Any advice on how to make this bad boy go down? Been doing steam and hot compresses. Product recommendations?
WOW - just looked into staph infections & now I’m questioning everything about my cystic acne journey
I struggled for the longest time thinking and being told it was cystic acne but then I went and saw this dermatologist and my mind was blown. Within two weeks of taking this course of antibiotics my skin cleared up, the first week I looked awful and it got worse but by the second week it had cleared up!
Same thing happened to me in high school. It was awful until I finally saw a doctor and they said staph.
I have struggled a lot with cystic acne and found out a lot of it was from my IUD. I had my IUD taken out 2 months ago and my hormones are way more balanced after getting off birth control and my cystic acne went away.
I've just had mine out and am beginning to have the same experience! I'm so happy
I’m guessing you had the mirena IUD since it sounds like you’re saying hormonal birth control as the culprit? Or was it the copper IUD? My cystic acne sprung up when I went off birth control pills and on the copper IUD.
I was gonna say, OP, my friend had a pimple that got infected that looked similar to this and it turned into a MRSA infection. She actually had to do a brief hospital stay. I don’t want to scare you, but I would get this checked out sooner than later. ❤️
Have you considered adding probiotics into your daily supplements? If you can find some Hungarian clay that has 60% silica in it you may see swelling reduced and healing speed increased
Honestly it’s probably just an inflamed zit. Don’t go over board. The might max pimple patches are amazing too
Oh wow! I wonder if I have this. Could untreated staph create body acne as well?
Was just about to say that could be staph but you beat me to it.
Does this picture really look like staph though? Op has large round hard singular cysts forming deep below her skin. The staph "acne" photos on Google look more like smaller clustered pus filled crusty zits.
This is exactly what mine presented as for the first 3 years
Just curious, was the treatment mupirocin ointment? Or what antibiotic did you use?
honestly when mine got that large (and in a prominent place anywhere near the eyeball) I would go to my derm. I know now that it’s basically impossible to get in to see them (this was the 90s and my derm was a family friend lol).
I got one this big and it was the last straw for me, I made an appointment with my GP and got an Epiduo prescription immediately
If you go to a Medi-spa, they’re private pay only, and much easier to get a quick appointment. It’s the kind of place you go to get Botox and lip fillers. Ours have board certified dermatologists on staff. They can inject the cyst with a steroid and it goes away within 24 hours. This is what I did regularly for my teenager because it could take months to get an appointment with his regular dermatologist. It’s a trick actors, actresses, and models use for breakouts. It works like a charm. Good luck.
Nope. No med spa
why?
I got butchered at a med spa when I went for this reason. Still trying to repair the atrophy from the cortisone shot.
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What? You need to be at least an RN to be an injector.
Not all med spas are created equally. I found my med spa because it's the board certified derm I go to for mole checks side gig in the same building. I go to one office for the yearly mole check and another office in the same building to have this done when needed and thats where I had my botox consult although I'm not going forward with botox at this time
Who do you think is qualified to do injections? Because it’s not someone with cos certificate. What med spas have you gone to?
...so medispas typically have doctors who oversee the activities of their registered nurses. In most places in the world, you need to be a registered nurse to administer cosmetic injections and they have to get approval from a doctor before they can do anything. In all the medispas I have been to, you have consultations with a doctor the first time you go in, and only with a nurse if it's for a repeat procedure and nurses can only do certain things, even with supervision or approval. You sound ignorant and judgmental.
sounds like someone had a bad experience at a med spa, emphasis on the spa, maybe didn't do the research they should have done and now is going to screech to everyone about how terrible all med spas are while still being ignorant about what qualifies you to be an injector.
YEP
My injector/med spa owner is an NP- often what you’ll see at a dermatologist for something like this is an NP or PA. Maybe it’s state specific, but legally her spa has to be co-owned by a doctor (dermatologist) who she’d seek advisement from if there was a suspected infection.
My medi-spa has a doctor. I’d never let anyone else inject into my face
They aren’t doctors. And if they fuck it up which they very well could I don’t think you have any legal standing to sue them
The med spa I go to has licensed derms as well as estheticians.
