What is Cystic Acne?

Cystic acne is the worst form of acne there is. As the name implies, cystic acne is the result of a pimple turning into a cyst. Basically, when a pimple becomes infected, it can turn into a cyst. Many people mistake nodular acne, which is another severe form of acne, for cystic acne; however, the two are not the same. You only have cystic acne if you actually have cysts. Either way, both cases of acne are bad and their characteristics are similar. In this article I'll go over what you can do to treat it, what you can do to prevent it, and what happens if it is left untreated.

Cystic Acne Treatment

If you have cystic acne or nodular acne, it is important that you get it treated by a dermatologist right away. You must get this kind of severe acne treated by a dermatologist. There is nothing you can do to treat it yourself. Do not try to pop a cyst like a pimple; this will only spread the acne. A dermatologist will most likely try to reduce the swelling and treat the acne with a powerful systemic medication. In extremely severe cases, they will try to remove the cyst(s).

What Can You Do to Prevent Cystic Acne?

Before you can develop cystic acne or even nodular acne, you must first have acne. So, the best prevention is to not get acne in the first place. However, because acne can be caused by hormones, stress, heredity and a variety of other things that may be out of your control, there's no guaranteed way to prevent it.

One thing you can do to lessen the chances of you developing acne is to avoid certain foods. Avoiding high-glycemic foods, such as sugary foods and white bread, may reduce you chances of developing acne. The next thing you can do is keep your skin clean, because acne is caused by a buildup of bacteria, dirt, oil and dead skin cells that clog-up your pores.

What Happens if Cystic Acne is Not Treated?

If a dermatologist does not treat your cystic acne, you are guaranteed to have permanent scarring on your skin. Even if the acne is treated right away, scarring can still occur. The acne can spread, as well, especially pus or blood leaks from the cysts. Again, this is why you should never try to pop a cyst; you will only spread the bacteria and make it worse.