Prednisone & Acne

Prednisone is the generic name of a corticosteroid medication used to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Prednisone is often prescribed to people who have inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, auto-immune conditions such as lupus and psoriasis, or respiratory illnesses including severe bronchitis and pneumonia. In addition to treating inflammation, prednisone can cause a person's skin to thicken, which can irritate and block hair follicles One of the side effects of the skin thickening caused by prednisone is an increased likelihood of acne.

Dosage

• Cushing's-Help.com, a support system and information resource for people who have Cushing's disease, explains that people who take high doses of the medication are more likely to experience acne as an adverse reaction. Patients should consult their physicians if they are concerned about their corticosteroid dose.

Timing

• Acne stemming from prednisone may not appear right away, according to the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. A patient usually develops acne and other skin conditions, such as easy bruising, after several weeks of taking prednisone.

Location

• Acne as a side effect of corticosteroids can appear anywhere on the body, but it is most common on the face, back and chest, explains GIHealth.com.

Age

• People of all ages can develop acne when using prednisone. Adolescents may have more of a problem with pimples than adults due to the normal fluctuations of hormones that occurs, but prednisone-induced acne is not restricted to teenagers.

Treatment

• GIHealth.com suggests using topical acne medications that limit oil production of the sebaceous glands. Severe acne as a side effect of prednisone may require medical attention.