Testosterone Caused Folliculitis

[goolapsh]

I went to the dermatologist after using testosterone cream and she diagnosed me as having folliculitis. I'm getting small itch bumps all over my body. anyone else experience this? is this a common side effect? Also, does this mean a weakened immune response? I keep reading that testosterone lowers immunity.

 

[Vince]

Does Testosterone Suppress the Immune System?

 

[SilverSurfer]

I went to the dermatologist after using testosterone cream and she diagnosed me as having folliculitis. I'm getting small itch bumps all over my body. anyone else experience this? is this a common side effect? Also, does this mean a weakened immune response? I keep reading that testosterone lowers immunity.

I only get them when my E2 goes too high.

 

[Vince Carter]

I went to the dermatologist after using testosterone cream and she diagnosed me as having folliculitis. I'm getting small itch bumps all over my body. anyone else experience this? is this a common side effect? Also, does this mean a weakened immune response? I keep reading that testosterone lowers immunity.

Hows you're personal hygiene habits?

 

[Jason Sypolt]

Mine won't go away entirely, but switching to Enanthate helps a lot.

I also take LDN which takes the pain and swelling down to zero in a matter of hours

 

[Nelson Vergel]

The same treatments that work for acne (especially minocycline) work for folliculitis. In my opinion, most men and doctors do not know the difference between the two.

Testosterone and Acne: What You Need to Know

 

[goolapsh]

Yea I think it’s the dht that causes it. I didn’t have this problem with the shots but I also didn’t have a sex drive with the shots either so I guess it is what it is

 

[Nelson Vergel]

This applies to acne and folliculitis:

"Acne is a disorder of the pilosebaceous unit in the face, neck, and upper trunk. It has been known that sebaceous glands are androgen target tissues. Castration could prevent sebum production, while testosterone replacement could reverse this condition [87]. AR has been detected in the epithelial cells of sebaceous glands by immunohistochemistry and biochemical binding assays [18].

In addition, sebaceous glands contain most of the steroidogenic enzymes for the conversion of DHEA/DHEAS (DHEA sulfate) into testosterone and DHT [15,32]. There are three isoforms of 5α-reductase, and their expression patterns vary across species and tissues [105]. Type I 5α-reductase mainly express in the sebocytes, keratinocytes, and dermal fibroblasts; type II 5α-reductase is mainly detected in the seminal vesicles, epididymis, prostate, and fibroblasts from adult genital skin, as well as the inner root sheath of the hair follicle; while the newly found type III 5α-reductase is detected in the prostate cancer and sebocyte cell lines [17,93]. In addition to its steroidogenic activity, type III 5α-reductase is critically involved in N-linked glycosylation [11]. Intriguingly, the sebum production rate in patients with the deficiency of type II 5α-reductase was similar to that of normal males [52], suggesting that DHT produced locally by type I 5α-reductase enhances sebum production. However in the clinical and in vitro studies, selective inhibitors for type I 5α-reductase did not significantly reduce sebum production and improve acne vulgaris [62,97], indicating that suppression of 5α-reductase alone might not be sufficient to improve acne. There are several possibilities to explain this. First, suppression of an individual type of 5α-reductase might not be sufficient to completely block DHT synthesis due to the redundancy between different types of 5α-reductase, and the sebaceous glands might be sensitive to even tiny amounts of DHT. Second, the newly found type III 5α-reductase might play a more important role in regulating sebum production. Third, in addition to the difference in their potency, testosterone and DHT do not act the same way on AR activation [36], suggesting that testosterone, rather than DHT, could be a more important regulator in sebum production. Additionally, the participation of AR coregulators might compensate for the deficit in DHT production."

From: The Role of Androgen and Androgen Receptor in the Skin-Related Disorders

 

[Trt801]

I went to the dermatologist after using testosterone cream and she diagnosed me as having folliculitis. I'm getting small itch bumps all over my body. anyone else experience this? is this a common side effect? Also, does this mean a weakened immune response? I keep reading that testosterone lowers immunity.