That is totally false
yeah, no. Medi-spas are 🗑️
That would be ideal! Unfortunately I don’t have a close derm I can go to /:
my primary physician prescribed me cream for my cystic acne no dermatologist required
A lot of derms will do a very quick same day appointment to inject a simple cyst
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It's a super tiny needle being used so it helps very quickly
What did your derm do?
You might wanna call a derm to see if they can offer you a cortisone shot. If you’re not interested in a shot, it might be worth a convo with a derm anyway if you frequently get cystic acne.
please be careful with the shot. I used to get them all the time for my deep cysts but the last time I did it, it left a giant dent in my face that never fully went back. It was right on my cheek bone so it looks awful.
This has happened to me as well :(
Right between the eyes!
It's the worst. I had so many of the shots so I never thought it would happen to me. But now my face is honestly disfigured. I really regret it. I'm sorry you experienced it too. I still get horrible cysts, but honestly I just give them time and let myself be ugly, and it seems that they eventually go down. But sometimes not completely but what can you do.
Can it be a tiny filled with a filler? I had that done on a spot on my face. Just a dot of filler under the dent.
I could but I don’t want to mess with fillers as they are a risk. They usually migrate, never fully dissolve, or you have to use a dissolving agent that has risks as well. I am just trying to learn to love my disfigured acne filled face lol
How was it, where on your face and how long does it last? Does it migrate? I have a couple icepick scars I want to fill in.
I had tiny teeny dents on the right side on the apple of my cheek, or just to the side of it.
I had the last of my juviderm that he put deep under the dent ( it hurt and made a crunchy sound) but it worked!! It popped the dent out…he was literally playing around and asked my permission lol. He is a board certified plastic surgeon and said, look what I did! ,… with delight.
Since that time I have aged into the Volumna category and now that just takes care of everything for over a year. Sometimes two years. It has never migrated.
Years ago I had done the worst thing….filler under the eyes, just say no…migration plus they looked like bee bees. Man, was I dumb for that. It is completely gone now. Sometimes filler stays and sometimes it disappears as if it never happened (thankfully).
Edit: he closed a giant pore with the same method, if that makes sense…or helps your quandary. I have a tiny dent that ( im not a commercial) instatox fixes by shrinking the whole area. I love that product.
I want under the eye filler so bad, but stories like yours scare me.
Lemme say that this was over ten years ago and NOT done by a board certified plastic surgeon. I went to one of those filler spas … mistake.
The man that made little dents go away and does volumna is a board certified plastic surgeon. That is very important in your decision…. The right doctor can do a great job. How your own body reacts is unpredictable, however.
Thank you!! I will have to do some research before I do it. Mine are so bad. I feel like it’s hard to get them to understand that I don’t care if it’s still there, just improve it some.
I resonate with this a lot! Learned some things about what to ask for, but …. What is “instatox?”
Ya know that irritating youtube commercial with kathy lee gifford, or the talk show ladies? That product has plexiderm in it, and works wonders. You can find other products with plexiderm but this one is better. I found mine on amazon. It is reasonably priced for how it gives a 12 hour face lift.
I used to get these too when I had cystic acne and cortisone shots! Last time I got it it was unavoidable bc I had a huge one smack in middle of my face 3 days before a family wedding. But I went back a few times for saline injections which helps stimulate the collagen and it actually worked. You should speak to yours about that
I’ve seen a handful of derms about this + medical estheticians and they have tried things and given me things and nothing has worked. I even got my hormones tested haha
Fyi i had my “hormones tested” too and it wasnt until I went to a pcos clinic where they tested like 30 different labs. Based on total testosterone/SHBG, my free androgen index was high. I have normal/high testosterone levels. Its worth checking this if you have hormonal acne. It was one of my only abnormal labs
Did they ever put you on spironolactone? Worked wonders for me.
Me, too. I was AMAZED
Spironolactone worked for me too, in my early and mid 30s. I also have used a white clay topical treatment to calm them down (dermasque by La therapie). I now just get cystic acne on my back occasionally, but benzoyl peroxide keeps it at bay.
I am sensitive to gluten and dairy and when I have been eating too much of one, this happens to me on my back or pubic area or face.
I literally just got one this am and it helped SO MUCH!
