Anyone considering using steroids to bulk up may want to think again after seeing pictures of the horrific scars suffered by one young bodybuilder.
German doctors were shocked at the extent of the massive, deep ulcerating sores on the chest and back of the 21-year-old man.
After antiseptic and antibiotic therapy the wounds healed but left permanent scars, The Lancet reported.
Experts said steroid-induced acne was usually much milder.
Figures from the British Crime Survey put the number of steroid users at 42,000 but some experts believe the true figure could be twice as high.
Anabolic steroids ar usually synthesised from the male reproduction hormone testosterone.
They have been banned by many sporting bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, because of their danger to wellness and the potential for competitive advantage.
Known side-effects include potential hurt to major organs in the body such as the liver and heart.
Moderate use
Dr Peter Arne Gerber, from the Department of Dermatology at Heinrich-Heine-University in D�sseldorf, Germany, said moderate amounts of the drug could cause big problems.
"Usually in people taking temper doses of the dose you run across some sort of mild acne but in severe cases it can ulcerate.
The acne became severely ulcerated
"The doses this man was taking were within the doses that are victimised among bodybuilders."
Dr Gerber added that the man did not point taking the steroids in one case the skin problems developed because he was more concerned with losing muscle mass.
He eventually stopped just by and so it was found the steroid abuse had also caused a low spermatozoon count and shrunken testicles.
"There is plausibly a dose-effect with the steroids merely it's too dependent on how the individual reacts," he said.
"It is confutative whether he will be able to start construction muscle mass again - he may not be able to perform the exercises due to the scarring."
UK experts said steroids were associated with this kind of acne merely it was extremely rare to see such a severe case.
Although the sores healed, he is left with permanent scars
Professor Peter Sonksen, an emeritus prof of endocrinology at St Thomas' Hospital in London, said at the doses used by the military personnel he would expect to see problems but he was still shocked at the extent of the scarring.
"It shows young people the dangers."
Jim McVeigh, head of substance use at Liverpool John Moores University, said: "It's well documented that some individuals lav experience severe acne.
"Often this is simply a transient problem - most people wouldn't reckon it a significant barrier to victimisation anabolic steroids."
He added at that place was a lack of studies examining the side effects of steroid abuse and called for "robust scientific inquiry" to ground exactly what effects anabolic steroids take on heavy users.
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