This is hard making this post, as I know it will be met with a lot of skepticism. I appreciate that this is not a problem most of us have, but it is something that has been a problem for me for approximately 6 months. I have a great regiment and when I abstain from masturbation and sex my skin is absolutely perfect. Usually I will ejaculate about once a week so this means that once a week the morning after ejaculating I will have a big deep under the skin nodule. Before I knew this was a problem I would ejaculate more frequently and my skin was a nightmare. I recently went 6 weeks without ejaculating and I did not have a single breakout during this entire time. Obviously, this sort of streak can't last foreverthough, and it is not something that a human should have to do to keep their skin clear.
I understand that ejaculating increases DHT, which influences sebum production which in turn creates acne. But I don't understand why this is now a problem for me and what I can do to fix it. My one theory is that it may have something to do with my liver health, as I was taking an antidepressant called valdoxan 6 months ago that can cause liver toxicity . I have had the problem since taking this drug, despite only being on the drug for 2 weeks. I have taken strong liver detox supplements such as milk thistle and NAC to no avail, however.
Since I'm a male, there are none of the solutions to hormonal acne that women have available, such as birth control and spiro. I have tried saw palmetto and reishi but did not see any results. Moreover, I have trepidation about messing with my hormone levels as this is especially dangerous water for a man.
I am at my wit's end and have no more ideas for a solution. I would appreciate some help.
Could I please ask that people refrain from posting the usual rhetoric that ejaculation has nothing to do with acne. I appreciate that this is not a problem most people experience, but for me and others it is entirely real and incredibly frustrating. I am desperate for some help.
1 hour ago, Binga said:accutane + curology
@Binga you might be onto something, however the dermatologists I've seen refuse to prescribe me accutane as I have major depressive disorder, given that there are side effects of increased suicide risk. I will look into curology. Thank you a lot for the input.
Have you tried azelaic acid? The only reason I stopped using it isbecause of the side effects like mild itching and burning, which goes away with time. It works by reducing excess sebum production. If it wasn't for Spiro, I would still be using it. Iwould also try its derivative calledPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate (PAD) which doesn't have the side effects but works at a much lower concentration. Also, I don't know ifit's safe to use topical Spiro for men but maybe find outif you can get a topical Spiro gel made at a compounding pharmacy like this:
https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/spironolactone-niacinamide-and-cimetidine-acne-gel
I have the same problem. Once I go three or four days without ejaculating, my skin feels much better. But on day one or day two, I get new breakouts, and a cyst or two half the time.
I may think it's a hormone problem and I'm going to visit a doctor to test my levels soon.
I'm sorry-that sucks! As someone who is dealing with hormonal issues and has seen my hormonal acne clear up a bitI would recommend you try to find a functional medicine doctor in your area. Basically a doctor who will try to work with you to get to the root cause of your issues-whether its your liver or something going on with your brain signaling to your hormones.They can do blood work etc. Most functional medicine/homeopathic/naturopath doctors are willing to do a 15 minute consultation on the phone too, and it is just nice to have some answers that aren't just getting you on another pill that is a band-aid.
I used to spend so much money at Whole Foods on random supplements and then when I started seeing my functional medicine doctor she got me on the right dosages of higher quality supplements that were exactly what I needed and not just random shots in the dark.
best of luck!