If you’re anything at all like the millions of other people who suffer from cystic acne, you’re probably willing to do just about whatever it takes to get clearer skin. And if you’ve ever done a basic Google search, you’ve also probably read about using tea tree oil as a home remedy for cystic acne. But can tea tree oil actually help severe acne, or is it just an old wives’ tale that going to waste your time – or even worse, cause you to break out even more.

What Is Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, sometimes called melaleuca or melaleuca oil, originates from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia, a tall scrub that’s native to Australia. In eastern Australia, indigenous cultures have been using the “tea tree” for traditional medicine for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The leaves of the tea tree plant are crushed in order to collect their by-product, which is then concentrated into commercially distributed tea tree oil.

What Else is Tea Tree Oil Good For?

The short answer is a ton! Most noticeably, research over the past couple of decades has proven that tea tree oil can be an effective cure for MRSA, the dangerous “resistant super-bacteria” that has plagued hospitals and health care professionals in recent years. It also has very strong anti-fungal properties, and is commonly used to treat fungal ailments like athlete’s foot and ringworm. Tea tree oil is even known to soothe insect bites and stings, and help keep fleas off of pets.

The Dangers of Tea Tree Oil

Used as directed, tea tree oil isn’t very dangerous. That being said, it should never be ingested as it is considered toxic by modern poison control standards. While there have been no reported deaths from tea tree oil ingestion, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and many other potentially serious medical conditions.

More importantly when it comes to cystic acne, tea tree oil can be harmful to your skin when applied in high concentrations. Some individuals have reported severe skin irritation and allergic dermatitis after applying too much tea tree oil, or applying the proper dose too frequently.

How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Cystic Acne

There are a number of popular ways to use tea tree oil in treating cystic acne. A few of the most effective include:

• Applying it directly to cystic pimples with a cotton ball or swab.
• Diluting it evenly with aloe vera or raw, organic honey and applying the mixture to cystic pimples with a cotton ball or swab.
• Adding a few drops of tea tree oil to your normal homemade or commercial face mask mixture.
• Creating a homemade scrub that consists of 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 20 drops of tea tree oil.
• Mixing a couple of drops into your daily face cleanser or moisturizer regiment.
• Putting a few drops into your warm bath water to help treat cystic acne on your body.

Is Tea Tree Oil a Cystic Acne Cure?

If you’re using tea tree oil to treat your cystic acne as directed, you’re very likely to see positive results after just a couple of weeks of use. As always when using a new topical cystic acne home remedy, make sure to exercise caution when applying tea tree oil for the first few times, and be on the lookout for the symptoms of an allergic reaction which may indicate hypersensitivity.

It’s completely natural to develop pimples during the teenage years, and in some individuals, this can last all throughout their twenties and even well into their thirties. But when those pimples constantly turn red and become painfully swollen, you’re dealing with a much more serious issue.

These extreme breakouts are known as cystic acne – a painful and embarrassing disorder that affects millions of people of all ages in the United States. And while it can be much more difficult to cure than minor skin blemishes, there are a number of home remedies that have been proven highly effective for the treatment of cystic acne.

Treatments for Cystic Acne

Next time you notice that you’re about to have a cystic acne breakout, give these three natural remedies a try:

STEP 1: Use Masks and Tea Tree Oil

Face Masks:

Cystic acne can cause a pretty severe imbalance in your body’s pH levels – especially around the surface of the skin where the breakouts are occurring. By apply a specially formulated facial mask, you can balance out the acne’s disruption and help reduce its appearance and severity.

To make the face mask, mix apple cider vinegar with lemon juice and add in some cultured probiotics. After that, pour in turmeric, which acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps in getting rid of the pain and swelling in the skin. Apply this cystic acne home remedy to the face and leave it on for about five minutes, washing it off thoroughly at the end.

This treatment isn’t limited to your face, however; it can be applied anywhere else you’re experiencing cystic acne.

Tea Tree Oil:

Using tea tree oil is a highly effective cystic acne home treatment. That’s because tea tree oil is a potent anti-microbial which has the ability to kill viruses and bacteria on contact: a 1990 study on tea tree oil showed that it was just as effective as benzyl peroxide in the treatment of cystic acne. In fact, tea tree oil had actually beat out benzyl peroxide because it produced fewer side effects.