This is a massive infection, not for steroids
You need meds to stop this from happening. Its hormonal. Ask for spironolactone. Those can really scar.
I'm a graduating nursing student and have only now discovered it's for acne as well, but off label ahaha. I only knew it as a diuretic
Tried it. Didn’t help
Have you tried the new drug Winlevi? It’s specifically for hormonal acne and it’s a cream not a pill.
Winlevi is best for mild/moderate acne, in clinical trials it only reduces acne modestly. For nodular acne I would not get OP’s hopes up.
Benzoyl peroxide twice a day makes mine less angry and eventually dries out.
Any specific brand you recommend
Target has an Up and Up Brand one for like $7. I love it for drying out big zits.
Not sure if you’re in the UK but you can get this prescribed at Boots for free! They prescribe the acnecide one which is fantastic and otherwise is about £10.
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Love mighty patch 🫶🏼
I second tea tree oil! I usually mix it with a bit of lotion and put it on right before bed
Also swear by the mighty patch and then regular pimple patches after it ruptures for drainage, healing and minimal scarring
I use the Peach Slice mircrodart patches on cysts! They’re a lifesaver.
This is the exact same story for me. I get them around my period and found warm compress and the Mighty Patch. The patches bring them down significantly overnight and almost gone within a few days. Prior to the patches, it would take weeks for it to go away.
I got on accutane because of cystic acne like this. Not an easy decision. I am 3 months in and have no regrets so far. Haven't had a cycistc zit since starting and it is supposed to make me never get cystic acne again. The monthly derm visit and bloodworm are expensive with the copays though however it is only 6 months of treatment
Before I got on accutane I would do a hot compress on the cystic acne. My derm had me on a benzoyl peroxide facewash and retin a daily but they would still come and take a long time to go away
I did Accutane finally in 2016 after a decade of derms recommending it. I wish I had done it sooner. Haven't had a cyst on my face since I took it! Good luck!
Same. I suffered with acne especially cystic for years. I finally found a dermatologist that would put me on Accutane. Best thing I ever did!
I had cystic acne when I was in my 30s (a very long time ago) and had Accutane. It was the only thing that helped. I actually had two 6-month rounds of it. I haven’t had acne since then. My daughter, unfortunately, inherited from me and now she is on Accutane (she’s 41). It’s an extreme option but when nothing else works it’s worth it.
I went on accutane almost 20 years ago. To this day I very rarely get a pimple and even then it’s usually because I was lazy about taking off makeup for a few days. It was life changing. I used to get horrible cystic acne that left my face scarred.
Seconding this. Had cystic acne much like OPs and also bacne. Did a total of two rounds of Accutane which wasn’t fun and was a lot of legwork with all the appointments, but it was 1000% worth it. It’s been nearly 10 years so I think I’m in the clear, but if I did ever have to go back on it I would rather that than suffer the painful cystic acne any further. I’m only mad I let it go on as long as I did, left me with scarring.
Tretinoin or Adapelene gel.
For me what - worked after 15 years of acne. I just figured this out in the past 5 months. Topical clindamycin (use like toner after cleansing with Benzyol peroxide) and adapelene .3 at nighttime. I got both of these through Nurx since they are prescription. And then blood sugar balancing my meals & cutting out dairy. Unfortunately, even if it’s organic and grass fed dairy the hormones in it just break me out. I do miss eating dairy but feeling so confident in the skin it’s worth it.
Edit: I should also mention that I’ve been taking omega 3s a few times a week. I also eat wild caught salmon about once a week for omegas. I also try to incorporate zinc in my diet or with a supplement.
Benzoyl peroxide wash or gel. But for this spot I would try to go to an urgent care or nurse practitioner or something if possible. Infection risk.
Infection risk? I’ve had bigger but didn’t know it could get infected or what that looks like could you tell me more? What does it look like when infected?
It's hard to tell just by looking, and I'm not a medical professional. But anecdotally, my cystic acne has gotten mild infections before. A lot of pain in the area and extra inflammation. Nothing some antibiotic ointment couldn't handle.
But it's smart to be cautious with that zone of the face because there are lots of veins and arteries with close connections to the organs in your head basically.
