Acne on Testosterone Cypionate: Week-by-Week Timeline of What to Expect

Does testosterone cypionate cause acne?

Yes. The Depo-Testosterone label lists acne in its adverse reactions, on the same line as hirsutism, male-pattern baldness and seborrhea [2]. That list carries no frequencies, so the label does not say how often acne happens on cypionate.

Is there a week-by-week timeline?

No onset week or week-by-week schedule for acne after testosterone cypionate injections is given in the label or in the review above.

The nearest thing to a time frame is the 2017 review of testosterone therapy in transgender men. It lists acne among the undesired effects and notes that most effects of testosterone therapy start to develop within several months of starting, although facial hair and alopecia continue to develop after 1 year [1]. That review covers a different population from men treated for hypogonadism.

How the drug behaves between injections

After an intramuscular injection, testosterone cypionate has a half-life of about eight days [2]. The label lists dosing every two to four weeks, given deep into the gluteal muscle and never intravenously [2]. The label does not describe a relationship between dose, injection interval and acne.