The best way to treat cystic acne with tea tree oil is to add in a few drops of aloe vera and apply the mixture to the affected area of your skin twice a day.

STEP 2: Fruits & Vegetables

Mangoes:

It may come as a pretty big surprise, but mangoes can actually be used as an effective cystic acne pimple treatment. They help by opening up the clogged pores in the skin and preventing cyst-causing bacteria from becoming trapped in there.

Simply put the mango in your blender and apply the puree to your face (or anywhere else you’re experiencing cystic acne) for five minutes, two to three times a day until you begin to see results.

Potatoes:

The natural juice contained in potatoes is another natural treatment for cystic acne. Similar to the mango, potatoes decompose the oil that clogs up skin pores in order to reduce cystic acne. Many of the essential minerals that are present in potato juice also work to reduce inflammation and redness.

The process for using potatoes to treat cystic acne is easier than it sounds. First of all, extract the juice of the potato with your blender. Next, apply it to your face, leaving it on for 15 minutes. After fifteen minutes has passed, wash your face with cold water. Repeat the process up to twice a day as needed.

STEP 3: Begin a Full Cystic Acne Regimen

While a number of home remedies work well for many sufferers, there is no one single treatment for cystic acne that will work for everyone. Oftentimes it takes the proper combination of multiple different acne-fighting techniques to begin seeing real results.

If you’ve already tried the majority of treatments recommended here and been unsatisfied with the results, you may be better off following a structured treatment plan, like Acne No More, which has been well-received as being effective for even the most chronic causes of cystic acne.

Everyone wants healthy, glowing skin. But if you suffer from cystic acne, you’d probably be happy to settle for fewer, less noticeable breakouts. That’s because severe acne is extremely hard to cure, although there are a number of proven effective natural remedies for cystic acne which can greatly reduce its appearance.

Top 10 Natural Remedies for Cystic Acne

Fed up with cystic acne remedies that don’t seem to be doing anything? Why don’t you give one – or more – of these ten natural cures a try?

Aspirin Mask – Aspirin helps with more than just headaches: it can also be used for curing cystic acne. Just crush some aspirin into a powder and then add just enough water to make it into a paste. Apply the mixture to your face, leaving it on for five minutes, and then wash with warm water. Repeat this process two to three times a day as needed.

Green Tea – Drinking green tea is one of the best natural remedies for cystic acne. This is because green tea is packed full of natural antioxidants which have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Iced green tea is great for reducing the redness and swelling caused by cystic pimples.

Baking Soda and Sea Salt – Using baking soda and sea salt is an all-natural remedy for cystic acne that helps dry out oily skin and kill surface bacteria. Just mix a small cup of baking soda with a little sea salt and water. Apply it two times a week; it will help in reducing swelling.

Steaming – Steam goes deep into the skin and helps to clean the oil and dirt trapped under the surface. To use steam to get rid of cystic acne, start with a bowl of hot water and a clean towel. Put the towel on the back of your head and hold your head over the top of the bowl of hot water. Leave it there, in the path of the steam, for about 10 minutes. Repeat this process about 2 times a day.

Toothpaste – Toothpaste is another one of the top natural ways to get rid of cystic acne. Most brands have both alcohol and fluoride in them which kills bacteria and dries up your pores. Just apply toothpaste on the affected area and leave it for 15 minutes. Keep on repeating the process daily until you see results.

Red Chili Powder – Take a small amount of red chili powder and mix it with filtered water until it forms a workable mixture – typically equal parts water and chili powder. Applying this blend to your face twice a week can harness the anti-inflammatory features of the chili peppers to reduce the appearance of severe acne. For some people, this cystic acne home remedy can be a little much.

Cinnamon – Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon powder with a teaspoon of honey and apply it on the affected areas. Leave the mixture on overnight, wasting it off in the morning. Many sufferers report seeing big improvements in their skin within 24 hours.

Egg Whites – Egg whites are another surprising treatment can be used for curing severe acne problem. They is considered by many holistic health experts as one of the top natural remedies for cystic acne. Simply apply the white part of an egg to your skin before you go to sleep, washing it off in the morning. Just make sure that you thoroughly clean your skin first!

