Cystic acne is one of the most serious type of acne. Its severity is due to the fact that cystic acne penetrates deeply within the skin layers. The infection is much extensive and more painful compared to usual types of acne.

Acne cysts appear when sebum cannot properly flow to the surface of the skin. Injuries appear in the cells lining the walls of the sebum canals. When this happens the immune system responds rushing its army of defender cells that issue chemicals to destroy what is causing the lesions: the sebum.

The skin pores also get blocked by the accumulation of excessive sebum (oil) which becomes, in turn, a rich feeding ground for microbes that reside inside the skin follicles or on the surface of the skin. The cycle gets exacerbated by the chemicals produced by the breakdown of sebum that happens while those microbes are feeding themselves on. Your defensive system continues sending its own defender chemicals that destroy everything there including healthy cells and you are left with scars or tissue loss.

Retention keratosis aggravates the condition. This happens when the skin cells specially those lining the gland are shed improperly. Improper replacement of cells leads to blocking of the skin follicles. Also, dead and flawed cells become an easy target for bacterial infections. The infection spills to other follicles which increases the inflammation and redness. Localized swelling is also present.

Hormonal imbalance only adds to the woes. Increased production of sebum can trigger frequent flare ups if the sebum ducts are not clear for the outflow to reach easily to the surface of the skin. The skin becomes extremely sensitized and the cysts become susceptible to secondary infections. The lifestyle and the inherited background of a person also influence the severity of acne.

Acne cysts take a lot of time to heal since the infection is deep seated. Another issue with acne lesions or cysts is that they can lead to the formation of permanent scars. This happens due to sheer negligence on your part or careless treatment procedures. Ugly skin discoloration can also occur.

Medical treatment is the best method to eliminate cysts and lesions. Most dermatologists prescribe Isotretinoin for efficient elimination of the cysts and the lesions. This drug is marketed as Accutane, and is one of the popular acne drugs. The success rate of Accutane is as high as 80%. It works by reducing the size of the oil glands thereby regulating acne production. Severe secondary effects like depression and suicidal tendencies have been seen in some patients. The drug should not be taken by pregnant women as it can damage the overall development of the child.

Another treatment available is cortisone injections. They are extremely efficient, painless and bring instant relief. Cortisone minimizes the inflammation, swelling and redness. This therapy is known as the intra-lesional corticosteroid therapy and deals with treating acne lesions, cysts and scars.