While some people associate acne
with their teenage years, roughly 50 million Americans suffer from it. Most humans will agree that
pimples and red spots are annoying, but making these problems disappear is not
always easy—especially if you suffer from cystic acne.
Cystic acne is the most severe kind
of acne, as it sinks deep into the interior dermis layer. You'll want to visit
a specialist who can determine whether you have this type of acne. If you know
that you suffer from cystic acne, continue reading to learn about the different
ways you can go out managing it.
What
is Cystic Acne?
Cystic acne occurs when oils, dead
skin cells, and bacteria seep deep into your pores or hair follicles. When this
happens, large, red, painful bumps will start to form on your body. While it is
common for cystic acne to pop up on your face, specifically around your
jawline, it can also occur on your chest, shoulders, and back.
What
Causes Cystic Acne?
There are many possible causes of
cystic acne. Dermatologists see many teenagers who have it because of hormone
imbalance during puberty. When your hormones are out of whack, they send a
signal to oil-producing glands that tells them to overproduce oil.
This hormone imbalance happens
during pregnancy too, which is why sometimes expecting mothers will get cystic
acne. Stress and lack of sleep (which is usually influenced by stress levels)
will affect your skin. Finding activities that release stress and produce
endorphins will help prevent further breakouts.
Some studies have linked dairy
consumption, refined sugars, and processed foods to cystic acne. Avoid
consuming any foods that fall under these categories for a few weeks to see if
they contribute to your breakouts.
How
to Treat Cystic Acne
There are many ways that you can try
to minimize the effects of cystic acne. Below are some steps you can take on
your own if you are unable to see a dermatologist. There is also some
information about what services a dermatologist will offer if you have one.
Skincare
Routine
Use a gentle cleanser that contains
salicylic acid to wash your face. Cleansing helps remove any excess oils and
dead skin cells that could be causing build-up.
The more severe your acne is, the
more salicylic acid you'll want in your product. Research your cleanser to see
how much salicylic acid it contains.
While it may seem like scrubbing
your face is the most effective method for getting your skin clean, it is not.
Scrubbing will irritate your skin even further and cause your cystic acne to
flare up even more. Instead, rub the cleanser into your face lightly in
circular motions.
It is best to wash your face two
times a day, when you wake up or before you go to bed and after sweating.
Perspiration collects all the dirt and bacteria on your face and seeps into the
pores.
Stick to two times a day to avoid
overwashing, as it strips the face of its natural oils. Your glands will then
overproduce oil.
Speaking of stripping skin of its
oils, you should also steer clear of harsh exfoliants. They'll aggravate your
acne and increase inflammation.
Instead, use an oil-free
moisturizer. This product restores your moisture barrier, counteracting the
work your cleanser and treatments are doing to dry out your pores. Both
niacinamide and hyaluronic acid will help seal that moisture in your face, so
look for moisturizers with those ingredients.
Home
Remedies
Because cystic acne can be painful
for so many, try putting pain-relieving medication right on your spots. You can
create a homemade spot treatment by crushing up an aspirin and mixing it with
water.
Turmeric is known for its
anti-inflammatory products, which makes it an effective mask ingredient. Just
mix turmeric powder with water. Be warned, though, that turmeric stains pretty
easily, so it could leave its yellow-orangish color on your face if you leave
it on for too long.
Lastly, you can put tea-tree oil on
your face to reduce inflammation. You'll want to be careful about how much you
use because you don't want the oil to contribute to your clogged pores.
Before you try any of these methods,
keep in mind that they do not work for everyone. Additionally, using the
correct amount of each ingredient is essential in avoiding making your acne
worse.
Dos
and Do Nots
Treat a pimple as soon as you feel
it coming on by wrapping an ice cube in a paper towel and putting it on your
face. Similar to dealing with an injury, the ice will reduce any swelling that
the pimple causes. Put the ice on your face a few times throughout the day.
Always remove your makeup or
sunscreen at the end of the day. Having a fresh face will allow your skin to
breathe.
You can purchase sunscreen that has
low traces of oil in it to keep your pores from clogging even more. It is still
an essential part of your skincare routine because it prevents your spots from
turning red or darkening.
Refrain from popping your pimples.
Unlike regular acne, cystic acne contains white blood cells, which you cannot
pop. Touching your face will bother the skin and can cause scarring.
Last but not least, make sure to
wash or change your pillowcase frequently. When you lay your head down, the
oils on your face transfer to the pillow. Every time you use your pillow after
that, your skin touches dirty oils and bacteria. They will then seep back into
your pores, causing those red spots to pop up.
Dermatologist
Recommended
One of the perks of going to a
dermatologist is that they consider your lifestyle and the medications you take
before prescribing medicine or suggesting a treatment. If your acne is
excruciatingly painful, they can give you a cortisol shot to relieve that
discomfort.
This treatment can be a bit pricey,
so but you can find hydrocortisone at your local drugstore. It is a
cost-effective way to relieve some of that pain.
Since hormones immensely affect your
skin, your dermatologist might recommend that you go on birth control to level
them out. They should contact your OBGYN to prescribe you one that is best for
you.
Dermatologists may also recommend
that you undergo isotretinoin, most widely known as Accutane. This oral
medication shrinks your oil glands to prevent them from producing too much oil.
Isotretinoin is often the treatment that you turn to if nothing else has
worked.
If you've had cystic acne for a
while, you might have scarring on your face. The good news is that there are
treatments that will help remove these scars.
One noninvasive process called Endymed Intensif goes deep into the skin to smooth
it out. Although it uses microneedles and gradually heats your skin to get the
job done, it's pretty painless. Using products with salicylic acid or retinoids
will also help undo some of the damage that cystic acne does to the skin.
Start
Managing Your Acne
Now that you understand how to
tackle cystic acne, you can read up on any other acne you might be
experiencing—like body acne. It is always better to know more about your condition, so
you know why it occurs and how to treat it.