Rosemary Leaves – Not only is this remedy effective in treating cystic acne, but it also leaves your skin smells fresh as well. Crush up some rosemary leaves and then boil the pieces into a tea. After the tea cools, mix it with some aloe vera and apply it to your face like a mask, letting it sit for 15-30 minutes before removal.

Coriander – Another spice shown to be effective in treating severe acne, coriander – combined with a pinch of turmeric and just a little bit of water – has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of its own. Just apply a small amount of the mixture to your face for 5-10 minutes, once a day.

While all of these natural remedies for cystic acne may sound simple, they each have their own unique acne-fighting properties which can help you reduce – and even clear up altogether – the most frustrating cases of cystic pimples and reoccurring acne.

Acne can come in all shapes and sizes – and appear all over your body – but if your pimples frequently become red, swollen, and painful, you’re likely dealing with chronic cystic acne.

Some people are far more susceptible to developing cystic acne than others, but it doesn’t just appear for no reason: there are typically a number of underlying causes that can lead to the severe skin issue. The good news here is that if you understand what’s causing your breakouts, you can find ways how to cure cystic acne that work the best for you.

How to Cure Cystic Acne

To get you started on your journey to clear skin, here are some great natural ways to cure cystic acne that you can start using today:

Water:

Drinking water is quite possibly the most effective natural cure for cystic acne. Every cell in our body needs water to function, and when you’re dehydrated your skin’s health suffers. You should always stay up on your water intake, but if you begin to notice an outbreak, increase it even further. Cystic acne will go away faster if you drink around three liters of water a day.

Adding some lemon can not only make the water taste better, but the vitamins in citric acid will do wonders for your skin as well. Vitamin C, which effectively removes the toxins from the body and boosts the immune system, is present in high concentrations in lemons.

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar is a common ingredient in many skin treatments simply because it’s so effective. Thanks to its pH level, this fermented apple juice has powerful antimicrobial properties that can be great at removing surface acne-causing bacteria.

To use apple cider vinegar for your cystic acne, take a cotton ball and add just a few drops of apple cider vinegar on it. Now place this cotton ball on the affected area of your face. Remove the ball after five minutes and wash the area with cold water. Start by trying this one a day.

Coconut Oil:

Out of all of the natural ways to how to prevent cystic acne, coconut oil is easily one of the most popular. That’s because it’s not only cheap and easy to find, but it also has strong antibacterial properties which kill the bacteria that causes cystic acne. When you use coconut oil on your skin, you should begin seeing an improvement after just a few treatments.

After you’re thoroughly cleaned your face, apply a light layer of coconut oil to the areas affected by cystic acne. Now massage the oil into your skin gently, leaving it on until it dries. Repeat this regimen two to three times per week as needed.

Ice:

Ice is quite effective for treating skin inflammation because it helps reduce the swelling in the surrounding tissue. The best way to cure the pimples on skin is to simply put ice on the area for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. The cold reduces the swelling and freezes the pores. This method is quite effective for single cysts, but not always for clusters.

Birth Control Pills:

One way for females to get rid of chronic severe acne is by taking hormone-supplementing birth control pills. That’s because cystic acne in women is typically caused by an internal hormone imbalance. Talk to your doctor about the right medication for you and your skin type, but many people have had the best luck with drospirenone (Yaz), norgestimate (Ortho Tri Cyclen), and cyproterone acetate (Diane-35)

At the end of it all, there may not be one single cystic acne home remedy that will fix your severe acne issues. For most sufferers, however, the combination of multiple different treatments packs the punch needed to greatly reduce even the worst outbreaks. So if you’re trying to develop a plan for how to cure cystic acne once and for all, you should now at least have a solid place to start.

Let’s not try to deny it: cystic acne can completely destroy your social life. Having a face full of gross-looking pimples has a huge effect on your self-esteem, and for many sufferers this means going out of their way to avoid social interactions altogether.

And if you’re here, you probably already know that once you’re having a cystic acne breakout, it can take a long time for the swelling and redness to go down – if you ever even get any relief at all.

Thankfully, there are a number of proven effective ways how to prevent cystic acne that have shown huge results for many different skin types. While most of them won’t cure your severe skin issues altogether, these powerful remedies will positively make a difference that you can both see and feel.