Got it! Kind of worried now because my glasses are rubbing on that spot
Ah I get the same thing! I constantly forget that washing my glasses with soap and water is a thing lmao. I don't think you have to worry, just keep an eye on and a cautious attitude about it.
Risk? If it’s a cyst it’s already an infected pimple ! A cyst forms when an infection is present deep under the skin . Maybe your thinking staph risk if it’s not already?
I had something just like this, only one thankfully! I ended up going to the dermatologist and they sliced it open and got the stuff out and then gave me a steroid shot. If it’s possible do that, or urgent care. You don’t want this to get infected.
Changing my diet helped the most. Stay away from processed foods. Stick with butter olive oil or animal fats. Stick with natural quality foods.
It’ll be tough. But these companies mastered the art of food science to make these snacks and food highly addictive. It’s basically a drug. Fight it and I kid you not you’ll see skin improvement
I bought this stuff and it helps. But usually when I had a cyst that large I went to my dermatologist for a cortisone shot.
TreeActiv Cystic Acne Spot... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPCAWK4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Could they be caused by hormones?
Just as an example, I have PCOS and every month just before a period I’ll get a painful cyst on my face somewhere. It’s like clockwork and it’s how I know my period is coming soon.
It looks very painful :( I hope you can find a remedy soon
Ice and hydrocortisone cream could help
Yup I second both of these suggestions.
I have the same types of cysts and i have dealt with them for DECADES. I usually have about 1-2 per month and like you, they take like 2 weeks to go down. I know everyone is saying just go to a derm, but seriously you can’t ever get in same day anymore, and for someone where this happens once a month, that’s not a realistic solution. Also, as others have said, cortisone can lead to worse scarring.
First of all, I’m so sorry you deal with these too. They are so frustrating, painful, and depressing. Hugs. 🩷
That being said, here are some things that have helped me: -ice -hot compress using green tea bag -Aztec clay mask on that spot daily -NAC capsules daily until it’s smaller (this helps a lot) -hydrocolloid patches on it at night even if it doesn’t have a head -Tretinoin nightly or every other night (this is more preventative, not to treat a specific spot, but it helps a LOT)
Had acne like this for years all over my face. I tried absolutely everything. Always thought it was problems on the surface of my face but it was actually being caused by hormonal imbalances that affected my oil glands. I saw these go away after 6 months of taking spirolacotane (strictly every day). Now I don’t get these anymore. I’m going on 1 year on spirolacotane with clear skin…..just my 2 cents.
Have you had any bad side effects with it? Would you recommend?
I am so sorry you are going through this. Have you tried a cold compress?
Trying it now :)
Likely needs cortisone injection. Usually a PCP/GP or Derm can do this depending on the practitioners comfort level.
Agents like Avar (a sulfa wash), Retin-A, and BenzaClin are what they start some folks on to see if they can wrangle the majority of symptoms and reduce frequency or improve overall skin health.
Ugh it sucks but if you want a permanent solution you definitely need to see a derm and stick to a treatment plan. Lots of people say "it didn't work" but that's because they can't get past the hard part. Unfortunately it can take months/ years of consistency for problems to resolve completely. My derm has had every excuse not to let me try accutane.
The main route would be a prescribed retinoid. In conjunction I was also taking doxy for over a year. Along with tropicals: Clindamycin gel, dapsone gel, sodium sulfectamide sulfer wash. Also taking 50mg spiro with no side effects. I definitely looked hideous for a bit. Then it tamed down and still had flare ups. I didn't give up though. As things improved I weened or dropped scripts. 22 months later I have a whole new f'n face!! Did not think it would be possible at one point.
Now I just maintain my results by using Tret and the oral spiro. I recently got on the tea train and believe there are health and skin benefits. I'm sorry you are suffering. I can relate to the pain. The battle will be worth it if you follow through.
My cystic acne was related to dietary sensitivities, particularly dairy. I still get small acne cysts if I eat dairy - so have mostly gone dairy free & it’s made a world of difference!
same here!
Accutane
ACCUTANE. Changed my life.
Accutane was a miracle for my cystic acne. I took it for 5 months and stopped about 4 years ago and haven't had a breakout since.
My cystic acne was caused from undiagnosed food allergies.
