So, I recently started T, and although I'm aware that 99% of people get some sort of break out in facial acne during puberty, I'm curious as to just how bad it can get..

I was never bothered about it until the day I started T, and my endo said "You might get horrible acne, but it's no big deal, just come back and we'll send you to dermatology".. but his wording made me worry that it's really common to get horrible acne. I very rarely have zits, except for like 6 months when I was 11 or 12, or small break outs around "that time". Now I'm really paranoid about it..

Compared to your pre-HRT amount of acne, how much worse did it get?
If you experienced a noticeable difference, how long did it stick around for?
What sort of things did/do you do at home to help decrease acne/stop it from cropping up?

Thanks everyone!

I was always very acne-prone pre-T and am a bit more now, not a lot. However, it's had a paradoxical effect by making my acne less noticeable. The rough skin allows it to blend in a lot more than it did previously against my skin that was otherwise smooth and soft. It looks less jarring now.

For me using OTC acne meds like Proactiv keeps it to a minimum and I once took a cycle of antibiotics which cleared it up within days.

Your skin type doesn't sound as bad as mine tho.

I didnt have much acne before, some blackheads and the occasional zits, I do get more now but no its not terrible, zits covering my face 24 7.  I do get zits in different places now though, like on my chest(in between the moobs), back, and neck

Didn't have too much acne before and it's not horrible but it's pretty noticeable. I got more under my chin where my face fuzzies are growing in and more on my face in general but the worst is the bacne. It has to do with my constant wearing of a binder I think because I've got an army of bumps right in the shape of a tri-top binder. :c I just kicked up the cleaning and bought some acne meds and it's calming though.

Unfortunate, but not horrifying/dramatic/life-ending.

Yep, my acne has flared up since starting HRT. But, it was pretty bad when I went through my first puberty, too. The difference this time around is that it's more concentrated around my jaw and chin, whereas before it was mainly my forehead. My experience is the same as Gifted's in that the acne is less noticeable due to rougher skin. I haven't had to resort to any special medications at this point in time. I just wash my face daily with whatever facial scrub we have in the shower as always.

I had very little acne pre-T.  I was actually frequently complemented on my good skin.  Now (22 months on T), my acne is pretty bad.  It's definitely noticeable and adds to my youthful appearance   What's interesting is that it will flare up before my next shot and get better afterward.  No idea why.

I did see a dermatologist, but he wasn't very helpful.  Right now I'm using 2% salycic acid in the morning and 10% benzoyl peroxide at night.  The salycic acid product has some kind of "soothing" quality, so I use the harsher stuff at night.  The benzoyl peroxide really dries me out, but it's worth it to me.

I've been on testosterone for almost 2yrs and I've never had a problem with acne. My skin is rougher and all that, but I never get spots or zits.

I hope y'all don't mind me chiming in.

On the flip side, I had horrible acne before starting HRT. Estrogen and t-blocker has cleared up my skin substantially. So I guess the opposite would happen to you guys.

I'm at 11 months on T. Before T I had really smooth nit oily skin. Now I have a chin covered in pimples. My chest has pimples, my back and shoulders do too.

I've always had moderate acne, when I started T I was using proactiv and that seemed to keep it under control, but now it's stopped working. it's still not that bad though.  my body acne is much worse but i generally try to avoid looking at myself with my shirt off anyway, so it's not such a big deal.

I agree with everyone else, not a HUGE amount of acne, but definitely the most on my back. I get a couple of new ones every day around my chin and right on the curve of my jaw, and have a bit of a band of them across the back of my shoulders just under the edge of my binder. Occasionally I'll get one or two between the moobs as well. I was virtually pimple free before starting T.

I started getting acne on my face around the 4 month mark, and prior to T I rarely got pimples. Now I have quite a few along my jaw and under my chin. I wash twice a day with acne wash but it doesn't help.

I had moderate cystic acne (which only developed after I had a baby) before starting T.  I did 6 months of accutane. The last two months of accutane overlapped the start of T. I haven't had any acne since then.

These are kinda far apart pictures but it's the best comparison I could find...
Pre T
11 months on T

My chin is where the problems are, although I do have a few along my jaw line closer to my ears and just under my eyes. I used to not use special scrubs or anything but since starting T I use a salic acid (sp?) facial scrub once or twice a day and something else that was mentioned earlier.

Quote from: Nygeel on October 28, 2011, 05:49:30 PM
These are kinda far apart pictures but it's the best comparison I could find...
Pre T
11 months on T

My chin is where the problems are, although I do have a few along my jaw line closer to my ears and just under my eyes. I used to not use special scrubs or anything but since starting T I use a salic acid (sp?) facial scrub once or twice a day and something else that was mentioned earlier.

Is that your real hair?

Quote from: Sharky on October 28, 2011, 08:14:23 PM
Is that your real hair?

Unfortunately, yes.

When I first started HRT (about the first 6-12 months) acne was pretty bad with no logical reprieve. Now it follows a more logical pattern--i.e., as long as I'm not going without a shower for more than a day it's fine. The main difference is that I have to shower/clean my skin way more than I did pre-T, but that seemed like kind of an obvious effect, to me, from the beginning.

Quote from: Nygeel on October 28, 2011, 08:17:18 PM
Unfortunately, yes.

I think it's cool. That's how my hair was before I cut it all off when I was 6. Have you ever let it grow into a giant fro?

Quote from: Sharky on October 28, 2011, 08:21:34 PM
I think it's cool. That's how my hair was before I cut it all off when I was 6. Have you ever let it grow into a giant fro?

I think that's the most I've let it grow...when it was longer when I was a kid it was frizzy and curly but never able to go "full fro." It's still poofy, and frizzy now but it's thinner now and a little less curly (as you can see in my more recent pictures).

One of my friends was 21 or 22 when he started, and his acne was very bad and often cystic. I don't know if he had a problem during first puberty. I've seen a bunch of guys who had mild to moderate acne and a few who haven't had many problems at all.

I have a lifelong history of eczema (atopic dermatitis) and chronically sensitive, ultra-dry skin. I had a few zits here and there when I was a teenager, in the oilier spots on my face--the nose and chin. I haven't really had problems with acne after starting T. I started about two and a half years ago.

Before T, I would get an occasional small zit, mostly in that oily spot on my chin. After T, I would get an occasional zit, only it was more like one zit a month instead of one zit every several months. Little things--I wash my face, and they aren't there anymore. I did (and still do) occasionally get some sort of cystic bump that dissolves away and never comes to a head. Can't remember the last time I had one of those. It's been a couple of months, I guess.

I think I got lucky in two ways--the genetics and the dry skin. Never thought I'd be glad to have suffered from terrible eczema for years and years. But it's gone and doesn't trouble me anymore, thanks to the T. I'm not even allergic to polyester anymore!