Causes of cystic acne in adults

A variant of acne; cystic acne is a severe form where the acne becomes a nodule or cyst. Causes of cystic acne are the same as the usual acne, it does however, develop into a cyst which can be very uncomfortable or even very painful. The cysts are usually found on the back, chest or face. Although they are called cysts they are not related to other types of cysts that can be found on the body. They are not life threatening and do not represent a condition to panic about.

Even so there is a common risk associated with severe or even moderate cystic acne; and that is scarring. It can be severe enough to physically mar a person. Because of this it is important to seek treatment of this form of acne immediately. However, scarring may be temporary lasting six or seven months; with the appearance of small lumps looking like cysts.

The cause

Usually a combination of excessive sebum, sweat and dead skin cells clog up to cause cystic acne. Any one of these causes of cystic acne can be sufficient to cause cystic acne especially in the presence of acne causing bacteria. These triggers are present in all of us; so it is surprising that cystic acne is quite rare.The body’s immune system and its ability to deal with infections has a big impact on the formation of acne. The severity of an outbreak can be effected by how well your immune system is functioning. This may explain why some people go one to develop cystic acne while others do not.

Treatment of cystic acne

Because cystic acne is caused in the same way to ordinary acne the treatment is similar. One of the more effective ways to treat cystic acne is to use a cream or ointment containing isotretinoin. If the case is moderate or mild antibiotic or antimicrobial ointments or creams can be effective.