All About Cystic Acne

Acne comes in a variety of forms, and ranges in severity. From occasional breakouts to consistent inflammations to deep cystic acne, the common skin disorder can offer problems to everyone, both teenagers and adults.

The onset of acne during adolescence is something that nearly everyone deals with, and it is something that can truly be dealt with—if the acne remains mild. Acne becomes a little more frustrating in adulthood, but even so, if it is manageable, most individuals can find an appropriate course of treatment to get acne related skin problems under control.

Unfortunately, many teens and adults suffer from what is referred to as cystic acne, known scientifically as nodulocystic acne. This form of acne develops deep below the surface of the skin, can be quite painful, very difficult to effectively treat and if left untreated, it can lead to severe acne scarring. To best fight the effects, and the development of cystic acne, it first helps to understand it better–how it develops and how exactly it needs to be treated.

The Development of Cystic Acne

Cystic acne develops similarly to that of the common whitehead and blackhead pimples. Dead skin cells, mixed with bacteria from the outer layer of the skin create what amounts to an invisible clogging agent within the sebaceous gland of a hair follicle. Because the sebaceous gland is constantly in the process of producing the essential skin oil, sebum, these two clogging substances combine with the sebum to create what is most commonly referred to as a zit.

With cystic acne, the inflammation begins deeper in the skin, with the swelling of the sebaceous gland. If the skin pore restricts completely, it offers no outlet for release of acne related waste like that of a whitehead or blackhead. Thus, cystic acne is “stuck” deep in the skin, forming hard, nodular acne formations that last longer and often cause more damage to the skin. This is especially true if the cystic acne is a chronic condition.

Fighting Cystic Acne

There are two things that should be done to fight cystic acne. Find an efficient treatment for existing cystic acne, and develop a gentle, quality skin care regimen to fight the development of cystic acne in the future. The skin care regimen is the easy part. Exfoliate, cleanse and help repair the skin daily with a topical treatment and moisturizer.

On the other hand, in order to deal with cystic acne that is already present, it is highly recommended to see a dermatologist. Spot treating, and surface cleaning the skin won’t really do anything for existing cystic acne inflammations. The problem needs to be treated from the inside out. Sometimes a dermatologist will prescribe a mild antibiotic, or another course of oral treatment. It will depend on the individual.

One tip that should also be added to the inside out treatment is optimal nutrition and the ingestion of enough water. Generally, no one drinks enough water. It is recommended to drink at least 1/2 oz. per pound of body weight per day, and even more for active individuals. The skin needs it to function properly.