What's best for CYSTIC ACNE?
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free skin care · Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:17 pm

Can you please share what works for you to get rid of and prevent cystic acne?

Does LED light therapy work to prevent and get rid of cystic acne?

If so, which brand is the best one? Will the red/infrared light work on acne?

free skin care · Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:11 pm

ruk
The first thing to do is to have a good dermatologist see you. IMO, medication is the first line of defense, if indeed it is cystic acne. Anything else is just adjunctive treatment.

free skin care · Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:18 pm

I agree to see a derm. I've tried just about every topical (rx and otc) out there. Tazorac is the only thing that helped my cystic acne and also finding the right BCP for me.

Sometimes its good to take oral antibiotics, along with topicals, to help get things under control. But only for a short time, I'm not a believer in long term use.

free skin care · Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:41 pm

I get few acne cysts per year, usually (luckily) just one at a time. Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion helps me the most. I apply it a few times per day for a few days and it relieves the pain and my cysts calm down pretty quickly within a week. Then I stop applying the MBBL because I forget (since they don't bother me after about a week) and they fade (in size and redness) the rest of the way on their own. I've been using this stuff for years.

free skin care · Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:54 pm

Thank you all for your replies. Does any of you know what causes cystic acne? Is it clogged pores?

free skin care · Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:57 am

Hormones.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:41 pm

Just the word cystic makes me cringe Embarassed

For me it was always the combination of hormones and stress during the week before I started my period. Things that helped me:

When it comes to blemishes I think using a good cleanser that's right for your skin type is essential. I was using a foam cleanser because I have oily skin, but when I realized I was only oily because I have dry skin I switched to a more mild cleanser and noticed a visible change pretty quickly. I use MD Formulations.

Drinking a whole fresh squeezed lemon with water first thing in the morning. Not only did it help cleanse me internally, but it also helped me not get as bloated. Along the same line, whenever I would give in to the urge to eat a lot of sugary processed foods I would always get a cystic pimple.

I found spot treatments to be pretty useless once the pimple came to a head. However, if I applied it when it was barely noticeable it would help prevent it from getting too crazy. I used one from Murad.

The only method I used to remove it was to pop it then immediately disinfect and put on some neosporin, which is actually really discouraged here. You can definitely cause scarring this way if you don't know how. I would just get a facial, go see your dermatologist or leave it. Then again, leaving it just made it get really dark for a while before it disappeared. Screwed if you do screwed if you don't kind of thing unfortunately.

Hope this helps!

free skin care · Wed Sep 17, 2008 3:06 pm

Momos wrote:

Just the word cystic makes me cringe Embarassed

For me it was always the combination of hormones and stress during the week before I started my period. Things that helped me:

When it comes to blemishes I think using a good cleanser that's right for your skin type is essential. I was using a foam cleanser because I have oily skin, but when I realized I was only oily because I have dry skin I switched to a more mild cleanser and noticed a visible change pretty quickly. I use MD Formulations.

Drinking a whole fresh squeezed lemon with water first thing in the morning. Not only did it help cleanse me internally, but it also helped me not get as bloated. Along the same line, whenever I would give in to the urge to eat a lot of sugary processed foods I would always get a cystic pimple.

I found spot treatments to be pretty useless once the pimple came to a head. However, if I applied it when it was barely noticeable it would help prevent it from getting too crazy. I used one from Murad.

The only method I used to remove it was to pop it then immediately disinfect and put on some neosporin, which is actually really discouraged here. You can definitely cause scarring this way if you don't know how. I would just get a facial, go see your dermatologist or leave it. Then again, leaving it just made it get really dark for a while before it disappeared. Screwed if you do screwed if you don't kind of thing unfortunately.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for your input, Momos. Which murad product do you use for spot treatment?

I found that these cystic acnes don't ever come to a head where you can squeeze them out. They just linger under your skin and sore. They can grow bigger but they don't turn white ever.

Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:19 pm

Mine came to a head on a few occasions, but you're right it just about never happened. It's probably all the poking and prodding I did!

Murad Acne Spot Treatment is the name.

Good Luck Smile

free skin care · Wed Sep 17, 2008 10:40 pm

I have suffered from these as well. Ouch..they can be very painful.
Since it is hormonal, taking evening primrose oil internally can help.