Quitting diary helped me!
If you have a dermatologist, I would suggest trying to get appointment if possible. Mine used to inject mine, and would help take the initial pain away and would be gone within a couple of days.
Have you tried Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray? It is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial spray. It will help calm the skins redness and hopefully balance out the irritation. Also, have you tried dry cleansing? It is where you apply the cleanser to the skin while dry, then add a little water to the hands and rub it in even more into the skin. You want to clean the skin off with a wet microfiber washcloth to remove all the cleanser, oils and dirt. When done you would spray the Tower 28, after you dry the skin. Hopefully you will start to see some results in a few days.
I used to get shots for these, but one left a severe indented scar so never again lol. I now use straight up cortisone cream on it.. well not a miracle like the shot it absolutely helps.
I know this sounds really strange but whenever I get these I use a ceramide cream and it goes down gradually.
Not sure if this will help you in particular, but I've completely stopped getting large, inflamed, painful spots since I started using panoxyl face wash. I've also switched to Dermatica products for moisturiser and vitamin C, and I've used tret for the last ten years.
Take zinc supplements. I find this helps reduce hormonal acne, clears up the skin. I take 50mg several times a week. It can cause some brief nausea (maybe 10 mins) I find taking it at the end of the day helps avoid that.
I use 20% azelaic acid for my hormonal cystic acne. It changed my life. I was getting a new cystic acne every day or two and they just wouldn’t heal. Azelaic acids made it so I maybe get 1 acne every few weeks and they’re so much smaller. I don’t even remember my last cystic acne.
Dang, I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I used to have this exact-looking type of breakout frequently.
When mine would get that big and inflamed what helped me was doing all of the following: putting ice on it, ibuprofen, and Benadryl pill at bedtime to further help calm the inflammation, Benadryl cream on the breakout, and not putting any acne treatments on it since it would make my skin more sensitive and cause it to tear.
It turns out mine were caused by a combination of some vitamin deficiencies (mostly a severe vitamin D deficiency deficiency which caused overproduction of skin oil), a pretty bad food sensitivity to gluten, a highly stressful relationship and job, underlying inflammation from rosacea, and some topical allergies to common chemicals, additives, and fragrances.
Oh, and all I use on my face now is a gentle cerave cleanser, azelaic acid, cerave mineral sunscreen, and very sparingly I’ll use a cerave moisturizer nightly during the winter months.
Sending you good vibes!
I used to get them a lot. I didn't get offered tret, I don't think my insurance covered it. A shot of apple cider vinegar morning and night , 3 days and they start to go down. Idk why but it is the only thing that helped with mine. I'm sorry your going through this, it looks so uncomfortable. I hated going in public with mine especially if they started weeping
My Mom used to make smashed aspirin with water for a topical, that helps a little bit not as much as the acv
This is really counterintuitive and take it with a grain of salt, but the only way I could get my cystic acne to go away was to wash my face less. I stopped using face soap completely and now only wash my face with water and a cleansing towelette. I still get the occasional flare up if I use a new product, but it is much, much better.
Mayskin acne patches! They’re hardcore and the only patches I’ve ever used that work for my cystic acne. I buy them on ebay.
Yes, try serum copper and tretinoid from Ordinary Brand, mantain a low carb diet, try to stay quite simple in terms of diet the bigger the spectrum of what you eat the more probability you have of consuming something you may dont know youre allergic. The flora on your stomach meaning probiotics need to stay in healthy levels so check what kind of probiotics you may need. Change pillows sheets often , and towels you may use for your face, as soon as you may feel you’re in an environment were you’re starting to sweat or feel irritated, clean your face with something like Cetaphil sensible cleanser. Do not consume high levels of sugar, stay hydrated with electrolytes and alkaline juices and water. And drink detox tea if possible organic and non gmo.
I have been there. I am so sorry. It’s awful. For starters in case you don’t know these can be injected (and they go down fast!) by a dermatologist and it was always covered by my insurance.
Usually this kind of acne begins at the endocrine level. Topicals can help but it’s all about the hormones. Have you talked to your doc - an endocrinologist or dermatologist - about a potassium-sparing androgen blocker like aldactone?
