Introduction
Acne is a skin disorder that most women experience in their life. Women experience this condition in their teenage years or as they reach puberty. In women, acne can be due to hormonal fluctuations when they reach puberty. Acne could be mild, moderate, or severe.
The most severe form of acne is infected cystic acne. Cystic acne is the painful or inflamed fluid-filled pimples found in the dermis (deeper layer of skin). An individual feels pain and discomfort. It also has a psychological effect on the individual. Cystic acne and acne are two different terms. In acne, the bacteria enter the superficial layer, forming a whitehead or blackhead. These are red in color.
Cystic acne is a white fluid-filled cyst that is painful. They may leave a scar. The common sites are the face, trunk, groin, axilla, and chest. The article discusses infected cystic acne, its causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
What Are the Types of Infected Cystic Acne?
The forms of infected cystic acne are as follows:
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Cystic Nodulocystic Acne: The nodules or pimples are large and inflamed. These are present deep in the dermis. These pimples are painful and leave scars.
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Acne Conglobata: In this, the fluid-filled cyst, abscess, and nodules are formed on the face, back, buttocks, and chest.
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Acne Fulminans: The ulcerative acne is formed with malaise and joint pain. The condition can be cured with corticosteroids.
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Acne Excoriee: It is also called picker acne. Some individuals pick or pop their acne can result in secondary infections and scarring.
What Are the Causes of Infected Cystic Acne?
The contributing factor of cystic acne is as follows:
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Genetic Predisposition: If an individual family member has acne, there are more chances of infected cystic acne forming on the skin.
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Environmental Factors: Certain factors such as dust, irritants, pollutants, and chemicals can irritate acne more and worsens the condition.
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Hormonal Factors: In men, during puberty, the androgen (testosterone) hormone production can produce sebum from the sebaceous gland. This can jam the hair follicles and form cystic acne.
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Excess Sebum Production: When more sebum is produced, the hair follicles get plugged up and cause acne formation.
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Bacterial Colonization: The bacteria present in the infected cystic acne is Propionibacterium acne. These bacteria get multiplied when the hair follicles get jammed. The inflammatory response gets triggered and causes the formation of infected cystic acne.
What Are the Risk Factors of Infected Cystic Acne?
The factors that increase the chances of getting infected with cystic acne are as follows:
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Age: Most people get infected with cystic acne in their teenage age. Some feel when they are between 20 to 30 years old.
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Gender: The infected cystic acne in males is due to high testosterone levels, and in females, due to hormonal imbalances during menstruation and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
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Skin Type: The chances of infected cystic acne are high due to more sebum production in oily skin people.
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Medications: Certain medications have side effects, like the formation of acne. The medications include hormone therapy and corticosteroids.
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Cosmetics: Certain expiry makeup products and oil-based makeup products can worsen acne.
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Environmental Factors: Factors such as dirt, pollutants, and humidity can cause the accumulation of irritants in the skin. This can increase the risk of development of infected cystic acne.
Why Does Infected Cystic Acne Develop?
Infected cystic acne is formed at the deep dermis skin layer. This can be due to bacteria and oil in the skin pores. Oily skin people have more tendency to get infected with cystic acne.
Teenagers, men, and women are at high risk of getting infected with cystic acne because of hormonal fluctuations.
The infected cystic acne cures naturally, but some cystic acne may need treatment. The person can visit dermatologists to get clear the skin.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Infected Cystic Acne?
The signs and symptoms associated with infected cystic acne are as follows:
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Texture: The infected cystic acne are large cysts or nodules in the dermis layer. These are firm, fluctuant, painful, and tender. There may be a presence of the pus.
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Redness: The affected skin may be red, inflamed, and swollen. The bacteria gets trapped in the skin and induces an inflammatory response leading to redness.
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Lesions: There may be the presence of pus. The pus is yellow or white. The pus consists of bacteria and dead cells.
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Scarring: The severe form of acne causes damage to the surrounding areas, leading to permanent scarring.
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Psychological Affect: The severe acne can affect an individual's body image. The patient may feel embarrassed.
How Is Infected Cystic Acne Diagnosed?
The dermatologist may diagnose the infected cystic acne through physical examination, medical history assessment, and diagnostic tests. The main diagnostic tests are:
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Medical History: The dermatologist or skin specialist may ask the patient about the onset of acne, previous history of acne formation, or any family history.
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Physical Examination: The doctor may physically examine the infected cystic acne by checking the cyst's size, location, and distribution. They may also check for signs of redness and inflammation.
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Bacterial Culture: The doctor may take a swab from the infected area and check under the microscope to look for the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes.
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Scarring Evaluation: The doctor may look for the scars and evaluate the risk of scarring.
How Is Infected Cystic Acne Treated?
The dermatologist's options for infected cystic acne are as follows:
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Oral Medications: The dermatologist may prescribe oral retinoids and oral antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Doxycycline, and Minocycline. Hormonal therapy, such as oral contraceptive pills, may help to deal with the symptoms.
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Topical Medications: To reduce symptoms, the doctor may prescribe topical retinoids, gels, or creams such as Erythromycin and Clindamycin.
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Intralesional Injections: The doctor may inject corticosteroid injection. This helps in reducing inflammation.
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Surgery: The dermatologists may surgically remove the nodules. In case of recurrent lesions, the doctor may surgically excise the nodules.
Conclusion
Infected cystic acne is the painful nodules or cysts that appear on the face, neck, groin, armpits, and extremities. This is common during the teenage age due to hormonal imbalances during puberty or menopause. People should not touch the acne or pop the acne. Wash the face regularly and apply moisturizer to avoid dryness and cracking. Use oil-free makeup and wash the face to remove makeup before bed. People should manage stress and avoid food that aggravates acne formation.
