Dear Doctor

I have painful cystic acne on both sides of my cheeks they are filled with pus and I tried all sorts of medications but they won’t work.

Acne has affected my life emotionally I can’t socialize anymore and I keep crying all the time please help me.

Dear Patient

Cystic Acne Treatment

The treatment of cystic acne includes the following:

Taking retinoids by mouth

Retinoids that are taken by mouth like isotretinoin are very effective treatment for cystic acne and acne that does not respond to other treatment.

However, isotretinoin is only available by prescription and you therefore need to consult your nearest doctor.

Isotretinoin has multiple side effects like cheilitis (dry lips), xerosis (dry skin)and joint pains.It also causes severe birth defects and should be used with adequate contraception by women of reproductive age.

Adopt an Acne Free Lifestyle

In addition to taking medications to treat cystic acne, you should also adopt an acne-free lifestyle by doing the following:

Stop smoking 

Joining a smoking cessation program if you smoke cigarettes.

Avoid high glycemic index foods

Avoid eating foods with a glycemic index (GI) of more than 70 because they make blood glucose sugar levels rise rapidly which leads to the pancreas producing more insulin.

Unfortunately, this also stimulates the oil glands in the skin to produce sebum (oil) which contributes to clogging the skin pores and the development of whiteheads, blackheads and other acne lesions.

Therefore avoid eating white bread, French fries, mashed potatoes, white flour cakes and doughnuts.

Instead eat low GI foods like whole wheat bread, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and peanuts. To learn more read How to Treat Acne at Home.

 

Manage stress effectively

Studies have proven that stress is linked to more severe acne. Therefore manage stress by meditation and engaging in aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging and playing basketball. To learn more read Rules of Relaxation.

 

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