What Causes Cystic Acne NYC New York NY

No one is sure of the exact cause, but hormones called androgens play a part. When you’re a teenager, androgens increase. This leads to changes in your skin that can result in clogged pores and acne. In women, hormone changes can be brought on by menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, or a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome.

If one of your parents had severe cystic acne, you have a greater chance of getting it.

Acne NYC New York, NY

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Treatments for Acne NYC New York, NY

There are several different treatment options for clearing up acne.  One should schedule an appointment with a Dermatologist if interested in a medically based treatment, which could consist of a topical medication such as a Tretinoin along with a systemic medication such as Doxycycline.

There are also cosmetic based acne treatments that your physician may recommend.  Cosmetic based treatments are not typically covered by insurance, but can be extremely effective for patients suffering from acne.

One cosmetic based treatment that your Dermatologist may recommend is a Chemical peel, which includes the application of acid to the skin once every 4 weeks.  These acids chemically exfoliate the top layers of skin, signaling the cells inside the skin to produce more rapidly.  The ultimate result of Chemical peels include a rapid skin turnover that prevents pores from becoming clogged.

An additional cosmetic based treatment is the Laser Acne treatment.  Treating acne with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) often delivers better aesthetic results (especially on inflammatory acne) without the side effects associated with topical and oral acne medications.  IPL treatments target and destroy the bacteria responsible for acne, helping to prevent future breakouts from occurring on the face, chest and back.  The number of recommended treatments can vary anywhere from 4 to 8 treatments.

It is best that you consult with your Dermatologist to determine the best treatment option for your acne

Antibiotics Acne NYC New York, NY

For moderate to severe acne, you may need a short course of prescription oral antibiotics to reduce bacteria and fight inflammation. Since oral antibiotics were first used to treat acne, antibiotic resistance has increased significantly in people with acne. For this reason, your doctor likely will recommend tapering off these medications as soon as your symptoms begin to improve, or as soon as it becomes clear the drugs aren't helping — usually, within three to four months. In most cases, you'll use topical medications and oral antibiotics together. Studies have found that using topical benzoyl peroxide along with oral antibiotics may reduce the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics may cause side effects, such as an upset stomach, dizziness or skin discoloration. These drugs also increase your skin's sun sensitivity and may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

Topical treatments Acne NYC New York, NY

f your acne doesn't respond to OTC treatments, consider seeing a doctor or dermatologist to get a stronger prescription lotion. Tretinoin (Avita, Retin-A, others), adapalene (Differin) and tazarotene (Tazorac, Avage) are examples of topical prescription products derived from vitamin A. They work by promoting cell turnover and preventing plugging of the hair follicles. A number of topical antibiotics also are available. They work by killing excess skin bacteria.

Acne: Blue Light for Acne

Acne: Blue Light for Acne

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Blue-light therapy. The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne. Now widely advertised, this is probably the best-known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.

Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness. As the results from the following studies show, many patients — but not all — see noticeable improvement with about 55% clearance:

  • 31 patients with symmetrical (same on both sides) facial acne received blue-light treatment on 1 side of their faces. Blue-light therapy was given twice a week for four consecutive weeks. The other side of each patient’s face did not receive any treatment so that researchers could judge the effectiveness of the blue-light therapy. The researchers concluded that blue-light therapy is an effective acne treatment unless the patient has nodulocystic acne lesions, which tend to worsen when treated with blue light. (

  • 25 patients with inflammatory acne on their faces had half of their face treated with blue-light therapy (8 sessions over 4 weeks) and the other half with clindamycin (a topical antimicrobial shown successful in treating acne). Patients were instructed to apply the clindamycin twice a day for four weeks. After four weeks, the clindamycin side showed a 22.25% improvement, and the side treated with blue light improved by 39%. However, after eight weeks and without further treatment, the side treated with clindamycin was better able to maintain results. (United States)2

  • 10, 13, and 25 patients were enrolled in three separate studies designed to learn more about the effects of blue-light therapy on papulo-pustular (inflammatory) acne. In all three studies, more than 80% of the patients treated with blue-light therapy responded to the treatment. The patients who responded saw a 59% to 67% reduction in inflammatory acne lesions. (Israel)3

  • 30 patients with mild to moderate acne were treated twice a week with blue-light therapy for up to five weeks. After five weeks, acne lesions decreased by 64%. However, not all patients saw improvement; 20% remained unchanged or experienced a worsening of their acne.

