How to Treat Cystic Acne

The teenage battle vs. acne is a pain. I can fondly remember my teenage years, but I can also wince with pain when I think of some of my most memorable zits. They were infamous battles against intrusive forces. Regardless, compared to many of my peers, my acne was mild. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I got nailed with what was one of the worst experiences of my life: Occasional inflammations of cystic acne.

I can’t imagine what I would have done as a teenager, trying to deal with the severity of cystic acne. To a certain extent, it is taken completely out of your hands. I’ve spoken with teens who have mistakenly tried to squeeze, poke and prod cystic acne away to no avail. In fact, doing such only makes matters worse. To effectively fight cystic acne, treatment has to come from both inside and outside.

How to Treat Cystic Acne

In order to effectively treat cystic acne, it helps to understand a little bit about it. Cystic acne forms just as whiteheads and blackheads form, yet it forms much deeper in the skin. Due to the fact that newly formed infection and acne discharge has no opening for escape, it settles deep in the dermis. It forms hard, nodular formations that can be quite painful, but even worse, it takes quite some time to heal properly. If dealt with chronically, there is a good chance it can cause a variety of acne scars.

In order to avoid acne scars and treat cystic acne in the most effective manner, it is recommended to visit a dermatologist. If you’re suffering from cystic acne, and have no access to a dermatologist, see your primary care physician for a referral, as well a consultation on a potential course of action. It is also recommended to increase water intake when hoping to clear any skin issue. Most people don’t drink enough water for the skin to function optimally.

Cystic Acne and External Skin Care

Because cystic acne is formed in the same manner as other acne types, you can actually combat the development of new formations by performing a daily, gentle skin care regimen. When I began struggling with cystic acne, it got bad enough that I was asked at work if I was bitten by a spider. Fortunately, the acne was in random places and inconsistent in development, but it didn’t change the fact that I felt socially scarred.

I was prescribed a mild antibiotic which helped to clear up some of the cystic acne issues, but other acne issues persisted. Once I understood how acne formed, I realized that my skin care regimen was a joke. I was just using a face wash and that was about it. I opted to try the acne treatment system made by Proactiv, and that’s when I saw the change in my skin for good.

How to Develop a Good Skin Care Regimen

Skin sheds on a daily basis. If you can aid your skin in the process, you’ll promote cell regeneration. You’ll also rid your skin of one of the pore clogging culprits, dead skin cells. By following an exfoliation wash with a product such as benzoyl peroxide, you’ll help to neutralize, and ultimately kill the bacteria that lives on the surface of the skin. That bacteria will eventually feed off of the skin’s oils in the sebaceous gland, which can cause all acne, including cystic acne.

Generally, the problem with use of over-the-counter acne products is that they’re not used liberally enough. Spot treating with benzoyl peroxide helps, but when used liberally, it can really aid in the prevention of all acne types, including cystic acne. The one thing that is often recommended is to use a quality moisturizer to be applied after the benzoyl peroxide cream dries. This will prevent over-dryness from the acne medication.