Fighting Back Against Cystic Acne

Although most people experience acne at some point in their lives, few people face the challenge of cystic acne. This severe form of acne is not only painful, but it can make people uncomfortable who have to deal with breakouts and the resulting scars. Addressing the problem early can make it easier to minimize the problem and possibly achieve clearer skin.

Incorporate Peroxide

Peroxide can be useful in your daily skin care routine to both kill bacteria, and depending on the formulation, help reduce oiliness. In general, you should keep your skin care routine to a minimum and focus on cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturization with simple products. Although peroxide can be found in many different products, it makes more sense to use it as a finishing step since it will sit on the skin longer. If you have oily skin, use a toner or other alcohol-based product as your last step to help reduce oil. For people with dry skin, find a water-based moisturizer containing peroxide for your last step. You can even use peroxide on its own by applying it with a cotton ball if you cannot find the right products containing peroxide.

Try Extractions And Steroids

Working with a dermatologist will give you more options to address the current state of your skin. Most likely, your dermatologist will extract any active breakouts. Extraction has several benefits. The procedure can drain the contents of breakouts, especially those that are inflamed or infected, which will make them heal faster. Additionally, there may be less scarring with extractions since your dermatologist will only need to make a small incision. Steroids can be used in-office to quickly reduce inflammation. The use of steroids can be important for cystic acne lesions that are large and painful. Your dermatologist will likely recommend regular extractions while they find a long-term treatment that reduces breakouts.

Use Medications

Medications may give you long-term improvements or relief from cystic acne. Women may benefit from using birth control since many problems with cystic acne can be hormone-related. If you have certain risk factors, the use of birth control containing estrogen might not be an option. Another hormone-related treatment can be medications that reduce the production of androgens in both men and women, since testosterone is frequently correlated with acne. Other medications may also be helpful, such as vitamin A derivatives like isotretinon. Your dermatologist may also recommend certain antibiotics before trying long-term treatments to determine if less rigorous treatment might help.

Cystic acne can be a difficult problem to address. Going to a dermatologist in the early stages will make it easier to minimize scars and find a treatment regimen that works. Use resources like http://www.greaterdesmoinesdermatology.com/ to find a dermatologist near you.