What is cystic acne? Basically, acne nodules, when left untreated, get enlarged and over time, they result in the lesions under our skin’s surface getting ruptured due to excessive swelling. Usually teenagers are the ones who suffer from cystic acne. It’s been found that one is more likely to suffer from cystic acne if this disease runs in the family (that is, the cause is often hereditary). It is also usual that a person suffering from cystic acne also suffers simultaneously from the other forms of acne diseases like whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, etc. Cystic acne is a more severe form of acne than the traditional acne diseases; however, the similarity between the two is that both are caused by bacteria. In this article I will tell you about top seven cystic acne treatments you can use:
Benzoyl Peroxide: When it comes to cystic acne or for that matter, ANY kind of treatment for acne, Benzoyl Peroxide is one thing that comes to mind almost immediately! The good thing about it is that it can help you get rid of acne without making you suffer from severe forms of side effects unlike antibiotic drugs! The mild side effects that come with Benzoyl Peroxide are dry skin resulting in skin peeling, redness of skin due to skin inflammation, etc.
Antibiotics: Your doctor can prescribe you antibiotics for curing cystic acne. Usually, antibiotics such as erythromycin and tetracycline are prescribed for the purpose. These antibiotic drugs reduce the skin inflammation as well as kill the acne causing bacteria effectively. The downside of course is that just like any antibiotic drugs these too come with side effects such as yeast infection (especially in women), digestion troubles as well as an increased irritation of the skin. Also, these are merely temporary and not permanent cure for cystic acne; once you stop the consumption of these drugs the acne could come back to haunt you!
Isotetrinoin: Accutane is the common name given to this Vitamin A based drug treatment for cysts. It helps you by prohibiting the production of excessive sebum by the sebaceous glands. It is usually administered orally but if that fails to produce the desired effect on the patient then the other forms of treatment methods are used. Studies have shown that accutane can reduce the sebum (oil) production of the skin by at least 90% if not more! While there is no doubt that accutane is an excellent cystic acne remedy, it also comes with a bundle of terrible side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, birth defects (if consumed by pregnant women, it can affect the fetus negatively), depression, hair loss, as well as eye, liver and skin issues.
Cortisone: Unlike accutane or the antibiotic drugs, Cortisone is a more natural form of treatment available for cystic acne, because cortisone is not a foreign chemical; rather it is something that is found in the human body naturally – it is a steroid hormone released by our adrenal gland in response to stress! Its primary function is to reduce skin inflammation as well as the size of the acne lesions. Typically, this steroid is injected into the cyst. The healing process starts almost as soon as it is injected into the body!
Stress-reduction: Did you know that stress can increase the production of sebum as well as clog your skin pores? When an excessive amount of this oil is produced and that oil finds itself trapped within the skin pores (with no exit route offered, since the pores are clogged), acne outbreak can occur! While I am not suggesting that you should pop in anti-stress pills every time you suffer from mild stress, you can certainly take measures to ensure that you go through a minimal amount of stress in your daily life. With a reduced amount of stress, not only will the sebum production of your sebaceous glands will be reduced, your skin pores will also be kept open!
Birth control pills: Sometimes women suffer from cystic acne due to an excessive production of estrogen in the body. This is where birth control pills come handy. They provide the much needed balance in hormonal changes occurring within the body, and thus, can be an effective measure for controlling the acne outbreaks! Please note that while these birth control pills help you regulate your hormonal changes, they also come with a number of side effects. So, before you use birth control pills as your acne treatment product it is best to have a consultation with a qualified physician!
Surgery: If your cysts have grown too large and you find that they are not responding well to the traditional forms of cystic acne treatments then surgery may be your only option. Note that the surgery must be performed by a qualified dermatologist who can drain out the cysts in such a way that the acne infection doesn’t spread to the rest of your body! Also, in case you are confused, the surgical procedure for removing cystic is very different from squeezing out the cysts!
In modern era, laser treatment is thought to be one of the best ways to get rid of acne cysts. Laser treatment offers two advantages: firstly, it helps in decreasing scars and also prevents the chances of future acne breakouts. Under the laser treatment, the microscopic glands as well as the follicle sac of the area around the cyst are burned while at the same time producing the necessary oxygen so as to destroy the bacteria causing the acne.
Remember that just because you suffer from cystic acne or acne vulgaris doesn’t mean that there is no cure for you. Yes, when you have cyst and pimples all over your body it may lower your self-esteem, as well as make you over-anxious and depressed about your body; however, note that with proper treatment almost any kind of acne can be cured! There are many other treatments available for cystic acne. For details, [adrotate banner=”3″].