Cystic acne is caused by overactive (hyperactive) and oversized (hypertrophic) sebaceous glands in the skin, that normally produce the oils (sebum) that your skin needs to be healthy. When these glands become hypertrophic, they can swell up to hundreds of times their normal size, eliciting a serious immune inflammatory reaction that causes them to become red, and even more swollen and painful. Though cystic acne is common in adolescence and is therefore closely associated with sex hormones, it is not unusual for adults way beyond puberty to get Cystic acne, for unknown reasons.
(The following is a transcription of the above video)
Today we’re here to talk about cystic acne, both what we know about the causes of cystic acne, the active condition where you have active cysts on your face and in your skin, and also what we do about the scarring that occurs after the cysts have gone away and your skin has all sorts of pockmarks on it.
For over 18 years we have specialized in Integrative & Laser Medicine. Our expertise includes a broad spectrum of treatments for cystic acne and skin. From conducting our own independent research to utilizing well established conventional acne therapies. We have explored the use of virtually every applicable technology, from the most expensive and sophisticated medical lasers, to the simplest and most “natural” remedies for acne, with which we have administered over 85 thousand treatments.
The first key to understanding why teens get acne is that poor exercise and eating habits are not the cause of teenage acne.
No, while diet can make things worse for people who get acne, those french fries and chocolate did not cause those darn acne pimples. Similarly, while not exercising and poor hygiene are definite contributors to poor health, washing your face too much or not getting enough exercise also does not cause teenagers to get acne.
Basic Scientific Background of Acne Explained:
For those who desire a basic scientific background on acne, the following series of articles will bring you up to speed with scientific accuracy but with the ease of common language and metaphor. Effective treatments for acne are discussed in earlier articles in this series.
There are 4 main “players” involved in the development of acne.
Before we dive into the science behind hormonal acne, let’s briefly touch on genetics. Is acne genetic?
Given that almost everybody suffers from some degree of acne, our genetic endowment is almost irrelevant. We have treated many teenage patients whose parents did or did not have it, and whose siblings did or did not, and vice versa. Even patients who happened to be identical twins living in the same home and eating the same food had completely different experience with acne.
Is there a connection between diet and wrinkled skin? Are there anti-aging foods that are good for your skin?
Ever heard the saying: “Don’t ask a question if you are not prepared to hear the answer”?
The other side of that coin is: “Don’t illicit a question if you don’t have the answer”.
For the past 20 years, many of our patients have asked about their diets, “are there such a thing as anti-aging foods that will help keep my skin healthy?”
There are foods that are good for preventing acne and foods to avoid because they are known to cause acne. There are also many vitamins that are very good for the health of your skin and are a great way to get rid of acne.
Do you have Food Intolerances? As discussed in the following series of articles on the Basic Science of Acne, “Food Intolerance” and its associated “Leaky Bowel Syndrome” can have a powerfully negative impact of your overall health and wellbeing.
After years filled with thousands of personal injury lawsuits due to its numerous side effects, Accutane has proved to be a relentless legal burden for its manufacturer, Roche Holding AG.
Unable to strategize for the future to keep Accutane as a leading competitor in the market, Roche made its final decision to pull the drug from the U.S. market in July of 2009. (Note: Generic versions called isotretinoin, are still available from several manufacturers.)