As you can see, the number of patients involved in these studies is small. Clinical trials conducted to test new drugs generally must enroll hundreds to thousands of participants before submitting the data to the FDA for consideration. With such small numbers, statistically valid conclusions cannot be drawn. Research also is needed to learn the long-term effects. At present, blue-light therapy appears to improve acne vulgaris in some individuals. This therapy appears most effective for inflammatory acne lesions and may not be suitable for patients with nodulocystic acn

Understanding Cystic and Nodulocystic Acne

Understanding Cystic and Nodulocystic Acne

Cystic acne, or nodulocystic acne, is the most severe form of acne vulgaris. Deep, inflamed breakouts develop on the face and/or other areas of the body. The blemishes themselves can become large; some may measure up to several centimeters across.

Although many people use the term "cystic" to describe any type of severely inflamed acne, only those who develop cysts truly have cystic acne. Cysts are the most serious kind of acne blemish. They feel like soft, fluid-filled lumps under the skin's surface. Cysts can be painful.

Nodulocystic acne sufferers develop nodules as well as cysts. Nodules are hard, painful lumps under the skin's surface. Much larger than papules, nodules form deep within the skin and take a long time to heal. Some skin care experts believe acne cysts are not really cysts at all, but rather severely inflamed nodular breakouts.

For those who have nodules, but do not have cystic lesions, the term nodular acne is more accurate. No matter what label you use, a dermatologist must treat acne of this severity.

Types of Inflamed Acne Breakouts

Who Gets Cystic Acne?

Cystic acne can affect anyone, but it is more common in teenage boys and young men. Acne seems to run in families. If your parents had cystic acne, you are more likely to experience severe acne yourself.

Causes of Cystic Acne

Cystic acne is caused by the same factors as other forms of acne, which are:
  • overactive oil glands
  • excess dead skin cells within the hair follicle (pore), and
  • a large number of acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacteria acnes

Inflamed acne blemishes develop when the follicle wall ruptures, leaking infected material into the dermis. If this break occurs near the skin's surface, the blemish is usually minor and heals quickly. Deeper breaks in the follicle wall cause more serious lesions. Nodules develop when the contaminated material infects adjoining follicles.

Like nodules, cysts begin as a deep break in the pore wall. A membrane then forms around the infection within the dermis. Some people are more prone to developing these types of serious breakouts than others.

Cystic acne is not caused by a lack of cleansing, drinking soda, or eating sweets. The sufferer has done nothing to cause his skin problems.

Causes of Cystic Acne

Causes of Cystic Acne

Cystic acne is caused by the same factors as other forms of acne, which are:
  • overactive oil glands
  • excess dead skin cells within the hair follicle (pore), and
  • a large number of acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacteria acnes

Inflamed acne blemishes develop when the follicle wall ruptures, leaking infected material into the dermis. If this break occurs near the skin's surface, the blemish is usually minor and heals quickly. Deeper breaks in the follicle wall cause more serious lesions. Nodules develop when the contaminated material infects adjoining follicles.

Like nodules, cysts begin as a deep break in the pore wall. A membrane then forms around the infection within the dermis. Some people are more prone to developing these types of serious breakouts than others.

Cystic acne is not caused by a lack of cleansing, drinking soda, or eating sweets. The sufferer has done nothing to cause his skin problems.

More About the Causes of Acne