Drugs and Medications which Cause Acne

Posted on March 24, 2008 in Latest News

Very often, we take drugs for different ailments without exactly knowing what it is made of and what side effects it can cause. It is a fact that many of the medications we consume contain substances which might cause acne. This is mainly because these drugs cause our oil gland to be exuberant, leading to the outbreak of pimples.

Medications are generally divided into two groups — over the counter (OTC) medications, which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets without special restrictions, and prescription only (POM), which must be prescribed by a physician. Most OTC medication is generally considered to be safe enough that most persons will not hurt themselves accidentally by taking it as instructed.

Which drugs cause acne?

Contraceptives: Contraceptives are usually recommended to keep acne at bay. These medications affect the body’s hormone balance. Hormones are a direct link to acne problems. Oral contraceptives contain both estrogen and progestin hormones, the estrogen is fairly stable between brands of contraceptives but there are several different types of progestin and each one will have a different effect. Oral contraceptives that are most likely to cause worse acne are those that have low estrogen content and a type of progestin that increases the androgen (male hormone) levels in women.

Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids (like Prednisone) are often used to treat asthma and other chronic lung diseases. Like cortisol, a natural steroid produced by the body during times of intense stress, corticosteroids can stimulate sebum production and lead to acne blemishes.

Lithium: Lithium is traditionally used to handle depression and bipolar problems. It helps to regulate how nerves communicate with each other. If you’re taking one of these drugs, then the acne you’re seeing might easily be a result of it. You can either chat with your doctor about alternatives, or plow on and read this site to find solutions to this side effect.

Sobriety medications: Antabuse (commonly called Disulfuram) is a prescription medicine that is intended to help alcoholics stop drinking. The regular use of Antabuse has been known to cause acne in some of the recovering alcoholics.

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