Preventing Cystic Acne

Sick and tired of frustrating cystic acne? Here are five proven effective treatments that can help keep your skin looking fresher and clearer for a long time to come:

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT):

Photodynamic Therapy (commonly referred to as PDT) treatments involve applying a photosynthesizing cream to the affected areas and then blasting them repeatedly with an intense blue LED Light. Preliminary research has shown very promising results and experts think that PDT is perhaps the best permanent treatment for cystic acne.

The only problem with Photodynamic Therapy is that it requires multiple trips to the dermatologist over a number of months. But there is evidence which supports that this type of treatment shrinks the oil glands in your skin, reducing the visibility of pores and killing the bacteria which is the main culprit behind what causes cystic acne.

Hormone Therapy:

By and large, the most common cause of cystic acne in women is an overproduction of androgen hormones. For females dealing with severe acne – especially if it becomes worst during their periods – taking hormone treatments can make a huge difference. Birth control pills are the most common types of medications used to treat cystic acne in women, and they’re effective in nearly all cases.

Honey and Nutmeg Treatment:

One of the best ways how to prevent cystic acne naturally is to combine honey and nutmeg to form a topical skin-healing paste. Simply mix one tablespoon of honey with one table of nutmeg, and apply the cystic acne home remedy to your face for 15 minutes, washing it off when done.

For an added boost, sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon into the paste – cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory properties can do wonders for swollen skin.

Manuka Honey:

Manuka honey comes from New Zealand, and has been used there to treat skin problems for centuries. Much research over the years has shown that it is helpful in treating cystic acne because of its anti-microbial properties.

A study was recently done in which the researchers compared three different types of honey for the treatment of cystic acne. The results showcased Manuka honey as the definitive leader by a wide margin.

Moroccan Rhassoul Clay:

Rhassoul clay is perfect for treating chronic severe acne. It reduces the amount of oil your pores produce and doesn’t damage the skin unlike many other more invasive treatments. Rhassoul clay can be found in many health food stores and should be blended with a small amount of water to create a pliable mask. If you suffer from extra-oily skin, add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed green tea leaves to the clay. Apply the mask to the affected area of your skin and let it sit for 15-30 minutes before washing it off.

Some Extra Cystic Acne Tips

More often than not, following a strict regimen of regular treatments can have a long-lasting impact in keeping your skin clear. A few of the best practices you should be following include:

• Don’t get overly complex – keep your skin care routine simple and follow it every single day.
• Avoid oil-based treatments and opt for a water soluble cleaner for daily use.
• Use salicylic acid to exfoliate your skin once to twice a day to reduce redness and swelling, but don’t overdo it: salicylic acid can dry out and damage sensitive skin if used too frequently.
• Skip thick moisturizers in areas where you’re prone to cystic pimples. Opt for a lighter, less clogging treatment instead.
• Benzyl peroxide is an effective, easy way to kill the surface bacteria on your skin that can cause cystic acne.

Between a daily routine of proper skin care and utilizing one (or multiple) of the five proven effective treatments how to prevent cystic acne listed above, you can greatly reduce the frequency of your breakouts and enjoy cleaner, more attractive skin without the embarrassing stigma that’s attached to cystic acne.

video content provided by YouTube star and skincare expert, Cassandra Bankson

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Cystic acne is no joke. It’s one of the most frustrating and emotionally scarring skin conditions out there, and it’s also one of the most common.

Millions of Americans battle with severe breakouts on a daily basis, and despite a load of research on what causes cystic acne, few people actually take the time and proper care needed in order to greatly reduce – or even totally eliminate – their acne issues.

Causes of Cystic Acne

Cystic acne can result when there is an overproduction of sebum in the skin, to an extent where the oil glands become quite hard and swollen.

Understanding what underlying factors are causing your cystic acne is extremely important in determining the most effective cystic acne treatment for your own unique skin care needs. If you’re aware of the root causes of your breakouts, you’re positively going to be able to treat them better.

The problem, however, is that there are a myriad of different cystic acne causes which you may fall victim to all at once.

By making a list of the most likely causes of your skin issues, you can create a strategic plan-of-attack that will address potential solutions one by one. For example, if you believe that an overabundance of skin-borne bacteria is causing your acne, you can go to the doctor for a prescription of antibiotics or try the tea tree oil cystic acne cure. If that doesn’t clear it up, try cutting out milk from your diet. One-by-one, you can eliminate all of the possible causes and find the proper cure that works for you.