My best advice is to apply a spot treatment but never pick or squeeze these. They do nto coem to a head and I have gave myself bruises trying to squeeze them. They are less noticable if you just leave them to heal on their own time.
Lucikly I just get 1 at a time.

I say visit the derm...and of course Yonka products are my fav for breakout.....creme PG, jouvinil & emulsion pure.

take care

free skin care · Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:13 pm

Miss Shoes wrote:

I have suffered from these as well. Ouch..they can be very painful.
Since it is hormonal, taking evening primrose oil internally can help.

My best advice is to apply a spot treatment but never pick or squeeze these. They do nto coem to a head and I have gave myself bruises trying to squeeze them. They are less noticable if you just leave them to heal on their own time.
Lucikly I just get 1 at a time.

I say visit the derm...and of course Yonka products are my fav for breakout.....creme PG, jouvinil & emulsion pure.

take care

Thanks for your advice, miss shoes. I'll try taking evening primrose oil internally and see if that helps.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:11 am

You might wanna consider taking zinc internally as well. Zinc is good for healing and repairing the skin; it boosts the immune system and promotes quicker and more complete healing of the skin.
Acne can be related to zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency in the skin promotes the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and promotes the production of sebum and then free fatty acids.
Some MMUs contain zinc as an active ingredient. Great in a concealer, when you wanna speed up the healing process Smile

Thu Sep 18, 2008 11:13 am

After dealing with hormonal cystic acne for more than 15 years, I found that a combination of BCPs and spironolactone helped tremendously.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 12:39 pm

Hey Ive just turned 23 and my skin has only now began to settle after years of dealing with cystic acne. While it didnt work for me you might consider trying a contraceptive pill like Dianette, Yasmin or Marvelon, but you would have to have a good talk with your doctor about whether or not they would be suitable for you and the possible side effects. Medicated cleansers I feel can work for mild acne and black heads but I dont think theyre much help with deep cystic acne. I bought a red and blue light unit and found that it did have some positive effects, so red light therapy could be worth looking into. One thing that I did find helped me was vitamin B5(pantothenic acid). I megadosed for three months. I dont know how other people on this forum feel about it, its a wee bit contraversial as alot of people say its perfectly safe but some others arnt so sure. I have to admit it did work really quite well for me (though it wasnt a miracle worker) I did alot of reading about it and left trying it untill I felt I had exhausted every other option but its something you would definately have to really consider carefully for yourself. A Good anti-infalmatory like freederm is also a really usefull thing to have. But mainly dont pick and try not to get too stressed about it! Good luck!

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:44 pm

The cheapest thing you can do is to include a vitamin A diet and use vitamin A creams. Also, you can cut down on red meat fat and eat food that has digestible fat, like fish. Exfoliate regularly and use Cetaphil gentle cleanser.
If that does not work, then you will have to see the doctor. You might get skin care medication and go on the Pill. You may have to go for a blood test to see what your hormone level is.

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:24 pm

Hi ruk, this is a link to Mayo Clinic's advice site. I really think it is reliable and I hope it helps you:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/DS00169

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:49 pm

violetta wrote:

You might wanna consider taking zinc internally as well. Zinc is good for healing and repairing the skin; it boosts the immune system and promotes quicker and more complete healing of the skin.
Acne can be related to zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency in the skin promotes the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and promotes the production of sebum and then free fatty acids.
Some MMUs contain zinc as an active ingredient. Great in a concealer, when you wanna speed up the healing process Smile

Thank you much. I will have to try taking zinc. I think you're right. I might be deficient in zinc.

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:51 pm

dbeech wrote:

After dealing with hormonal cystic acne for more than 15 years, I found that a combination of BCPs and spironolactone helped tremendously.

Can you please tell me what is BCPs? Also what is spironolactone? Is it a drug?

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:53 pm

Lscott wrote:

Hey Ive just turned 23 and my skin has only now began to settle after years of dealing with cystic acne. While it didnt work for me you might consider trying a contraceptive pill like Dianette, Yasmin or Marvelon, but you would have to have a good talk with your doctor about whether or not they would be suitable for you and the possible side effects. Medicated cleansers I feel can work for mild acne and black heads but I dont think theyre much help with deep cystic acne. I bought a red and blue light unit and found that it did have some positive effects, so red light therapy could be worth looking into. One thing that I did find helped me was vitamin B5(pantothenic acid). I megadosed for three months. I dont know how other people on this forum feel about it, its a wee bit contraversial as alot of people say its perfectly safe but some others arnt so sure. I have to admit it did work really quite well for me (though it wasnt a miracle worker) I did alot of reading about it and left trying it untill I felt I had exhausted every other option but its something you would definately have to really consider carefully for yourself. A Good anti-infalmatory like freederm is also a really usefull thing to have. But mainly dont pick and try not to get too stressed about it! Good luck!

