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What Causes Androgen Sensitivity?

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(@fsas)

Posted : 09/14/2012 10:04 am

People have told me the type of acne I have is not necessarily due to hormones but more so due to androgen sensitivity.

As spiro worked really well for me (even at 25mg) it all kinda points to that.

 

my question is what causes androgen sensitivity?

I never had acne as a young teen as got it when I was 18 turning 19. I'm now nearly 21. mentioned many times before the acne came about in less than 2 weeks (clear all my life - then extreme explosion of acne)..never has it gone away.

 

If I'm androgen sensitive what could have happened to my body back in 2010 that caused this 'sensitivity' to all of a sudden just switch on? (diet/lifestyle has definitely made no difference..I wont go on and on about what I've tried).

 

If androgen sensitivity is 'genetic' then how come my identical twin has the clearest more amazing skin I've ever seen, we're as identical as it gets, our genes are identical..yet she doesnt have androgen sensitivity.

no one else in my family does wither, not even cousins or grandparents.

 

I'm wondering if someone can please tell me what the deal is there :/

 

and I guess the million dollar question..what can one do to 'reverse' this sensitivity...is it even possible? Will I have to be on spiro my entire life just to have clear skin?

 

(not on it now but really really contemplating it again due to spending another year failing)

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1
(@bearishly)

Posted : 09/14/2012 10:31 am

People have told me the type of acne I have is not necessarily due to hormones but more so due to androgen sensitivity.

As spiro worked really well for me (even at 25mg) it all kinda points to that.

 

my question is what causes androgen sensitivity?

I never had acne as a young teen as got it when I was 18 turning 19. I'm now nearly 21. mentioned many times before the acne came about in less than 2 weeks (clear all my life - then extreme explosion of acne)..never has it gone away.

 

If I'm androgen sensitive what could have happened to my body back in 2010 that caused this 'sensitivity' to all of a sudden just switch on? (diet/lifestyle has definitely made no difference..I wont go on and on about what I've tried).

 

If androgen sensitivity is 'genetic' then how come my identical twin has the clearest more amazing skin I've ever seen, we're as identical as it gets, our genes are identical..yet she doesnt have androgen sensitivity.

no one else in my family does wither, not even cousins or grandparents.

 

I'm wondering if someone can please tell me what the deal is there :/

 

and I guess the million dollar question..what can one do to 'reverse' this sensitivity...is it even possible? Will I have to be on spiro my entire life just to have clear skin?

 

(not on it now but really really contemplating it again due to spending another year failing)

 

Some have hypothesized that your gut flora significantly affect your body's response to certain hormones (like androgens). This would explain why you have acne and your twin doesn't, as long as there's some factor that would have caused a difference between your digestive bacteria levels.

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271
(@dejaclairevoyant)

Posted : 09/14/2012 11:41 am

Your case is indeed a mystery and I feel pain and empathy that you haven't been able to solve it yet. I sometimes wonder if it's an allergy to something in your environment that you'd never suspect. I forget if I've asked you this before, but have you ever done any long term fasts? Specifically, water fasting? Like for more than a day or two? And if you have, did it effect your skin at all?

 

Like Bearishly said, when hormones are off, it's because something else in the body is off. The question is, what is it?

 

Don't trip out too hard about how this doesn't happen to your twin. I realize this is a source of pain for you, but there's a lot more to all of this than genetics. You are your own unique person despite the fact that she looks just like you. There is a reason this is happening to you. I know you will find it! Don't give up.

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(@green-gables)

Posted : 09/14/2012 3:22 pm

There are worse things in the world than being on spiro. As far as acne treatments go, it's pretty dang mild, cheap, and takes very little effort.

 

Endocrinology is still a really developing field in medicine. There may be a definitive answer for you some years down the road, but I wouldn't waste more years of your life obsessing over what the cause is. Enjoy the fact that you can have clear skin with a pill whose effects are entirely reversible. If at some point you discover the "cause" and don't need spiro, just stop taking it, and your body goes back to how it was. No harm done.

 

But in answer to your question, there is some evidence that if your gut flora became disrupted, you lose the ability to metabolize normal levels of hormones. Your androgen levels may be entirely normal, but without all the proper strains of bacteria in your gut (you should have over 100 strains, and some of those strains scientists still don't know what they are or what they do), you simply become more sensitive to your own hormones.

 

You might also want to do a very detailed comparison of your twin's lifestyle and diet. Do you eat more dairy? More sugar? Exercise more or less? Do you have more stress in your life? Do you eat less fermented foods? Was one of you formula-fed as a baby more than the other (infants seed their gut with good bacteria via mother's breastmilk...the more you are formula-fed, the more deficient your gut is)?

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(@alternativista)

Posted : 09/15/2012 9:04 am

Didn't you just identify a possibly serious issue with bright light during the night causing nausea? Have you followed up on that?

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(@emmatorrens)

Posted : 12/24/2012 6:31 pm

I AM EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOU!!

 

All my hormone levels are normal and I am currently having relative sucess with spiro. (Although mt totally clear I've only been on it for three months) My derm told me I am sensitive to androgens not some sort of imbalance. and no-one in my family has even a flaw of their skin let alone acne. Even my cousin who has PCOS and is severely overweight.. Unfair much?!

 

I have done some reaserch on this and apparently stress is a h

 

I AM EXACTLY THE SAME AS YOU!!

 

All my hormone levels are normal and I am currently having relative sucess with spiro. (Although mt totally clear I've only been on it for three months) My derm told me I am sensitive to androgens not some sort of imbalance. and no-one in my family has even a flaw of their skin let alone acne. Even my cousin who has PCOS and is severely overweight.. Unfair much?!

 

I have done some reaserch on this and apparently stress is a huge part of it. We're you under any stress? Even if you don't think you we're mate subconsciously you were? I know that's what triggers it for me.. I had only had minor blemishes here and there until six months ago)

 

Have you changed anything or done anything else that has helped?

 

 

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(@ind1g0)

Posted : 12/24/2012 10:22 pm

Stress. Look into adrenal fatigue

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