Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when the natural oil your skin produces, called sebum, mixes with excess dead skin cells in the follicles. This mixture causes a block in the follicle called a comedone (blackhead or whitehead). As propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) bacteria grow inside the blocked follicle, inflammation can occur, leading to more serious forms of acne called cystic acne. If not treated correctly, acne cysts can burst and cause acne scarring.
Step 1
Ask your doctor about prescription medications. According to the American Academy of Dermatology retinoid prescriptions treat all four major causes of acne, including excess skin cell shedding, inflammation, P. acne bacteria colonies and sebum production.
Step 2
Use prescription oral antibiotics to lower the levels of P. acne bacteria in the follicles. Antibiotics, such as erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline, work by killing inflammation-causing bacteria. By reducing the bacteria in the follicle, you reduce the inflammation contributing to the acne cyst. There are risks for bacterial resistance to antibiotics. To minimize these risks, your doctor may prescribe another antimicrobial, such as benzoyl peroxide, to help fight off the bacteria.
Step 3
Talk to your doctor about injecting corticosteroids into the cyst. Corticosteroids work against inflammation and provide direct and immediate relief to the affected area. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, these diluted shots of corticosteroids help reduce the pressure behind an acne cyst, preventing it from bursting and creating scar tissue.
Step 4
Ask your doctor or dermatologist to drain the acne cyst. As a cyst increases in severity and becomes more inflamed, puss builds up behind the lesion, causing pressure to build up behind the skin. To prevent the cyst from bursting, a doctor can surgically drain the cyst or excise the cyst using surgical tools. This can help limit acne scarring from a seriously inflamed cyst or a cyst that bursts.
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