Effects of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids on the Pilosebaceous Unit
August 1992
in “
PubMed
”
anabolic-androgenic steroids sebaceous glands skin surface lipids Propionibacteria acnes cholesterol free fatty acids acne oily hair oily skin sebaceous cysts hirsutism androgenic alopecia striae atrophicae seborrheic dermatitis furunculosis steroids acne oily hair oily skin cysts hair loss stretch marks dermatitis boils
TLDR Anabolic-androgenic steroids can cause skin issues like acne and oily skin by enlarging oil glands and changing skin oils.
The 1992 study "Effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids on the pilosebaceous unit" found that the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids, often self-administered by athletes, led to significant hypertrophy of the sebaceous glands. High dosages of these steroids increased skin surface lipids, the cutaneous population of Propionibacteria acnes, and the cholesterol and free fatty acids of the skin surface lipids. This resulted in various skin conditions such as acne, oily hair and skin, sebaceous cysts, hirsutism, androgenic alopecia, striae atrophicae, seborrheic dermatitis, and secondary infections including furunculosis.
