New guy TRT acne AGAIN. help.

[azitaliass]

Thanks for your input in advance.
TRT round 1 ,Over 3.5 years ago started TRT, felt great, lost fat, gained muscle etc. 200 was the dose with hcg shots cycled on and off with pill a week of arimidex. 8 months acne was severe typical cystic trt causes type. Pills,topicals, did nothing..resulted in stopping trt going on a cutaneous for 5 months. Acutane jacked my back up,made me feel like an old man and created some horrific back pain.
2.5 yrs go by to present day. No gym, no supplements, weight gain from body fat and yes clear skin.
TRT round 2 started trt 5 weeks ago 160/week first few weeks I was super dizzy then arimidex helped kick in e levels to curb dizzyness, however last two weeks chest acne starting again and mid lower back acne starting again. This is horrendous to have starting, therefore I'm at a crossroads and need some help, the doc had said if we start seeing what previously happen with my acne from 3 yrs ago he will curb back the trt.
Questions are:
Should I face reality and give up the trt and just go to natural supplement world?
Being prone to acne obviously highschool, trt Accutane 3 years ago,now again will it actually go away if he drops me down from 160? Will it still even make a difference?
I am 39 yrs old 5'10 220lbs
Test was tested 4 times august/September (thx bcbs ins) 362, 378, 368, one 690 (doc said it was wrong)
Is there any alternatives, different routes? Can't do acne again, it's not worth it.. will reduced trt clear it as doc stated?
Help
Thx

 

[DotW]

I feel ya, brotha. I've been on trt since April. My shoulders have been breaking out real bad, since the fall started and I can't go outside without a shirt.

Without trt, my t levels are between 239 and 305. So basically, I act like a woman without it. I choose acne.

Holding yourself to a higher standard, nutrition wise, will be just as rewarding as enduring the side effects of trt. Either way, if you're on here, you're serious about getting fit. I believe you will achieve what you set out to do, regardless of which route you take.

 

[azitaliass]

Thx for the reply.
Yeah I'm working on it but here in AZ where I wear tank top,etc almost all year round it doesn't work so well. I'll go into doc this week for my shot so I'll see how much he sells me on the "reduction from 160 till it clears" he can convince me of. Strongly looking into test boosters but some forums say they work others say there bs. So not sure yet on that route either..

 

[kenpoengineer]

New to TRT myself (7 months) but experience the cystic type acne, but nothing like you are experiencing. Can you share your injection protocol? You dropped from 200 to 160 mg/week, why? The reason I ask is that it seems like you don't have your protocol dialed in. For example, I inject 45 mg Test C and use 0.5 mg Anastrozole every 3.5 days. When I used more Test C the acne would start up.

I would drop the acne medication. That has sides that I would not want to deal with. What I found useful is iodine solution that is available from any drug store. I just simply swab it on the acne and it's gone in a few days.

Also, with your testosterone being so low, those test boosters are not going to increase yours to where it needs to be.

 

[azitaliass]

Injection is done at clinic once every 5-7 days at 160. First run around I was at 200 3 years ago. This time it's 160 starting out, and .5 or half a tab of arimidex every 3 or so days and no acne medication as I had none when I started this, but now got acne starting again. I have oily skin in general, sweat often, shower like crazy and use good soap but it just sucks I'm in this boat again. I feel like I can't win

 

[kenpoengineer]

Injection is done at clinic once every 5-7 days at 160. First run around I was at 200 3 years ago. This time it's 160 starting out, and .5 or half a tab of arimidex every 3 or so days and no acne medication as I had none when I started this, but now got acne starting again. I have oily skin in general, sweat often, shower like crazy and use good soap but it just sucks I'm in this boat again. I feel like I can't win

Totally normal for the oily skin and resulting acne. This indicates that your resulting testosterone level is high. What blood tests is the clinic running? They should run bloodwork on the day you go back for another injection (before they actually inject). This will be your "low" point.

BTW, so much better to inject yourself and spread the injections to every 3 days. You cut the spikes and valleys this way.

 

[Gutterpump]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but the key to reducing acne, or have it disappear completely, is stable blood hormone levels.

Break your dose into 2x per week, and always pin on the same day. Don't mess with your days/doses and everything should be fine.

Acne mainly occurs during hormonal fluctuations. I personally had to drop hCG because of this.

 

[Gutterpump]

Btw, dosing only once per week will not give you stable blood levels. Hopefully your clinic will let you change the protocol a bit.

 

[sammpedd88]

If your dr won't allow you to do self injections, I would find another dr. Some of these clinics over charge patients. Find an integrative medicine dr in your area. You will be better off.

 

[azitaliass]

Good advice. I'll ask about that this week when I go. So I'm guessing that at my current 160 injection it would be better for acne reduction at .80/2 per week according to the theory of balance?

