Niacinamide For Cystic Acne

Acne, the most common skin disease in the United States, affects between 17 and 45 million Americans, according to 2008 information from the University of Maryland Medical Center. While no one ever died of acne, the psychological effects can be severe. Cystic acne, a form of acne vulgaris, the most common type of acne, is characterized by pus-filled cysts that may cause pain and leave lasting scars. A form of vitamin B-3 called niacinamide applied to the skin in topical form may help lessen the severity of cystic acne, but more comprehensive studies are needed.

Definition

Niacinamide is a type of vitamin B-3, also called niacin, which is part of the B-complex vitamin family. Niacinamide is also called nicotinamide. Niacin and niacinamide have different actions; niacin, for example, helps lower cholesterol but niacinamide does not.

Actions

Cystic acne results in pus-filled areas that can become infected. A 2008 research article in the "Journal of the Turkish Academy of Dermatology" reports that niacinamide has strong anti-inflammatory properties and also lowers the rate of sebum excretion; an excess of sebum is a cause of acne. The usual dose of niacinamide used to treat acne is a 4 percent topical gel applied to affected areas of the skin.

Study Results

Several studies conducted in the United States have examined the effect of topical niacinamide on acne. A 1995 study conducted by researchers from the State University of New York compared topical niacinamide to topical Clindamycin, an antibiotic. The study, published in the June 1995 issue of the "International Journal of Dermatology" found that niacinamide was as effective as Clindamycin. Clindamycin, an antibiotic, had more significant side effects than niacinamide after eight weeks of treatment. In 2006, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School published a review of studies using oral or topical niacinamide for various inflammatory skin conditions such as acne. Researchers concluded that the vitamin is an effective long-term treatment for skin diseases such as acne vulgaris.

Considerations

MayoClinic.com rates the evidence for niacinamide's effectiveness in skin care as only a C rating, stating that more study is needed before niacinamide can be recommended as a treatment. Ask your medical practitioner about whether he feels that this treatment would be an effective way to treat your acne.