The only things that truly helped my face full of these for decades were cortisone shots, Accutane, and dumping my emotionally abusive, narcissist ex-husband. Been clear as a bell since getting rid of him!
Spironolactone oral or topical, tretinoin topical helped me. Spoons in the freezer too. Cystic acne unlikely to develop head so heat probably not as helpful. Occas I would get a whitehead on a cyst but it was more like my pimple had a pimple, not the actual center of the cyst, if that makes sense
Have you tried Differin? It's the only thing that really helps me. Ugh.
My heart aches for you. Cystic acne is so rough on you mentally and it HURTS!!!!!
When I had bad cystic acne, I was put on accutane, tretinoin, and Differin (back when it was prescription only). My acne cleared up considerably! But then I lost my insurance and my acne came back. Not long after, I saw the commercials saying Differin was becoming OTC. Got back on it and my skin made a full recovery and I never got acne again.
I THINK my acne was caused by stress and the nuvaring, but it's been almost 10 years since I've had a bad breakout like that. I'm under considerable stress and hormonal fluctuations being 33 with two small children (2yo and 5mo), so I can't say for certain. However, I have not used nuvaring or any hormonal birth control since 2017.
As a nurse, steam and hot compresses ADD inflammation.... Making it worse. You need to ice it. Maybe take an NSAID
You should get it injected with cortisone. Depending on what level of health insurance you have, the cost can be up to $200, but that thing looks mad painful.
Edit: I am also a cystic acne sufferer. 2x Accutane patient, and have had MANY of these. These HURT.
Get that mfer injected with a cortisone shot at the derm.
Idk how you feel about ibuprofen but when I get these around the time of my period I take a big dose of it like 600-800 mg and it reaaallly helps the pain and swelling 💟
Not a helpful comment but I always get cystic acne when i use Vaseline on my face
It’s best to go see a dermatologist. They can safely extract it and inject cortisone (only consider the shot for severe blemishes like these, especially nearing a special event). I had one that size and in the same location. I did something very bad, just plain stupid actually… I did warm compress to it all day waiting for it to come to a head but it never did. So I used a tiny lancet to poke right through what I thought was the clogged pore and NOTHING, so I poked more holes and nothing. So I gave in and decided I’m going to squeeze it. When I did, it popped inwards. The white stuff spread under my skin and I knew I was completely fucked. The next day it looked horrendous, and just flat out disgusting. It looked infected, and the worst part was trying to cover it up with makeup for work that morning but yeah I will never again attempt to pop a pimple that size EVER
My cystic acne stopped after I stopped consuming dairy. Not right away… but eventually.
Start taking a daily zinc supp
I use witch hazel, it helps mine not get so big and go down faster.
Hibacleanse soap! It's staph bacteria it will clear it right up! It's the red soap you use before surgery you can get it OTC I have PCOS and endometriosis and get it on my legs and arms sometimes too nothing the doctors gave me worked but that soap did!
Benzol paroxide 5 or 10% and don’t touch it
De la Cruz acne treatment. Costs $5 at Walgreens or Amazon. Quickest working product I’ve ever tried, and thousands of reviews. It’s a sulfur based product so it smells lol but use as spot treatment overnight or when you aren’t leaving the house
Aztec clay mask… BEFORE YOU DOWNVOTE I use it with water and keep it on the cyst for HOURS. I have to leave it on all night to see a difference in my cysts and I wish I had tried using it for that long sooner
Derm for steroid shot.
Guys I hate to say it but recommending a derm is not always a viable options. Because can’t afford, can’t get in on time, etc…
Try Pimple Patches . Get the Large strip ones try it first . This is what saved me . You can get them on Amazon cheap.
For many years I received cortisone injections for this very debilitating disease 😢. OP, I know your pain. A cortisone injection will help if not totally dissolve this. 💕
In the short term stop using heat and ice it for 10-15 minutes at a time to help swelling. Heat brings fluid and blood to the area.
honestly a lot of cystic acne is hormonal and is caused by imbalances of bacteria in the gut- you gotta heal your skin from the inside out babe. have you tried any green juices or powders? are you taking pro and pre biotics start there.
