Cystic Acne
While most young people struggle with some form of acne, most of the time the problem is controllable and does not become severe. But when routine acne progresses to the cystic stage, that is when there is cause for concern. This dangerous form of acne goes much deeper than just the surface layers of the skin. And because the infection goes so deep, the sores can become much larger, more painful and much harder to get rid of.
Acne is not a mystery disease. It happens when the pores of your skin get clogged up with oils and excretions from your body and then those pores get infected. It is when that blockage begins to go deep that a problem called "retention keratosis" sets in because the infection goes so deep that it affects the gland and damages cells at a deep level. Then when those dead skin cells become infected, that growth can spread underneath the skin causing further damage, pain and cysts which are much more difficult to treat than surface level acne.
Many other problems often associated with the teen years can make the problem of the cystic variety of acne taking root. The wild shifts in hormone activity in young teens and accentuate the problem. If the youth has a genetic disposition to oily skin and that is combined with bad eating and hygiene habits, the stage is set for a serious bout with acne. Stress related to school and the normal emotional adjustments to puberty also cause the skin to become more vulnerable to the cystic version of acne and the arrival of such a serious acne causes additional stress. So it is a tough cycle to break.
When acne reaches this level of severity, some medical intervention is in order. In addition, it must be understood by the one suffering from acne that has reached the cystic level that recovery is going to be a long road that is going to require some commitment of time and effort and that it may be an uncomfortable treatment which may result in some scarring. But it is a condition that can be treated so the sufferer should take heart that recovery is possible if you take action quickly.
Your dermatologist can prescribe the best regimen for treatment. Sometimes the answer includes surgery to arrest the problem. But many times the use of some highly effective drugs like Isotretinoin, Accutane or Cortisone injections is effective. These drugs have a strong history of success in some cases being able to turn the acne problem around in 80-90% of the cases.
Parents of teens who are starting the use of such prescription drugs should make sure that they are fully informed of the dosage levels and treatment schedule to keep the youth on track. And the teenager should also implement an immediate change to poor diet and hygiene practices to give their skin all the help they can to battle the acne infections. With that kind of commitment and the help of good medical expertise, full recovery can be expected over time.
