This post about how to get rid of acne is concerned with getting rid of cystic acne. Cystic acne is one of the most severe forms of acne. It is characterized by inflamed breakouts of fluid filled lumps just under the skin. This form of acne is found most often in teenage boys and, due to its severity, is usually accompanied by scarring. The outbreaks are found most commonly on the face and neck but acne cysts can be found anywhere on the body.
Because of the severity of cystic acne and the damage it can do to healthy cells, a visit to the dermatologist may be required. The dermatologist may treat the acne with oral antibiotics, corticosteroid injections directly into the cyst or surgical incisions directly into the cyst to drain off the infected fluid.
Many people, however, lack the financial resources to be treated by a dermatologist or simply prefer to try natural methods first. For those people, we offer the following suggestions for at home treatment of cystic acne.
Dietary Change:
The first step to a natural treatment for cystic acne would be to alter your diet. Many people believe that certain foods contribute to various forms of acne including nodular or cystic acne. Therefore, it is believed that removing caffeine, red meat, cola products and dairy products will aid in reducing or eliminating the acne cysts or nodules. In addition, sufferers have reported acne improvement by adding fish, dried nuts and seeds, fruits and fresh vegetables to their diet.
Washing:
Wash the affected area twice daily, using a mild, perfume free soap (either a soap like Ivory or special antibacterial soaps made acne). Bacteria are the single biggest cause of cystic acne. Therefore, it is crucial that you keep the area free from makeup, sweat and excessive oils. In addition, you should try to keep your hands off the area as much as possible so as not to irritate the area as well as to keep from spreading bacteria from the hands to the inflamed area. [A note regarding makeup: trying to hide the acne with makeup is counter-productive. Applying more makeup to cover the acne will clog the pores beneath the makeup and cause the bacteria to remain within the skin causing more outbreaks].
Drink LOTS of water:
Water is important for skin health. Not only is it important for the skin itself, it is essential for the body to be able to efficiently remove the toxins from the body’s cells. Efficient removal is especially important when your body has an excess of bacteria such as when it is experiencing an acne breakout.
Exercise regularly:
Exercise helps to reduce stress and stress, while not the biggest factor in the development of acne, certainly has been shown to contribute to its formation. Not only will exercising help lower your stress, it will help your body run better so that it more efficiently eliminates toxins in the body.
Sleep:
Make sure you are getting the proper amount of sleep. Your body needs sufficient rest to run properly. When you deprive your body of that rest, it stops running the way it was designed to run. Many people have reported improvements in the severity of their acne merely by getting increasing the amount of sleep the got each night.
No smoking:
If you smoke, stop. There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that smoking contributes to the severity of cystic acne. So, getting rid of your acne is just another in a long line of reasons why you should stop smoking.
Many of these suggestions sound too simple to be of any effect on your acne but there is evidence that they all work (at least to some extent and at least for some people). If you can’t (or don’t want to) be treated for your cystic acne by a dermatologist, these suggestions for how to get rid of acne may just be your ticket to clear complexion.
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