You should visit a dermatologist. They can determine the correct course
Try the zit sticka extra strength pimple patches!
accutane,
unless u r looking for topical products, which ll take longer
For deep acne put a hydrocolloid bandage overnight on it and for small pimple get mederma scar gel leave a tincture of it on the pimple overnight it dries like flaky glue by the next day the pimple is gone
So first definitely agree with those saying see a dermatologist. I had bad acne and he prescribed a sulphur based medicated face wash that was super awesome. I had a few problem areas after that eventually went away BUT he did say if it kept up he could inject with antibiotics. I waited till my early 30s to see a dermatologist and honestly they are miracle workers. I’m about to take my 16 year old to one.
It’s an infection in the skins tissue. Antibiotics! I have had this problem, and I learned to exfoliate wash my skin helps clear dead skin cells from clogging up my pores, getting infected and cystic acne from forming. I use tea tree oil drop in my face wash once a day it helped clear up the infection with oral medicine. I make sure I exfoliate real good, I use an exfoliating pad and get my face around it twice.
If you don’t exfoliate and cystic acne prone, you’ll never get rid of it or you’ll get it again if you don’t exfoliate even though it’s all cleared up. I learned this after I cleared it up and got laser surgery on my face and years later my face started breaking out again. Now I’m completely cleared up after learning I have to keep exfoliating because the oil in my pores and skin build up is just something that my skin does.
La rosche posay face wash one wash and then again but this time with tea tree oil dropped in it, take exfoliating bamboo pad all around your face exfoliating twice around daily until it clears and then just once a day exfoliate. Use Differin Gel! And I use hydraulic acid serum, and then Derma E face moisturizing vitamin E cream (but at night cause bad to wear under the sun), also use sunscreen la rosche posay or neutrogena the kind that don’t clog your pores. I swear to god it will clear up and some oral antibiotics from the doctor because it’s bacteria deep in skins tissue. This all will help!
Also, one more thing— I got a red light spot device for acne, I use it like 3-4 times a day when I have a big one. Helps kill the bacteria, makes it less painful at least, heals faster.
See a dermatologist. They’ll likely inject with cortisone.
Are you using anything prescription for these cysts?
I have a skin condition HS that causes these little lovelies all over my body and the doctor gave me topical clyndimcine which is an antibiotic.
Try talking to your doctor. I let my kids use my stuff for spot treatments of their acne (soon gets cysts) and it totally works for them.
Call a dermatologist and get a cortisone shot. If it was smaller I’d say to wait it out but that looks big and painful and needs some intervention.
DIM might help.
i’m on testosterone so i get cystic acne too, salicylic acid has helped me a liiittle but idk if it’ll help you
Ah damn I had the same thing in the same spot a few months ago. The only thing that helped was a cortisone shot from my dermatologist. It went away within a few days.
Mine usually go away with liquid antibiotics. You should ask your dermatologist about it. It might be HS as well.
How long has it been there
Hers.com You can do a virtual visit with a derm and get meds prescribed.
I’d see the doctor. If you pop it it could pop the opposite way which is very dangerous
For this type of lesion one ingredient that can speed up healing and cut down on inflammation is benzoil peroxide, 2.5% or 5% and also a sulfur wash. These are both over the counter. Benzoil peroxide can be a leave on cream only to the affected area. Make sure to wear sunscreen when using these
Cortisone shot. Like others have said, just google medspas and derms in your area and get one. Usually cost about $50 and 100% worth it.
Persa gel 10%benzoyle peroxide, put a nice glob on top at night and let it be. It's my HG for occasional cystic acne.
ZitSticka Killa patch does wonders for these!! Takes about 2 days to pull the pus out and then slap on A MightyPatch sticker and it’ll be gone in a week
I just had like 3 of these size all together from a hormonal breakout.
Get the steroid injection. It's just so necessary when they are this big. It'll go down and the injection hole breaks the skin so it can drain when it's ready.
Okay I just had one like this and to make it go down I used my high frequency wand to zap it. It went down pretty quickly after I started zapping it everyday(10ish secs on medium strength but work your way up). I also use the de la Cruz sulphur treatment for most of my other acne and it works pretty nicely!
