Cystic Acne Breakouts Causes and Best Natural Acne Treatment Pills

Can the best over the counter natural acne pills help cystic acne breakouts? What are the other causes and treatments for cystic acne?

What is cystic acne?

Cystic acne is a skin abscess that is the most severe type of skin inflammation and hardest to treat. It usually occurs during teenage years but can occur in adults as well as it is hereditary. Because this is the most serious form of blemish it is more important to understand the underlying causes so you can build a regimen to keep your skin clear.

How can you tell if you have cystic acne?

You can tell if you have cystic breakouts if you notice cysts that are filled with fluid underneath the surface of the skin and deep inflamed blemishes. A cyst is a sac-like structure filled with liquid which occurs within the tissue of the skin. Those with this kind of skin inflammation may also develop nodules which are hard and painful beneath the surface of the skin and take a long time to heal. You can also have nodules without having cysts. If you think you have a different form of acne you can check this blog out to identify what type of blemish you have.

What causes cystic acne?

It can be caused by hormones, overactive oil glands (sebaceous glands), and dead skin cells. The same bacteria (propionibacterium acnes) that causes pimples is also known to cause the sac-like structures except it is more painful and has a higher risk of scarring than milder breakouts. You can recognize p. acnes when it is exposed to a black light as it has an orange glow. The way to kill this bacterium is by ultraviolet light because of its sensitivity to these rays. It is not a coincidence that our skin looks better the day after we go tanning and it’s not just because of the bronze color we get. Since these bacterium are being killed by the ultraviolet light, blemishes will become less red and inflamed and you will have a clearer complexion.

How is cystic acne different than other types of acne?

Regular pimples are characterized by white heads, black heads, papules and postules while more severe blemishes consist of nodules and cysts. Cystic lesions are below the skin and are much deeper and larger than regular blemishes. Cysts should also never be popped unlike regular pimples as that may cause more damage to the skin. Boils are commonly mistaken for cysts but cysts are different in that they are wider and larger. Boils are easier to treat as they tend to heal by themselves whereas cystic blemishes do not heal by themselves and is harder to treat. For this reason is vitally important to take a proactive approach that uses more than just topical treatments.

Why does cystic acne hurt so much?

The sebaceous gland is a skin gland that creates sebum to help lubricate the skin. If this gland does not function properly it can cause pimples and cysts depending on how severe the abnormality in the sebaceous gland is. Unlike mild pimples which become inflamed then fills with pus, cysts form deep under the skin and become severely inflamed and can not be popped.

Can you pop cystic acne?

Unlike whiteheads or blackheads, this form of blemish should not be popped as it is further underneath the skin. It is not recommended to pop a cyst at home as it can lead to scarring but can be done at your own risk if you believe it is absolutely necessary. A cyst can be popped with sewing needles that are sterilized either by boiling them or putting them under a flame. After the needle has cooled you can then proceed to pop the cyst. Each time you pop a cyst you should use a new sterilized needle. After it has been popped immediately apply a hot compress until the fluid comes out. It is best to avoid squeezing it as it can worsen the infection. To treat the drained cyst apply benzoyl peroxide, or in more severe cases, iodine.

Cystic Acne drainage

A common medical procedure for draining cysts is called lancing which involves a sharp needle or scalpel that cuts into the cyst to drain and clean it out. This procedure should not be done at home and should only be performed by a medical doctor as infection and sickness can occur. The doctor will try to numb the area depending on how big the cyst is however if the cyst is infected then the infection will prohibit the local anesthetic from working. Another medical procedure called pit picking is performed if the cyst does not heal after lancing. This procedure is done under general anesthesia and can only be done if the cyst has no infection as you risk septic shock.

Each procedure has pros and cons. Lancing is painful but has a shorter recovery than pit picking and another lancing produce is usually needed. Even though pit picking is a bigger procedure with a longer recovery, you are less likely to experience flare-ups or have the cyst return.

How do you treat cystic Acne?

This type of breakout, whether cysts or nodules, should be treated with the help from a dermatologist as OTC products may not be strong enough. There are a few different treatments that your dermatologist may recommend.

Tetracycline

Tetracycline is an oral medication used to treat bacterial infections such as pimples and most recently rosacea. Side effects of tetracycline are loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, headache, and yellowing of the skin. There are also semisynthetic (made from something occurring naturally) derivates of tetracycline called tetracycline antibiotics which are doxycyline and minocycline.

