What Is Cystic Acne?
Cystic acne is a form of presentation of acne pathology. Not all people who suffer from it do it in the same way or suffer it with the same intensity. Acne is a common disorder in the population. Let’s consider that approximately 80% of people between 11 and 30 years old can suffer it.
The age distribution of acne is clear, affecting the very young. Although up to thirty years is the highest prevalence, most cases are prior to twenty years of age. Within the presentation varieties of acne we have the cystic acne version.
As we anticipate, it is an aggressive form with much more noticeable lesions than common acne. Cystic acne is considered when there are inflammatory bumps on the skin instead of the small black dots. These lumps hurt and in their inflammation they color the skin red.
The favorite place for cystic acne is the face. It causes deformations of the facial features, affecting the psychological aspect of those who suffer from it. In addition, it evolves with scars, unlike common acne. In cystic acne, marks may remain on the skin from the passage of inflammatory bumps.
Although the face is the usual place of presentation, there are also cases of cystic acne on the trunk. Lesions appear less frequently in the upper limbs.
Causes of cystic acne
Cystic acne appears by the same mechanism as common acne. That is, the sebaceous glands of the skin become clogged and cannot remove their content to the outside. The function of the sebaceous glands is to lubricate the skin with oil production and moisten it.
If the ducts that expel the fat to the outside are clogged, then bacteria accumulate inside the gland. What determines the aggressiveness of cystic acne is the characteristic of the bacteria that nest in the pores. In this case, microorganisms are the generators of inflammation.
Cystic acne has also been linked to hormones. An important role is played by testosterone and, therefore, men are more affected than women.
In women it has been noted that menstrual cycles modify the evolution of cystic acne. It is for this reason that those with polycystic ovary syndrome are more exposed.
It is known that women with PCOS tend to be obese. In obesity there is more fat tissue, which has the ability to convert female hormones into testosterone. The increase in testosterone in these women would explain its association with cystic acne.
Presentation grades and levels
Cystic acne does not always have the same symptoms. Those who suffer from it can suffer from it in three different degrees:
- Mild: in this form, up to five inflammatory nodules are counted on the affected skin. There may also be cysts in number of up to five. It is an aggressive form, but quite manageable by the doctor. It usually does not require more than local treatment with creams and general care measures.
- Moderate: Cystic acne is moderate with more than ten purulent nodular lesions, but fewer than twenty. It is a form that already requires the use of oral medications. You have a high risk of generating scars in the future.
- Severe: it is the most aggressive form of all, presenting more than twenty injuries throughout the body. The nodules are usually swollen most of the time and secrete pus. It hurts quite a bit under pressure and also spontaneously. It is a variety that responds poorly to treatments and may even require injections of local anti-inflammatory drugs. Sometimes, if the pus is excessive in quantity, it must be drained with a surgical procedure.
Cystic acne treatment
Outside of mild cystic acne, which can be treated with creams, the rest of the clinical presentations require oral or injectable drugs. It will be a health professional who determines it in each case.
- The first step in treatment is antibiotics. They try to destroy the bacteria that have lodged in the sebaceous glands of the skin. They are treatments that last for months, even up to a year.
- The second step of treatment is spironolactone. This drug is indicated in women with the disease, especially those with polycystic ovary syndrome. Spironolactone reduces the production of testosterone by fat cells.
- Finally, the most effective drug, but restricted to particular cases, is isotretinoin . It is consumed orally and, when effective, reduces inflammation by releasing blocked ducts from the sebaceous glands.
So you know that if you suffer from cystic acne it is vital to consult a doctor or dermatologist. Your degree of affectation will be determined, establishing the pertinent treatment. It is very important that you do not start therapies on your own that can worsen the condition instead of alleviating it.
