Deep Cystic Acne Prevention and Treatment?

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I was kind of in the same shoes. As a teenager I had mostly a bunch of whiteheads, therefore I went on the pill (Diane mite, which is the best for acne. I think you mentioned that you took that one as well but you gained weight on it?) and it gradually got better.

Then after a couple of years I switched pills because my acne was gone, and like 2 years later I suddenly got cystic pimples that left marks that are just now going away 2 years later! And they´re only fading because of Retin-A and chemical peels! It´s so annoying to have those marks, even more annoying than the deep pimples themselves. I always got them on my cheeks, always in similar spots. Nothing over the counter worked, neither did an antibiotic cream I got prescribed. So I went back on Diane mite, the cystic pimples went away and haven´t returned.

I`m glad that you said you´re planning on seeing a dermatologist. In my case I wanted to find something strong that works, since every new cystic pimple left a mark that took months, even years to heal. I didn´t want to waste any time trying all the over the counter products on the market. Cystic acne is the hardest kind of acne to treat I believe...meaning you´ll have to turn to the strong stuff soon in order to prevent permanent scarring or post inflammatory pigmentation.

 
I get them near my nose sometimes (had three in a row on different spots on my nose) and it left a huge scar on my nose.

anyone knows how to get rid of these scars?
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Accutane is the miracle drug, IMO. I took it in my early 20s and it changed my life/saved my face. The side effects can be rough. They were rough for me, but I had a friend who took it and didn't have any problems.

 
well I saw my doc, and she knows that I've had these for almost 10 years now, so she referred me to a derm. The derm isn't free until March though! I'm guessing they'll prescribe roaccutane, but since I'm single I'm a lot less worried about using it.

I figure my doctor wouldn't suggest it unless I'd tried everything else - I asked her if there was anything she could prescribe between what I'd already tried and roaccutane and she said there isn't, so I'm guessing roaccutane is the next step... scary stuff!

 
Originally Posted by pinksugar /img/forum/go_quote.gif well I saw my doc, and she knows that I've had these for almost 10 years now, so she referred me to a derm. The derm isn't free until March though! I'm guessing they'll prescribe roaccutane, but since I'm single I'm a lot less worried about using it.
I figure my doctor wouldn't suggest it unless I'd tried everything else - I asked her if there was anything she could prescribe between what I'd already tried and roaccutane and she said there isn't, so I'm guessing roaccutane is the next step... scary stuff!

wow you have to wait till March? That sucks. I´m so impatient when it comes to doctor´s visits, if I wanna see a doc I wanna see them NOW lol
And yes, any good dermatologist wouldn´t prescribe Accutane/Roaccutane without a good reason. If you´ve tried all the topicals and oral antibiotics that are known to work for most people, there is nothing else you can use/take. Of course there are blue light/laser treatments and all that, but I`m not sure how well that actually works (besides being expensive!). At least Roaccutane has been around for years, and there are hundreds of forum posts on it online, and lots of info to find on how to deal with the side effects (check acne.org if you haven´t already)

To be honest (telling from your pictures) I never thought you had bad skin at all. But maybe you only posted pics on your "good skin" days. I know that´s how I was when I still had acne
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it's not as bad as a big red pimple, and it's not so obvious in photos, but def is more obvious in real life, since it's a big lump! plus if you DO get it to empty... it's like a litre of gunk, ew.

I've tried the alternative light therapy, and it DID work somewhat, but only the week or 2 weeks after the treatment, and then my skin would get bad again - I didn't want to have to go to the skin specialist every 2 weeks for the rest of my life, you know? boring!

so on that front the roaccutane will be better, if they do actually prescribe that...

 
What I've noticed is that most of you of don't realize that ANYTHING topical will not help or prevent cystic acne.  When I was about 16 1/2 I started getting cystic acne,  I never got the regular type of acne.  (I wish I got that instead of this uncurable cystic stuff)!   I do agree that accutane works but its side effects are permanent.  I took accutane for about 3 months when I was 24.  I got permanent night blindness which was a stated side effect of this drug.  I am now 48 and I still get cystic acne- on my back, rear, hips, face and under breasts. 

 
Cleanse oil and dirt from acne prone skin twice daily with a gentle cleanser. Use your fingertips instead of a sponge or washcloth, which can lead to skin irritation and acne. Avoid scrubs, strong soaps or abrasive cleansers.

Wash your whole face, including beneath the jaw and around the hairline.
Shampoo your hair regularly. Because greasy hair can clog pores and lead to cystic acne, it is important to wash it daily.
Dry up excess oil daily with an over-the-counter acne medication that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.
Apply cosmetics that are non- acnegenic or noncomedogenic to prevent clogged pores. Look for powder foundations and makeup instead of heavy cream products that can irritate the skin.

 
A form of acne caused by friction, heat, and constant contact between skin and clothing or athletic gear. Headbands and helmets are likely to cause acne on the hairline, and chin straps will leave their mark as well.

 
I'm a regular poster over on the pandce proboards Style & Beauty board, and those girls got me hooked on Paula's Choice products.  I don't have cystic acne, but several of the girls over there do and rave about the Paula's Choice acne products.

 
What about lemon juice?  Someone mentioned ACV but would lemon juice be helpful?

 
My recommendation is to look into Dr. Haushka's line of face care! If you email them about your problem, they will send you some nice samples.  It really has helped rid me of cystic acne.  But note, there is a little "worse before it gets better" with it, but I'm so happy with how my face looks now!

