Treating Cystic Acne

What Is Cystic Acne? | Common Acne Treatments | Topical Treatments | Dermatological Treatments | Artificial Hormones
Accutane / Roaccutane | Does A Safe, Effective Treatment For Cystic Acne Exist? | Bioherbaceutical Medicines |Comparison Chart

Synopsis:
4 - page report outlining the nature and effects of cystic acne; describes traditional methods of treating moderate to severe acne; evaluates the effectiveness and safety  of alternatives to Accutane / Roaccutane.

You're unlucky enough to be suffering from cystic acne, which over-the-counter treatments just don't touch.  You've heard about more radical treatments, but are unsure of your next step.

What Is Cystic Acne?

Cystic acne is simply a more severe form of the common acne vulgaris, a skin condition caused by the skin's pores becoming infected by the p. acnes bacteria after having been blocked by over-production of sebaceous oil and poor cell shedding.  Acne vulgaris is characterised by outcrops of small skin lesions in the form of whiteheads, blackheads,  pustules (pus-filled spots) and papules (non pus-filled lumps).

Cystic acne sees these lesions become larger in diameter (5mm or larger), with the skin being infected at deeper layers. The papules of cystic acne are described as nodules, while the pus-filled variety are called cysts.  The level of skin infection in cystic acne runs far deeper, may last several months and will frequently cause scarring.

But you already know all this.  What you actually need to know is what will, and won't help.

First of all, let's dispel a few myths.  Your skin does not begin producing more oil than is necessary simply because you eat too much candy or greasy food.  You don't develop acne for the first time because you're stressed.  And it's definitely not caused by you being dirty.  While all these things may aggravate an existing condition, especially in someone with an intolerance for these foods, none of them is the sole reason why one person develops acne and another does not.

While we don't yet know the precise reasons why individuals develop acne, we do know that it is probably triggered by a slight hormonal imbalance as the body shifts gear into puberty and adolescence.  By the time the majority of acne suffers have passed through adolescence and into adulthood, their bodies have found some equilibrium and the acne quietens down.  For some really unlucky people however, the condition will drag on into their 30's.  Regardless of how long the flare ups last, acne is such a physically and psychologically debilitating condition, no-one wants to live with it a minute longer than they have to.

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