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A Guide on Treating Severe Acne |
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Severe acne requires physical procedures or strong oral treatments as they cannot be treated by conventional over-the-counter medications. Severe cystic acne extensively damages the skin causing scarring and disfigurement, and only your doctor can treat it successfully.
Types of severe acne:
Acne conglobata is a disease marked by severe breakouts of blackheads all over the body. It causes inflammation and scarring that results in the skin being severely damaged. Acne conglobata is more common among men.
Acne fulminans is a severely damaging disease characterized by sudden inception. Inflammation of joints is a common occurrence causing pain.
Gram-negative folliculitis is a less common condition and seen mostly in people who have been on antibiotics for a long time. Hair follicles get infected with bacteria or sometimes with fungus.
Nodulocystic acne is characterized by large cysts which are painful and may spread to all parts of the body.
Treatment of severe acne:
All types of severe acne can be treated with one of the following methods:
Surgical excision:
Severe acne cysts can be extracted by surgical means and drained out. Patients should not try to bust the pimples at home as the infection can spread and cause more pimples. Doctors perform the excision in a professional manner that doesn’t result in scarring and spreading of infection.
Interlesional corticosteroid injection:
In this procedure, cysts are injected with a dilute corticosteroid that reduces inflammation. Scars can be prevented with these injections and the cysts usually melt within five days.
Oral antibiotics:
Oral antibiotics kill the acne-causing bacteria and reduce inflammation. These prescription antibiotics are used one after another because bacteria can develop immunity against a single antibiotic treatment.
Birth control pills:
Acne in women is often a result of high levels of hormones that in turn stimulate higher production of sebum. Birth control pills reduce the levels of these hormones and result in a continuing cure for acne. Although available over the counter, it is advisable to consult a doctor to avoid negative effects.
Isotretinoin:
Isotretinoin is by far the most effective treatment for severe acne, but should be used only if other treatments have failed in reducing the intensity of acne. It is in oral form to be consumed for four to five months. It is a strong treatment and prevents acne breakouts for several months or years after the first course.
Isotretinoin can have some serious side effects and therefore the last option for treating severe acne. In many cases it cannot be administered to the patient due to serious health risks. Isotretinoin may cause intense body pain, migraine, nausea, hair loss, depression and various other disorders. Pregnant women are never prescribed Isotretinoin as it may cause defects in the child.
Patients on Isotretinoin therapy need constant medical monitoring and should never skip their appointments with the doctor.
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