What Is the Connection Between Testosterone and Acne?

Corticosteroid acne Corticosteroid acne is a drug-induced acne. Whether applied topically, orally or by injection (intradermally, intramuscularly, intravenously, or articularly), acne can be caused. Because it is more common and heavier, it is listed separately. The severity of acne is directly proportional to the dose and time of hormone application. Whiteheads, blackheads, inflammatory pimples, pustules, nodules, and cysts can occur whether applied topically or systemically. Such patients also have signs of adverse reactions such as hairy, concentric obesity and swelling.

Corticosteroid acne

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Corticosteroid acne Corticosteroid acne is a drug-induced acne. Whether applied topically, orally, or by injection (intradermally, intramuscularly, intravenously, or articularly), it can cause acne. Because it is more common and heavier, it is listed separately. The severity of acne is directly proportional to the dose and time of hormone application. Whiteheads, blackheads, inflammatory pimples, pustules, nodules, and cysts can occur whether applied topically or systemically. Such patients also have signs of adverse reactions such as hairy, concentric obesity and swelling.

Chinese name

Corticosteroid acne

Foreign name

steroids acne

Belong to

Drug acne

Symptom

Whiteheads, blackheads, inflammatory pimples

The hormones secreted by the gonads are called sex hormones. In addition to sex hormones mainly from the gonads (male testis or female ovaries), a small part is secreted by the adrenal glands and placenta. Sex hormones are substances that maintain human sex. They can be divided into two categories, male hormones and female hormones.

Male hormones, also known as androgens, are mainly synthesized and secreted by the testes, and adrenal ovaries can also be secreted in small amounts. Its main role is to stimulate the appearance of male characteristics, such as increased beards, increased secretion of sebaceous glands, thick bones, strong muscles, prominent throat, and low voice, as well as the development of external and internal genital organs (sperm vesicles, prostate) And maturity, both occur under the stimulation of androgens. At the same time, androgens can promote metabolism, mainly promoting protein synthesis, especially muscle and bone tendons and reproductive organ protein synthesis. Female hormones can be divided into estrogen (follicle hormone) and progesterone (lutein). Estrogen is mainly produced by the ovary. In addition, the placenta, adrenal glands and testes can also secrete a small amount of estrogen. Its main role is to promote the development of female organs and secondary sexual characteristics, including female genital growth, breast development and uterine enlargement. Estrogen has an anti-androgen effect. Studies have shown that estrogen can shrink the sebaceous glands of animals and reduce the production of sebum. This effect may be caused by the suppression of pituitary gonadotropins and the fight against vitamins. Progesterone can transform the endometrial hyperplasia phase into the secretory phase, which is suitable for implantation of fertilized eggs. It has a suppressive effect on pituitary stimulation.

From the introduction above, we can see that both male and female sex hormones exist in men and women, but there are obvious differences in their content. In men, androgens dominate; women dominate in estrogen. Androgen plays a decisive role in the occurrence of acne, because the development of sebaceous glands and secretion of sebum are directly dominated by androgens. This can be proved by many experiments. Pre-pubertal children androgen administration can cause sebaceous glands to increase and increase sebum secretion. In animal experiments, it was found that androgens can increase the division of undifferentiated sebaceous gland cells, glandular proliferation and glandular cell differentiation, thereby increasing sebum production. The sebaceous glands are very sensitive to androgens. After 12 hours of castration in adult animals, DNA synthesis of the sebaceous glands stops. If androgen is injected into such castrated animals, the sebaceous glands resume activity. While estrogen does not affect the activity of sebaceous glands under normal physiological amounts, estrogen with a pharmacological amount (significantly greater than physiological amounts) can reduce the activity of sebaceous glands by directly inhibiting androgens, so it can be used for the treatment of acne.

So, how does androgen act on the sebaceous glands? Androgen, which is weaker in the circulation, such as dehydroandrosterone and androstenedione, is converted into more active testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the skin. This process depends on the action of specific two substances in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, such as 5a-reductase. It is known that DHT has the strongest effect on stimulating sebaceous glands. The first step of androgens acting on sebaceous glands is to bind to androgen receptors on target cells (sebaceous glandular cells), a process that depends on the chemical reaction between them. Once the androgen binds to the receptor, a series of programmed cell changes occur: DNA replication and protein synthesis. The end result is an adjustment in sebaceous gland function.

Before the human body reaches the stage of sexual maturity, sebaceous glands are immature due to low androgen levels, and their volume is small. During sexual maturity, androgen levels increase, sebaceous glands are getting better and better, their volume is also increasing, and sebum components are correspondingly changed. At this time, the sebaceous glands of some young people were stimulated due to excessive sensitivity to androgens in the body, which caused a large amount of sebaceous glands to secrete, far exceeding normal levels. These extra-constant secretions in the sebaceous glands are accumulated in the hair follicle dermal ducts and at the exit of the hair follicles, together with the effects of excessive keratinization of the hair follicle tubes and bacteria, which cause acne. ^[1]