Certain drugs go beyond aggravating acne and actually cause acne in skin which would otherwise not be vulnerable.

Corticosteroids – These are essentially fake hormones. They are a treatment for hives and eczema. However since they are ‘fake’ hormones, they have been known to cause acne since it’s dealing with hormones this is really no surprise.

Contraceptives – sometimes cause acne because they are dealing with hormones. Usually women who already have an acne problem find that contraceptives tend to make acne better. However this isn’t the case in all women.

Anabolic – Androgenic Steroids – This type of drug known for its use in bodybuilding and sports. Patients may suffer from acne on the back, chest and shoulders and rarely on the face. However women tend to be the opposite, getting acne more on their face and are less prone to getting it on their back, chest or shoulders.

Cocaine – Not only is cocaine a dangerous drug with many nasty side effects, it also can cause acne due to the changes in testosterone and oestrogen that it causes during and after administration of the drug. Chronic cocaine use has also been proven to disrupt the menstrual cycle in women, which can really mess with hormones and cause acne outbreaks to occur.

Marijuana – not only is it illegal in most countries, it briefly lowers testosterone levels then rapidly raises these levels producing an imbalance in hormones.