Minocycline is the most lipid-soluble of the class which means the greater the lipid solubility the more easily a molecule can diffuse through the membrane. It also has the most side effects related to the central nervous system such as vertigo. Common side effects of minocycline are diarrhea, upset stomach, vomiting, dizziness, headache, mouth sores, and drowsiness.
Doxycycline is similar to minocycline in that it works by stopping the growth of p. acnes except its risk of side effects are lower. A lower dose of doxycycline can be taken also to help treat rosacea. Doxycycline is not meant to take for a long period of time as your doctor will take you off of it when your blemishes clear up however it can be taken longer if necessary.

Usually tetracycline antibiotics are very effective at treating cystic acne however a growing problem that people are experiencing is acne formed by antibiotic resistant bacteria which makes patients no longer respond to these antibiotics.

Photodynamic Therapy

PDT is a procedure that reduces the size of sebaceous glands and how much oil is released out of them. This is done by exposing a photosensitizing cream that is a applied to the skin to a red or blue LCD light. PDT takes several months and is expensive but has been shown to reduce cyst breakouts.

Hormone Therapy

Hormonal imbalances are a cause of breakouts and commonly in women an overproduction of androgens are a culprit. Androgenic hormones such as testosterone are what give male characteristics such as low voice and hair growth. Drugs that stop the production of androgens can be helpful in treating cysts but may come with side effects as well.

Accutane

Accutane or Isotretinoin is another oral medication used to treat this type of infection when other medications and therapies are not effective. It is a synthetic form of Vitamin A that stop oil glands from releasing too much oil. Almost everyone who takes Accutane will experience dry skin as it makes the sebaceous glands smaller. Other side effects include fatigue, nausea, joint pain, diarrhea and photosensitivity.

Speak with your doctor about which medication is right for you as they can cause problems with pregnancy, can be liver toxic, and can be linked to suicide.

How can I prevent cystic acne?

Unfortunately there is no real way to avoid it because you are either prone to it or you’re not but there are some natural treatments to manage cystic blemishes for women and men.

Diet can play a role in cystic flareups. Eating a diet rich in omega-3s may help reduce inflammation as they have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
Keep skin from becoming oily by using rubbing alcohol or acne wipes containing salicylic acid.
Use moisturizers and cosmetics that are light-weight, nonacnegenic, and oil-free.
Using herbs or a natural over the counter acne supplement called Acnetame helps reduce the amount of sebum or oil released from your skin. That is a main cause of cysts and pimples as well. It is one of the best acne pills on the market which could help prevent the formation of cysts under the skin.

What kind of scars does cystic acne give you?

This type of skin inflammation is prone to scarring even if it has not been popped. The most common kinds of acne scars are ice pick scars, boxcar scars, rolling scars and hypertrophic scars.

Boxcar scars are sunken into the skin and have a round or oval shape similar to chicken pox scars. They can be treated with skin resurfacing techniques depending on how deep the boxcar scar is.
Ice pick scars are most common on the cheeks and are narrow and deep. This type of scar leaves a small pitted hole but can be treated with laser therapy.
Rolling scars occur when bands of tissue under the skin develop and start to pull at the skin creating a wave-like effect. The way to treat rolling scars are to break up the bands of tissue under the skin.
Hypertrophic scars are thick and lumpy. Many people can be prone to this type of scarring.

Where do people get cystic acne?

It can occur anywhere on the body but is most common on the face. One particular spot that people experience it is on their jaw because it develops when osmosis takes place in the mouth. Osmosis is the movement of molecules from a higher concentration to a lower concentration. Jawline acne has also been linked to hormonal imbalances.

Can Acnetame Help Cystic Acne?

The natural acne pill Acnetame is specifically designed for hormonal acne which cystic acne is a form of. It contains nine powerful ingredients including Vitamin A, Pantothenic Acid, Niacin, NAC, Selenium, Chromium, Biotin, CO-Q10 and Piperine which are all needed for preventing and treating hormonal acne due to their detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and hormone regulation effects. When taken over a period of time these vitamins, minerals, and amino acids may help reduce the size of cystic acne and stop new blemishes from forming under the skin.

Cysts can be a traumatic experience that involves both physical and psychological pain as well as leaving us with scars that are very difficult to get rid of. Even after all these best practices some may still need to take drugs to clear their issues, be sure to read up on these drugs and therapies as much as possible to protect yourself going forward.