Acne Cyst

Acne is one of the most common skin conditions that affects children as well as adults. Acne can manifest in the form of comedones, pimples or an acne cyst. Though acne could be caused due to a variety of reasons, excessive production of sebum by the sebaceous glands is one of the most common causes of acne. Clogging of the skin pores, or hair follicles, with sebum and bacteria causes inflammation of the skin. While the inflammation is superficial, in case of common acne, the deeper skin tissues get infected and inflamed when one suffers from cystic acne. Nodulocystic acne is characterized by painful cysts filled with pus.

Cystic acne is commonly seen to affect teenagers, but might also affect adults. Such skin conditions can also cause psychological stress. Popping pimples or cysts is definitely not going to make these unsightly nodules or pimples disappear, on the contrary, you might end up with irritated skin and ugly acne scars. Those who have an acne prone skin must therefore take all precautions and avoid anything that might trigger an outbreak.

Cystic Acne

Causes

While some people might be genetically predisposed to this skin condition, most of the time hormonal changes that ensue after one hits puberty, emerge as the most common causes of cystic acne. Clogging of skin pores due to an increased production of sebum aggravates this condition. Since bacteria thrive in moist areas, the secretion of sebum encourages their growth. While the skin pores get clogged with dead skin cells and sebum, at times, the bacteria can even infect the deeper skin tissues. Besides hormonal changes, a lack of skin care, or use of greasy skin care products can also trigger an outbreak. Stress is also known to aggravate this severe form of acne. People dread seeing ugly pimples on their face and that's why they sometimes start popping zits or pimples. While popping pimples, you might actually give a chance for bacteria to enter and infect the deeper skin tissues. Sometimes, the cyst might turn into an abscess, which might have to be surgically removed.

Treatment

When the wall surrounding the hair follicle ruptures, bacteria get access to the deeper skin tissues and this causes the formation of pus-filled cysts. Since this form of acne mainly affects facial skin, and is very likely to leave behind scars, it needs to be treated soon. Not only do these cysts affect the way you look, these can also be painful. Generally, dermatologists prescribe topical application of antibiotic creams or ointments for treating these cysts. Oral antibiotics might also be prescribed at times. An aggressive therapy is required to prevent the infection from spreading to the adjoining follicles. A medicine called isotretinoin might be prescribed for shrinking the sebaceous glands. At times, corticosteroid might be injected into the cystic lesions. In case, the cyst has turned into an abscess, doctors might recommend surgical removal of the cyst. Besides using these medicines, one can also try some natural remedies for acne. Application of lemon juice or aloe vera on the affected area is one of the most effective home remedy. Applying toothpaste might also help. You can also crush an aspirin tablet and add water to the powdered tablet. Apply this paste on the affected area for fifteen minutes and wash it with water. Though these home remedies might help in treating cystic acne to some extent, it would be better to follow the advice of a dermatologist. If the cysts have left behind ugly scars, laser treatment might prove beneficial.

If you have an acne prone skin, a wise thing to do would be to consult a dermatologist for finding out more about cystic acne cure. You must also follow acne control measures in order to prevent cystic acne from appearing in future.