Every body at some point during and after the teens, suffer from acne. Also commonly called pimples this acne can be a white or black heads even pustule. A variety of acne that can cause disfigurement and embarrassment is the cystic acne. People with cystic acne are usually named as pizza faced as the skin around the acne turns bright red.

The main cause of acne is blocked hair follicles. What blocks the oil like hair follicles are bacteria and secretions of sebaceous glands. In cystic acne, this blockage is deep into the skin. It causes tenderness in the skin and the area looks red and inflamed. They may also have pus filled in them. It was previously thought that cystic acne is the result of inadequate skin care and bad hygiene principles. This is now understood to be a myth; though poor hygiene might be one of the contributory reasons for the spread of cystic acne.

Common reasons of cystic acne:

The exact infection, which results in the cystic acne, cannot be determined. This is because each infection may have an origin, which is different from another. Many researchers are of the opinion that cystic acne outbreak may have genetic factors also. The reasons being not many individuals have them but they sure seem to run in a family.

Cystic acne causes a lot of scars. More so if the acne are picked and squeezed to relieve the tenderness. This also causes the infection to go deep into the skin and worsen the problem. Hygiene as stated above is not a causatory factor behind cystic acne.

Some other research has also pointed to cystic acne as a result of exposure to some toxins and excessive production of some hormones. Anabolic steroids have known to cause blockage of hair follicles and cause painful cystic acne. This can be treated with medications in combination with giving up the steroid.

Treatment:

The most important part in the treating of cystic acne is not to pinch or squeeze them out. This will result in worsening of the situation. To help with all that tenderness and throbbing pain, a doctor should be consulted. The doctor will drain the pus with sterilized instrument and prescribe antibiotics for the infection.

In a few rare cases the above treatment plan too does not work. In such cases medicine such as accutane is prescribed to treat the problem. This is not sold over the counter and should be taken only under medical supervision. In some other cases beauty treatments such as exfoliation and face peeking, scrubbing may help in containing the infection. In some other cases a combination treatment is preferred.