What causes cystic acne? Pores in the skin can clog with excess oil and dead skin cells, causing pimples. Bacteria can enter the skin pores and get trapped along with the oil and skin cells. The skin reaction causes swelling deep in the skin's middle layer (the dermis).
Unfortunately, cystic acne often doesn't go away on its own and requires treatment from a doctor or dermatologist. Cystic acne has psychological effects as well as visible effects on the skin.
Examples include white bread, corn flakes, puffed rice, potato chips, white potatoes or fries, doughnuts or other pastries, sugary drinks such as milkshakes, and white rice. Findings from small studies suggest that following a low-glycemic diet may reduce the amount of acne you have.
Cortisone
If you need a cyst gone fast, or if your cystic pimple won't go away, you can visit a healthcare professional for an injection of a diluted cortisone medication called Kenalog. They'll inject the medication directly into the cyst, shrinking it on the spot.
Hormones are a common trigger for cystic acne and can sometimes worsen things along the chin and jawline in particular," says dermatologist Jennifer Adams, MD. "There are several different types of acne ranging from the milder comedonal bumps, to papulopustular, to the most inflammatory type called nodulocystic.
Like other types of acne, you shouldn't try to squeeze out a cyst in order to “pop” it. But there are things you can do at home that can help work the cyst out from deep in your skin so it comes out on its own.
Cystic acne can spread across large areas of your face, chest, back, shoulders, or upper arms. If and when the pus-filled clog erupts, the infection spreads, further aggravating the situation, and possibly leading to permanent scarring.
Irritation from clothing or the chemicals in makeup can also cause forehead acne, especially if your skin is sensitive. You may get a breakout after you use a new makeup brand or if you wear a hat or headband that irritates your skin. Touching your face a lot can also lead to acne.
Like acne that develops anywhere on the face, chest or back, the causes of forehead acne are primarily down to excess sebum. Sebum is a natural wax like oil that is produced by glands within the skin called sebaceous glands.
Hormones, genetics, medications, diet and stress are a few things that can both cause and aggravate cystic acne, according to Barankin and Ibrahim. While the effects of hormones, genetics and most medications are things you can't control, diet and stress are two lifestyle factors that you can manage.
Nodular acne also develops deep in the skin and is often mistaken as cysts, for example. Cystic acne appears as large, red boils, which can burst open, leading to infection. Acne cysts are filled with pus, which means they are often softer than nodules, and they typically last for around one month without treatment.
Once developed, cysts can take weeks or even months to clear. They can leave permanent acne scarring on your skin, including red marks, brown marks, pits, indents, or icepick scars. Cystic acne may improve over time, but in some cases, it can last for years and affect large areas of the skin.
Due to the fact that cystic acne is only caused by a change in hormones, genetics, and the oil production level in the skin, it must be treated by a dermatologist. Home skin care remedies as well as over-the-counter topical treatment and medication rarely work and can take a very long time to show any sort of result.
You can tell if acne is hormonal or bacteria by its severity if flare-ups occur during hormonal imbalances, and whether topical treatments resolve the issues, or if systemic medications are needed.
Leave It Alone! That's right—stop touching it, squeezing it, poking it, and prodding at it altogether. “Trying to pop cystic acne is one of the worst things you can do for your skin,” says Schlessinger.
Given the increase in oil production, she says your skin will usually look greasier and slightly more inflamed. Zeichner adds that stress acne can also look like a combination of blackheads, whiteheads, red bumps, and pus pimples.