Panoxcyl works for me and gets it gone in a few days
Benzoyl peroxide (unclog pores & reduce redness)! I used to have this acne but all over my face! It's a bitch because it's deep down into the skin just getting more red as it comes closer to surface. I needed accutane for the cystic because it stops it ever forming as no oily skin. Have you tried birth control pills? Also steam will work wonders
I had this and took out my IUD and quit dairy (still do eggs/butter) and it stopped. Not sure if this would help others though
Hey, I was suffering really bad cystic acne, healthy male 26 years old. The one thing that seriously calmed my acne down was cutting all sugar out of my diet that wasn’t honey or from fruit.
I used to get these, used hot compresses, got steroid shots, popped them myself (terrible habit, I know!).. the only thing that made them go away and stay away was 6 months of Accutane that my Dr prescribed.. The side effects were awful but it worked wonders for my skin and I’d do it again in a heartbeat, I’ve not had cystic acne or flare ups in over 6 years now!
This looks like it actually might be infected.
Sounds weird, but try washing it with Head & Shoulders shampoo. It’s something about the zinc in it, idk. Worth a shot! Hydrocolloid bandaids usually work for me too but they take a few days
Can be hormonal too?
Hi theoutcasthome, please go to your regular GP or doctor and ask for oral antibiotics and they'll also likely give you a cream as well to apply.
That is the only way to treat this and please do it as soon as possible to take best care of yourself!
Hope you feel better soon.
Have you tried topical clindamycin? it's part antibiotic and has been great for me in stopping the cystic acne from getting to the inflammatory point in your photo.
I had cystic bumps like you once a month (probably hormonal because its always t zone) and would get cortisone injections, which do work. but I brought it up with my regular derm and she suggested the clindamycin.
I've been using it a few times a week and it shrinks pimples practically overnight. and it dramatically reduces the size for the ones that threaten to become inflamed cysts to the point that they can be managed through regular skin care.
good luck!
Steroid shot for this guy? then I would try eliminating the top inflaming items like gluten, dairy, and alcohol of you drink. I had to cut gluten and rarely drink now and mine finally cleared hp. Good luck!
I have mild adult acne on my face. Dermatologist recommended I use pyrithione zinc bar soap. So I got a little waterproof spinning face scrub brush and a bar of this zinc soap on Amazon. It helps, but doesn't cure. I think my biggest problem is diet, not skin care.
Zinc pyrithione works by blocking the multiplication of unwanted bacteria and fungi like Pityrosporum — going straight to a root cause of acne for many people. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing irritation and redness that can further aggravate acne.
Does zinc help with cystic acne? Zinc is a powerful mineral in the fight against acne. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and skin healing properties can be a great support to your acne-fighting regimen. Zinc helps but does not completely cure your acne.
I had one on my chin a few months ago, and I used those microdart pimple patches. I also iced it because it was so hot and inflamed. It worked to shrink it but left hyperpigmentation behind 🫠
I use epiduo to spot treat when I feel one coming and I wash with benzoyl peroxide 10%. It works really well to keep them from getting bigger.
Might help you with this one even at this stage of growth.
It looks like you have a very oily face, a way I was able to make my face much better was using warm water as a rinse and then wiping my face with a cotton pad. Always make sure you get around your nose and ears.
Spironolactone, cheap and easy. Works for me, many years.
Any bad side effects?
Well Accutane (dermatologist needed)for stopping them long term, differin cream is really good, hot compress (which your already doing), another option is the blue light therapy.
I literally have one in a similar place that looks the exact same. I want to kill myself.
A low dose of accutane will help keep those flare ups in check with almost no side effects
Accutane
My derm gave me tretinoin 25% and azeliac acid 15% cleared it up in like two weeks. Nothing otc is gonna help. It’s not strong enough.
Spirolactone and tret
It's not the right thing to do, but I'd have gone after that with implements.
Zoc doc shows nearby derms with same day appts and reviews
Get you the Peach Slices snail mucin cleanser, toner and moisturizer.
Snail mucin concentrate healed my acne and it helps prevent scarring and heal existing scars.
I had this as an ongoing issue for years, went to a dermatologist and it turned out to be an inappropriately treated staph infection hence why it kept returning. Needed a 6-week course of antibiotics!