How Do I Choose the Best Cystic Acne Treatment?

The best cystic acne treatment is likely to be one you get from a dermatologist, which is a doctor who specializes in skin care. This is due to the fact that cystic acne is often very difficult to treat, and you may have the best chance for success if you allow a professional to examine your skin and prescribe an appropriate treatment. Often, doctors prescribe a course of treatment that includes a combination of oral and topical medications for this purpose. At home, there are several things you can do to treat this type of acne. Among the best may be cleansing the skin of excess oil, dirt, and makeup; using hot compresses; and applying benzoyl peroxide.

Some forms of acne often prove harder to treat than others, and such is the case with cystic acne. This type of acne is often marked by hard, inflamed, painful lesions that take a very long time to heal on their own. Some people try to hasten the healing process by squeezing and picking at the cysts, but this is usually not a good idea. Squeezing and picking often only makes matters worse and can cause permanent scarring of the skin.

Since cystic acne can represent a treatment challenge, the best option for treating it may involve seeing a dermatologist. He can examine your skin and evaluate the type of acne you have and then recommend a prescription cystic acne treatment that is proven effective. For example, he might prescribe an oral antibiotic in combination with a topical treatment effective for drying oil, destroying bacteria, and shrinking blemishes. He may even drain some cysts to encourage faster healing.

While a dermatologist can prescribe the best cystic acne treatment in most cases, you may decide to try treating it at home instead. In such a case, you will likely do well to use a skin wash that helps remove excess oil, dirt, and bacteria from the skin. It usually best to avoid those that strip the skin of too much of its oils, however, as this may actually work to increase oil production and result in more acne. You can also use hot compresses to help shrink acne cysts and encourage them to heal faster. Additionally, you can use an over-the-counter acne treatment to help dry up blemishes — one that contains a significant amount of benzoyl peroxide will likely prove a good choice for cystic acne treatment.