 

[kenpoengineer]

Good advice. I'll ask about that this week when I go. So I'm guessing that at my current 160 injection it would be better for acne reduction at .80/2 per week according to the theory of balance?

Yes, 80 mg every 3.5 days. But only if your bloodwork indicated proper test, free test and E2 levels. This clinic is taking bloodwork, right?

 

[kisaj]

IMO, 160mg a week is a bit high and you may not need an AI with a lower dose if you feel good and numbers align. I'm always being told that I approach the discussion of hormones a little cautiously, but I find that it is easier to troubleshoot to start low or with the least variables and work up.

 

[sammpedd88]

If you only listen to one guy on this forum.....listen to kisaj. He know his stuff!!

 

[kenpoengineer]

If you only listen to one guy on this forum.....listen to kisaj. He know his stuff!!

Agree that kisaj is very knowledgeable on TRT.

 

[kisaj]

Thanks guys, that is nice of you. However, you should hear me go on and on about quantum physics, then you'd be blown away.


LOL

 

[ohiostate2827]

I break out as well..notice more so if I eat sweets and foods with a lot oil in them..I inject 50mg twice a week in the stomach.. Use 12.5mg of aromasin as needed

 

[Aestheticdad]

That's high? What's a safe dose? 47. 155 lbs. fit. On trt also. Acne like crazy. Came about 8 weeks in.

 

[kenpoengineer]

That's high? What's a safe dose? 47. 155 lbs. fit. On trt also. Acne like crazy. Came about 8 weeks in.

Usually acne is a sign of high estradiol. What are your levels? Have you been prescribed an AI?

 

[Aestheticdad]

Thanks for replying. just started Arimadex. stopped taking the shots for 9 days now. hoping the zits goes away. i was dosing 200 mg a week. My friend was taking 400 mg a week but was taking arimadex. didn't think about it at the time but I should have been taking estrogen blocker. oh well. live and learn. I read in a previous post that 160mg a week was a lot so i was asking what's alot?

 

[emantest]

Usually acne is a sign of high estradiol. What are your levels? Have you been prescribed an AI?

Agreed get e2 level checked. Consistent dosing of test and AI key, if I notice acne or mood change I may take 1mg instead of 1/2 arimidex every 2 days.

 

[Aestheticdad]

Taking arimadex. Btw. How long does it take for the zits to go away? What can I do to speed it up? All ideas are appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[kenpoengineer]

I found that washing with Dawn dish soap then applying iodine solution (betadine) works wonders to clear acne. Stopping TRT, if you need it, makes no sense unless you are running a cycle.

 

[sammpedd88]

Thanks for replying. just started Arimadex. stopped taking the shots for 9 days now. hoping the zits goes away. i was dosing 200 mg a week. My friend was taking 400 mg a week but was taking arimadex. didn't think about it at the time but I should have been taking estrogen blocker. oh well. live and learn. I read in a previous post that 160mg a week was a lot so i was asking what's alot?

Usually when being prescribed TRT, Dr's start out with 100 mgs and give that a few months and adjust from there. It takes at least a year to start to truly dial in a protocol. It takes some guys much longer. 200mgs to start out with TRT is a little high. 400 mgs isn't TRT it's a cycle.

 

[Aestheticdad]

My bad. Started out slow but went solo because got tired of going to dr office. Decided to pin myself for convenience. Then went up because I wanted to. Maybe not the best idea but it is what it is. I do appreciate your input.

 

[TheBigJS]

125mg p/w was enough to get an average of near 900ng/dl in the ever famous 25/50/125/300/600mg trial. And to see experienced lifters gain several lb of muscle without training. So even that isn't really TRT is it?

 

[ohiostate2827]

80mg per week im in 600 range and no zits

 

[DozerDean]

I feel your pain, op. I have bacne, chestne, facene and shoulderne since starting trt. Some say high estrogen will cause it but mine was below 20 on sensitive test thanks to too much anastrazol and still had acne. Anti biotics cleared it up but came right back a short time after. I have tried every otc med available.. only med I can find to work is a benzoyl peroxide wash to keep it calm. Also, a few min in the tanning bed each week seems to help the most but that comes with skin cancer risk. My next acne experiment is with melanotan 2. I might start in the next few days. If successful I'll let you know. Looking like a pubescent leper sucks!

 

[ohiostate2827]

dairy had a big impact on me..plus the soap i was using..im pretty much cleared up now..i lowered my sugar intake to no more that 40grams a day as well

 

[Cycloman]

Check DHT with a blood test as well. You could also try pinning Subq at the intervals and dosages recommended here. It will slow down the absorption and therefore reduce Estrogen spikes.