CYSTIC ACNE

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.