two I have had a few blood vessely looking spots on my face, 1-2mm in diam. Suddenly thus week I have about 30, some singly, some in groups, some with tiny pus blisters on top, they are distributed all over the face, some are a bit puffy like tiny mossie bites. They don't itch, I haven't started any new meds. I have done a bit of gardening. Dr Google suggests the possibility of Steroid Acne in long term users of steroids, Cushings and anabolic body builders. I would be grateful to know if anyone has any experience of such a thing and if so how it was treated. It just so happens that I am off to see my dermato tomorrow to have a BCC whipped off, so it would be useful to know beforehand whether this is common or not amongst you all. I have taken one of the dogs antihistamines just in case i might come into contact with something in the garden. Many thanks for any info or alternative diagnosis you may have. Could it be vasculitic??

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Sillydogsmum
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25 Replies
piglette profile image
piglette

What a rotten thing to happen. Steroid acne is treated much like ordinary acne. If bad I would ask your doctor for treatment.

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply topiglette

Thanks, as the day has gone on its beginning to look more like acne rosacea. My cheeks have been a bit flushed for a week or two but I just put that down to the Pred. Hey ho, I will see what dermato says.

SnazzyD profile image
SnazzyD

I had it until my dose reduced but can’t remember how far.

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum

Thanks, well at least it might disappear if I can reduce.......I'm on 15mgs............going down at 7-10% per month. 😪 At least from tomorrow I'll have a dressing plonk in the middle of my forehead to distract from the measloid spots everywhere else!!

Fatsiajaponica profile image
Fatsiajaponica

" taken one of the dog's antihistamines" 😂😂😂 Just made me laugh. I already have rosacea so one thing I can't blame on pred. Hope it clears up soon.

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep in reply toFatsiajaponica

I laughed at that, too. I now have my own!!

Pr0jection profile image
Pr0jection

I have milia on my chin. They are smooth round bumps that won't go away, and are worse in the heat. Nothing I've tried seems to get rid of them. I haven't had acne so I wonder if this is a form of it due to pred.

piglette profile image
piglette in reply toPr0jection

I got mine removed at the beauty clinic.

Pr0jection profile image
Pr0jection in reply topiglette

Thank you, my husband has regular dermatologist visits so I'll book an appointment.

Quintius profile image
Quintius

I developed acne on my forehead after starting on a high dose of prednisone. It was two and a half years ago. I am down to 7mg now. The acne is still there, but to a lesser extent.

Schrodie profile image
Schrodie

I have Steroid Acne It started about two - three months after I started on Steroids my starting dose was 20mg, It's all down my back across my chest top of my arms and some on my face and neck It can be a lot of small bumpy spots just under the skin, up to big painful cyst like.

At a routine check up with My GP she asked if I wanted treatment, so they must have looked bad. I had a topical antibiotic lotion which I used for 6 months it did help a bit, but not significantly and as they are mostly on my back it was hard to reach them. I stopped using it and now I use a 2% Salicylic Acid Blemish treatment on the big ones, which helps dry them up quicker. You can have an oral a low dose antibiotic for normal acne, I don't know if they would prescribe it for steroid acne, but I didn't want to ask about it because of all the PMR related medication I take.

I'm down to 4mg now, and I still have problems with the acne. I just decided it was another PMR Related thing I had to learn to live with and have packed away my plain T-shirts and blouses and bought more patterned ones, as the blood doesn't show as badly if I inadvertently scratch spots while I am out or at work. Sorry to be graphic,

I've had PMR for nearly 2 years and at 56 I've had to make a lot of adaptations to my life because of it. We are all different though so I hope your Acne will lessen as you come down the dosage. I had bad Acne as a teenager and into my twenties I was on and off antibiotics, until I went on "the pill" and it cleared up. I guess with that history it would make me more prone to acne now, I wish you well

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply toSchrodie

Thanks for sharing. Mine has faded quite a bit, I wonder if its acne rosacea. Felt the need to reassure my hairdresser today that it wasn't some sort of a lurgi! She has eyes like an outhouse rat so had to explain why forearms look like WW2 due to forgetting to wear my protectors while gardening, on top of the lengthy tut tutting about the condition of my hair . So much for keeping ones illness to oneself! Off to dermato tomorrow.

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep in reply toSillydogsmum

Love your descriptions. You have brightened what was otherwise a poor day - both weatherwise and how I feel.

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply toherdysheep

Courage mon ami!

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep in reply toSillydogsmum

👍

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply toherdysheep

One of my go-to listens when things are closing in somewhat......the Rabbit Hole Detectives podcast. Charming and interesting........Cat Jarman, Richard Coles and Charles Spencer.

Numptybrain profile image
Numptybrain

I had this on my chest but now I’m on 5mg it’s gone, they don’t look very nice but do go away once you taper down.

Take care

Wendy xx

AtopicGuy profile image
AtopicGuy

Have you considered shingles? It often occurs only on one side, but can be bilateral. The classic description of the spot is a 'dewdrop on a rose petal'. Almost all of us carry the chickenpox virus that causes shingles, and immunosuppressants (eg. steroids) can make breakouts more frequent. UV from sunlight can further reduce the body's immunity.

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply toAtopicGuy

Since its all over my face and has faded a bit today shingles very unlikely but thanks for the suggestion.

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum

Update, dermato confirms acne rosacea, spf50 face cream and zero alcohol to stop it flaring. If no better for metronidazole cream or oral medication. Cause, the dreaded and frightfully vague ' autoimmune' amongst others. Onward and upwards with a third eye in the middle of my forehead where he froze the precancerous lesion. On the plus side no sun exposure for a week, bye-bye gardening, can't possibly wear a hat.🤭🤕

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep

I could do with a third eye. Come and live here - no sun exposure to avoid whatsoever, and my garden needs doing!

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply toherdysheep

With 7 months of rain and wind due to start in October its a real pain, literally, to have to concertina gardening jobs on our heavy clay soil into May and September. Where did cold dry winters days go? Boating and gardens are not really compatible any more🛥️

Herdwicks? God's own Country?

herdysheep profile image
herdysheep in reply toSillydogsmum

Depending on your god - yes

piglette profile image
piglette

Are you a member of PMR AND GCA GARDENING GROUP? facebook.com/groups/6288051...

Sillydogsmum profile image
Sillydogsmum in reply topiglette

No, because I'm not on Facebook. Enjoy Garden Brocante on twitter though, a fellow dahlia fan.

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