Thanks! I recall reading someone posting about B5 being beneficial for skin or hair. I will have to look in to it. So far, I have 3 things to try: EPO, zinc, and B5. Smile

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:55 pm

Skincare wrote:

The cheapest thing you can do is to include a vitamin A diet and use vitamin A creams. Also, you can cut down on red meat fat and eat food that has digestible fat, like fish. Exfoliate regularly and use Cetaphil gentle cleanser.
If that does not work, then you will have to see the doctor. You might get skin care medication and go on the Pill. You may have to go for a blood test to see what your hormone level is.

One more thing to add to my list: Vit A! Smile

free skin care · Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:59 pm

fawnie wrote:

Hi ruk, this is a link to Mayo Clinic's advice site. I really think it is reliable and I hope it helps you:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/DS00169

Fawnie, thank you for the article. It's really educational and informative. I enjoyed it very much.

free skin care · Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:14 pm

ruk1, I think everyone gave you good advice, try all the cheaper methods and if that does not work, I rather you go see your doctor.

All the best!

free skin care · Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:22 pm

You can put whatever you want on your skin, but cystic acne is so deep it needs to be addressed from the inside. What you put on the outside can complement this approach though.

Here is what I've learned through trial, error, and much research over the years:

* Get a complete blood workout, including a hormonal profile to figure out the underlying cause
* Get on a birth control pill if you can, one that lowers testosterone like Diane or Marvelon
* Take anywhere between 5,000-10,000 IU of vitamin A (I'd start in the higher range then lower it steadily to a maintenance dose).
* Avoid SUGAR and read the label for the presence of sucralose/Splenda. It's pretty much in everything we ingest these days. I believe Splenda was responsible for giving me deep cystic acne!
* If your stomach can handle it, take zinc every day. This is a key nutrient that fights acne from the inside. Try to get 15-20 mg/day. You can divide them into smaller doses throughout the day and take them with your biggest meals to avoid an upset stomach.
* Take your Omega 3, 6, and 9 for their anti inflammatory effect and sebum regulation.
* Take a vitamin B supplement as these are also linked to healthy skin.
* Eat an organic yogurt that contains various live probiotic cultures at least 3 times per week. Think of this as a natural anti-biotic that fights harmful bacteria.
* Ginger at a dose of 500 mg/day can also be beneficial as it is an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

From the outside:

* Use non-comedogenic cosmetics
* Use a gentle cleaner like Cetaphil
* Try a gel or cream with at least 15% azelaic acid
* Try a zinc mask once a week
* Be careful with harsh particle-based exfoliants, I'd go for an acid-based approach once a week or something gentler every night. You can use this with a gentler exfoliant for sensitive skin.
* Pure Aloe Vera is also extremely effective for irritated acne-prone skin. I use it even on broken skin for its healing effect.
* Clarins makes a soothing acne treatment that I like. It's not going to stop cystic acne, but it is soothing to the skin. It contains zinc sulfate and white willow bark. (http://www.clarins.com.sg/bestsellers_product_details.php?id=55)

Finally, you may also wish to try blood cleansing herbs like burdock root, yellow dock root, blessed thistle, etc.

And please watch out for scarring. In fact, it's best not to touch the area at all and risk spreading the infection in the deep layers of the skin.

I hope this helps!

Morph

free skin care · Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:56 pm

I forgot to mention that I also break-out in reaction to the synthetic iodine found in most multivitamins. It turns out I'm allergic to it (while I am not allergic to the natural form found in seaweed, fish, etc.)

This is why I no longer use multivitamins made with synthetic (lab made) material. I might be one of the rare people who are so sensitive to these things though.

free skin care · Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:19 am

Morphy wrote:

I forgot to mention that I also break-out in reaction to the synthetic iodine found in most multivitamins. It turns out I'm allergic to it (while I am not allergic to the natural form found in seaweed, fish, etc.)

This is why I no longer use multivitamins made with synthetic (lab made) material. I might be one of the rare people who are so sensitive to these things though.

I also break out in respose to iodine

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