I've also had to stop using any face product with silcones or parabens.  I've moved toward natural/organic products, but everyone will have certain ingredients and products that aggravate their cystic acne.

Also, don't use lemon on your face! Will cause permanent damage!

I also recommend getting Aztec Healing clay and adding some ACV -- it makes this awesome thick max that just vacuums your pores clean.

 
A really strange "temp" cure I've discovered for acne cysts: blister bandaids. It shortens the lifespan of the cyst (for me) I cut them to size and sleep with it on.

 
I had horrible cystic acne before. It was one of the worst times of my life because it affected my individual state of mind on a physical, mental, social, and emotional level. How did I get rid of it?

I washed my face with Bosica's Purifying Cleansing Gel. I used my Clarisonic Mia at least 5 times a week. I would then, begin with a toner. The toner I chose was Clinique's Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion. I think the toner is incredible and truly what killed the bacteria that created the acne. Then, I would use a regeneration type of serum. Estee's Lauder's Advanced Night Repair worked great for me.

As time proceeded, I would finish with a light moisturizer. I also would exfoliate at least 3 times a week and use a mask and/or peel at least once or twice. I also learned to embrace natural things such as lemon juice, which proved to be incredibly effective too.

Now, I am acne free and happy as can be. I think if I can do it, you can too.

 
I'll just share my skincare routine :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

A.M.

-Cleanse with Simple Skin Care Refreshing Gel Cleanser

-Take a mixture of 2-3 drops of oil of oregano in about 2.5-3 oz of water and wipe entire face with a soaked cotton pad

(I just keep a little bottle mixed up in my cabinet, do some research on it before you try it, you can very easily burn your face if you make the mixture too strong. I stopped using it about a week ago because I thought it wasn't doing much, and my acne increased a lot, so I do think it has been helping!)

-Apply a nickel size amount of the Alpha Hydrox 10% Glycolic Treatment

-For moisturizer, I have been applying a mix of the Simple Skin Care Replenishing Rich Moisturizer, and Burt's Bees Intense Hydration moisturizer, however if you don't have super dry skin like I do, just the Simple Moisturizer would be plenty. I am hoping if I can get clear, I will be able to use just the Simple one, since my dry spots are mainly wherever I have breakouts.

P.M. 

I do a double cleanse at night, since I wear full coverage makeup.

-First cleanse is with Burt's Bees Sensitive Cream Cleanser

-Second Cleanse is with the Simple Gel face wash

Everything else from there is the same as my morning routine.

I will also add- I was on accutane about 7 or 8 years ago. The first 4 or 5 months were HELL. My face was sooo dry. Peeling, cracking, red, inflamed, and a ton of breakouts. Not to say that would be the case with you, because everyone is different. My aunt and I actually took it about the same time, and we were living together, and there were times that she had it worse than me, and then vice versa. At about the 6 month mark, my face started clearing up, and by the time I was done with my treatment, which I *think was at about 10 months, my face was GORGEOUS. I mean absolutely flawless. It stayed that way for about 3.5-4 years. It then started coming back, and I have been suffering with acne, yet again. My aunt on the other hand, may get a bump or two one or twice a month. So it really is different for everyone. 

Prayers for you! Good luck! 

 
Quote: Originally Posted by karen1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  What I've noticed is that most of you of don't realize that ANYTHING topical will not help or prevent cystic acne.  When I was about 16 1/2 I started getting cystic acne,  I never got the regular type of acne.  (I wish I got that instead of this uncurable cystic stuff)!   I do agree that accutane works but its side effects are permanent.  I took accutane for about 3 months when I was 24.  I got permanent night blindness which was a stated side effect of this drug.  I am now 48 and I still get cystic acne- on my back, rear, hips, face and under breasts. 


Anney -

You seem to know quite a bit about this topic, so I wanted your thoughts on something. It seems like you and I have had similar paths in the past, as I too now suffer from Accutane related night-vision problems. What are your thoughts on using IPL lasers for acne? They say...

Quote: "We often use IPL and laser treatment for acne for managing acne and addressing acne scars. These therapies kill acne-causing bacteria and shrink oil glands, as well as improve the skin's texture, tone, and coloration."

For people like us, wouldn't this be the best option since it addresses what is on the surface, but more importantly below?

Thanks! -JO

 
I don't think that laser thing would work unless they lasered the whole face.  Having cystic acne really sucks, but I don't think that true cystic acne really has an effective treatment or cure because the condition doesn't occur enough in the general population to invest a lot of money for research that would help the relatively few.

 
I've only skimmed this thread - but I was on Accutane when I was in early high school and at almost 30, I still struggle with cystic acne. I just feel like it wasn't effective for me.

I've started using Paula's Choice (which I saw someone else mention) and the results have been AMAZING! I haven't had an issue since I started using it.  I've also been washing my face three times a night which I read in another thread (@Tiffany27la suggested it), and my skin is clearing up drastically. I started both of these things at the same time, so I can't say which one it is, but I'm going to keep doing both.  The first two times I wash, I'm using a face wash from Simple that I got at Target.  With Paula's Choice, you can get samples of the kits to see which one (if any) will work for you.  I've really liked the natural kit and I'm currently using the Resist Anti-Aging.  There are other ones you might want to check out as well.

 

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