Have you ever felt a throbbing sensation along your jawline and discovered a small bump under your skin? Chances are you’re experiencing cystic acne.

Unlike zits, acne cysts are a type of infection that forms deep below skin tissue and doesn’t easily heal with over-the-counter medicines. Professional treatments for cystic acne are often too pricey or may result in scary side effects like “sunken” skin.

The stress of tackling cystic acne may cause individuals to lose hope. However, it’s never too late to start taking better care of your skin. 

Let’s Start At The Beginning. What Exactly Is Cystic Acne?

It is a blemish that is deeply embedded under the surface of your skin. It can be quite painful, and it does not come to a head like pimples or other forms of acne. For most women, cystic acne is linked to a hormonal imbalance. They’re likely to experience cystic acne around their menstrual cycles and see it appear on the jawline, chin, and lower half of the face.

Can You ‘Pop’ Acne Cysts The Way You Do Pimples?

Despite being sore, picking at cystic acne is never a good idea. It absolutely does not help and it will only lead to possible infection. If you pick at it and try to get it to come out through the surface, you are working against your skin’s repair and healing processes and this only makes it all worse, spreading the infection under the surface. Picking at a cyst will only leave you with an oozing, bleeding scab that’s impossible to cover with makeup, all the while, the bump still sits underneath.

We recommend seeing a skin professional, and in the meantime, taking a paracetamol or using an ice pack to help with the pain and inflammation. You can also apply soothing compresses to the skin which may help with the irritation.

How Long Do Cystic Acne Scars Linger?

We hate to break it to you, but cystic acne scars can linger for weeks or even months. Acne scars are a result of inflammation within the dermis, which triggers skin to produce pigment cells. For this reason, the number one skin rule is to never to pick a blemish. Even if you’re not a picker, sometimes acne scars may be unavoidable simply from the skin tissue being stretched from within. The darker the complexion, the longer it will take to heal since dark skin tones have a lot of melanin and will scar easier.

Wearing sunscreen daily will help to protect your complexion against harmful UV rays that make scars darker. Or you can try a product with vitamin C to help even out discoloration from post-breakout scars.

Does Diet Affect Cystic Acne?

You may want to slow down on eating too much cheese or ice cream, as it may be the culprit behind your cystic breakouts. Your skin acts as an excretory system to get rid of things that your body is not in agreement with, so when you eat too much dairy (and since dairy is naturally harder to digest), it comes out in the form of cystic blemishes in the lower area of the face.

To determine if your acne cysts are directly related to what you eat, we advise cutting dairy out of your diet for two weeks. If you don’t develop any new cysts and you normally would have by now, then this might solve your problem. It doesn’t mean that you cannot eat any dairy at all; slowly introduce dairy back into your diet, and if you start breaking out again, that’s your body’s tolerance level.

So How Do You Avoid Getting Teenage Cystic Acne?

Maintaining a healthy skincare routine is paramount to treating cystic acne. Heavy moisturizers applied to dirty skin can trap the oils and dirt in your pores, so you want to be sure your skin is thoroughly exfoliated and cleaned before moisturizing. In the winter months, you will want to be more diligent about keeping your skin hydrated, and in the summer months, you will want to be more careful with applying regular sunscreen to avoid any sun burns or damage.

To encourage new and healthy skin cell growth, Skin by Dr Caroline recommends using at-home skincare products like gentle exfoliants (lactic acid, salicylic acid, enzymes, and perhaps a once-weekly enzyme scrub).

Skin-brightening creams with vitamin C are safer alternatives to those containing hydroquinone, which may cause permanent discoloration to the skin. 

Do you suffer from cystic acne? Call us now at 01707 662477 and we can tell you how you can be treated immediately and get blemish-free skin.