Cystic acne is a severe skin condition marked by inflammation and large, deep pimples just below the surface of the skin. Because the pimples are buried beneath the skin in cysts, the condition is called cystic. Nodulocystic acne pimples are hard nodules, rather than the soft, liquid-filled pimples that characterize the cystic type. Nodulocystic acne is sometimes called nodular acne, but the term cystic acne is often applied to both conditions. Both nodules and cysts can be very painful and may take a long time to heal.
Anyone can get cystic pimples. Adolescent boys are the mostly likely candidates for the condition. There seems to be a genetic component to pimples in general, and the cystic type in particular. You are more likely to get severe acne if your parents also had it when they were teenagers.
The causes of cystic acne are no different than any other type of acne. You need a proliferation of bacteria on your skin that cause acne, in combination with the overproduction of skin oil commonly found in teenagers. Add in the sloughing off of skin cells within the pore, and you have the perfect recipe for a severe acne condition.
Cystic pimples are caused by the same factors as other the forms, which are:
Acne pimples become inflamed when the wall of the pore breaks and leaks liquid containing bacteria into the tissue of the skin. If the pore ruptures near the surface of your skin, the pimple will heal within a few days. However, if the rupture is deeper within the pore, the infected liquid will spill into the deep tissue and become infected under the skin’s surface. Nodules and cysts sprout and grow as the contamination spreads into adjoining pores. If a membrane grows up around the fluid, then the growth will retain a soft, spongy feel and will become a cystic pimple.
The really bad thing about the condition is that because it occurs so deep within the skin tissue, the danger of scarring is great. Do not pick at or pop cystic or nodular acne. In order to release the fluid in the cyst, you have to destroy a lot of skin to get to it. The skin on your face is delicate and doesn’t heal from this type of destruction without scars.
Despite the myths surrounding the condition, you can’t get cystic pimples from poor diet or not washing your face. You are not to blame for your skin problems. Severe acne can be devastating to your self-esteem. You may avoid social interaction, and feel badly about yourself, because of your skin, and you may suffer from depression. You need to talk with your doctor if you find that your pimples are hurting your self-esteem. There are treatments available to reduce the effects, and your confidence will increase as your skin clears up.
Cystic pimples are treatable, but it’s also challenge, and you’ll need to practice patience while in the early stages of treatment. Different patients respond differently to the variety of drugs available, so there’s an element of trial and error as you work with your dermatologist to find the best one for you.