One year in and I’m having the same problem. First across my chest but it seems to be spreading slowly down my stomach and across the tops of my arms. Even during puberty I didn’t have acne in these areas. Then again, I’m growing a new batch of hair that wasn’t heavily grown over my chest during puberty. I’ll have to look into this with my own dermatologist but it’s small, mostly hard pustules with equally hard string like puss. Not acne like most people experience. It’s frustrating because on my lower neck it looks almost like skin tags forming as well… similar in appearance to what’s happening on my chest but not seeming to yield any infection. ‍… just wanted you to know that you’re not alone. I can say that if it wasn’t for hair loss and that I didn’t catch into quick enough to get ahead of, this folliculitis would be a small price to pay for the benefits I’ve experienced.

 

[linn]

I started taking a hormone replacement injection a little over a year ago. I have bad folliculitis now (which I mainly diagnosed with symptoms and pictures before doctor would diagnosed as anything!) It is on head, sometimes neckline, AND genital area. Urologist gave me hormone injections and continued without asking questions about any symptoms I might have. I didn't connect head with hormones. Dermotologist was about useless until I could show pictures and she didn't ask about hormones. The med she prescribed isn't helping a lot. But better than nothing.I feel horrrid as I have to wait (for how long) for injections to wear off.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I started taking a hormone replacement injection a little over a year ago. I have bad folliculitis now (which I mainly diagnosed with symptoms and pictures before doctor would diagnosed as anything!) It is on head, sometimes neckline, AND genital area. Urologist gave me hormone injections and continued without asking questions about any symptoms I might have. I didn't connect head with hormones. Dermotologist was about useless until I could show pictures and she didn't ask about hormones. The med she prescribed isn't helping a lot. But better than nothing.I feel horrrid as I have to wait (for how long) for injections to wear off.

Minocycline works and you can stay on TRT

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Based on the search results, the key points for treating testosterone-induced folliculitis are:

Topical treatments can help manage testosterone-induced folliculitis:
- Use non-irritating cleansers and avoid products that can further irritate the skin[1]
- Try topical retinoids like adapalene, tretinoin, or trifarotene to help unclog pores[3]
- Topical antifungal treatments like ketoconazole shampoo may help if the folliculitis is caused by Malassezia yeast[5]

Oral medications can also be effective:
- Oral antibiotics like doxycycline or minocycline are often used as first-line treatments[3]
- Spironolactone, a medication that blocks androgen effects, can help treat hormonal acne in some cases[4]
- For severe, treatment-resistant cases, oral isotretinoin may be prescribed[3][5]

Reducing the testosterone dose, if possible, can also help improve folliculitis[4].

Overall, a combination of good skin hygiene, topical treatments, and potentially oral medications may be needed to effectively manage testosterone-induced folliculitis[1][3][4].

Citations:
[1] TRT Acne: Causes & Treatments | Elite HRT
[2] A Case of Therapy-Resistant Folliculitis due to Adrenal Insufficiency?
[3] Treating Acne in Transgender Persons Receiving Testosterone: A Practical Guide
[4] Acne Treatment While on Testosterone Replacement Therapy Alpha Hormones
[5] Steroid acne | DermNet

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Based on the search results, the common causes of testosterone-induced folliculitis are:

1. Increased sebum production: The search results indicate that testosterone can stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which can then clog hair follicles and lead to folliculitis[4].

2. Altered immune response: Testosterone may also play a role in modulating the immune response, potentially contributing to the inflammatory component of folliculitis[3].

3. Adrenal insufficiency: In one case report, low cortisol levels due to adrenal insufficiency were found to be a contributing factor to therapy-resistant folliculitis, which resolved after cortisol replacement[3].

4. Use of anabolic steroids: The search results mention that the patient in the case report had previously used anabolic steroids, which can also lead to testosterone-induced folliculitis[3].

5. Occlusion and friction: Other factors like occlusive clothing, hot tubs, and shaving can also contribute to the development of folliculitis, including that induced by high testosterone levels[1][2].

In summary, the main causes of testosterone-induced folliculitis appear to be the stimulation of sebum production, altered immune response, adrenal insufficiency, and the use of anabolic steroids, along with physical factors like occlusion and friction[1][2][3][4].

Citations:
[1] TRT Acne: Causes & Treatments | Elite HRT
[2] Folliculitis: Background, Pathophysiology, Etiology
[3] A Case of Therapy-Resistant Folliculitis due to Adrenal Insufficiency?
[4] Testosterone & Acne: Can Hormones Cause Breakouts? | Apostrophe
[5] Steroid Acne: Causes and Treatment