Cystic acne is one of the most severe type of acne. Its severity is due to the fact that cystic acne penetrates deeply inside the skin layers. The infection is much extensive and more painful compared to usual forms 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 sending its army of defender cells that issue chemicals to destroy what is causing the lesions: the sebum.

The skin pores also get clogged by the accumulation of excess sebum (oil) which becomes, in turn, a rich feeding ground for microbes that live within 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 keeps sending its own defender chemicals that destroy everything there including functional 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 regeneration of cells leads to blocking of the skin follicles. Also, dead and damaged cells become an easy target for microbial infections. The infection spreads to other follicles which elevates the inflammation and redness. Localized swelling is also observed.

Hormonal imbalance only adds to the woes. Augmented production of sebum can produce frequent flare ups if the sebum canals are not clear for the outflow to reach easily to the surface of the skin. The skin turns 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 cure since the infection is profoundly established. Another issue with acne lesions or cysts is that they can lead to the formation of permanent scars. This happens due to plain 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 effective elimination of the cysts and the lesions. This solution is marketed as Accutane, and is one of the popular acne drugs. The success rate of Accutane is as elevated as 80%. It acts by reducing the size of the oil glands thereby regulating acne production. Severe side effects like depression and suicidal thoughts have been seen in some patients. The drug should not be used by pregnant women as it can harm the overall development of the child.

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