You can begin experimenting with cystic acne treatments as soon as you understand what causes cystic acne. So go on, and read ahead. I know it’s a little long, but I promise – it’s worth it. Because let’s face it: cystic acne is extremely frustrating.

There are a number of factors which can cause cystic acne. It may be your hormones, it may be your styling products, it may be stress, or it may be because you have just started taking a new medication.

The following are some main answers to what causes cystic acne in adults:

Hair Styling Products:

Breakouts which are caused by hair-styling products are quite common. There’s a high chance that cystic acne can form due to the large numbers of oil-based chemicals present in the products. Famous dermatologist, Richard Fried, M.D., Ph.D., and the author of Healing Adult Acne sums it up the best: “Styling products put oil in your forehead which traps in the acne-causing bacteria.”

These clogged pores then become inflamed which ultimately what causes cystic acne by resulting in pus, redness, blackheads, and whiteheads along the forehead and hairline. Your hair style can also play a huge role. For example, bangs can worsen acne by keeping the skin-clogging hair products close to your forehead. But in the end, no matter how hard you try to keep it off, the styling product you use in your hair will inevitably make its way to your face.

To minimize the chances of developing severe acne from hair styling products, you should apply the gels or liquids with your hands and keep them away from your hairline as much as possible. You should also use a moist washcloth and clean your forehead and face immediately after applying any hair products.

Disturbed Functioning of the Skin Barrier:

You become extra vulnerable to acne when your skin is overly dry or irritated. When you have poor skin barrier functionality, the skin simply isn’t strong enough to protect and keep itself healthy. This is generally one of the main reasons of what causes cystic acne in people with dry skin, even though acne is most commonly associated with oily skin.

This is also a reason why some people can feel an improvement in their skin after using no medications or treatments at all for a few days. You can develop cystic acne through irritation when you do too much to your skin, such as over-exfoliating or trying to pop existing cystic pimples.

You should use gentle facial care products so the natural moisture isn’t stripped away from your skin. Also take care that you don’t use exfoliating scrubs too frequently because they can damage the skin too. If you want your skin to get better, you have to give it the opportunity to recover.

Taking proper care of your skin is a must, and make sure that you’re paying extra attention to what your skin is trying to tell you. Many of the most effective acne treatments instruct you to apply creams and lotions twice a day, but you should never do that if you notice your skin getting irritated – this is another contributing factor to what causes cystic acne.

If you see that you’re disturbing the functioning of your skin’s natural barrier, you should cut your treatment down to once a day or maybe even just three times a week.

Removal of Facial Hair:

Before you take off any more facial hair, you should know that you’re trading one problem for another. Removing facial hair is one of the main factors of what causes cystic acne. All facial hair removal techniques, including waxing, shaving, and tweezing, make the surrounding tissue swell, sending any bacteria inside the follicle or on the surface deep into the pores.

Dr. Fusco, a famous dermatologist, said, “The topical products put on skin before or after hair removal promote acne and clog pores. You should know that if your bumps itch, it may not be true acne but just the irritation of hair follicles which is creating a rash.”

To help reduce the chances of developing severe acne after removing facial hair, you should apply a 1% hydrocortisone cream before and after de-fuzzing. You should also clean hairy areas thoroughly before removal in order to reduce the amount of bacteria present on the skin.

Hormones:

Now it’s time to talk about what causes cystic acne on chin and neck areas. More often than not, this is due to the hormonal changes caused during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. This sheds some light on why pregnant women seem to be at higher risk of developing cystic acne. In males, puberty can also have a similar effect on the skin.

Cystic acne caused by hormones usually occurs on the lower face, typically on the chin or around the jaw line. There is no full explanation for the development of these pimples or why they just keep on getting bigger. Women suffer from hormonal cystic acne more frequently than men because of their periods, which as a reoccurring issue can often lead to chronic skin problems.

Men can also experience this type of cystic acne. The primary cause is an increase in testosterone which can be triggered by eating too much soy or protein.

Hormonal cystic acne is often painful and seems to appear without any apparent reason. So if you getting too many unexplained pimples, they may very well be related to a hormonal imbalance.

There are several things you can do to rid yourself of hormonal severe acne. First, make note of your cystic pimples and see if they appear around the same time every month. You can gain a much better understanding of how your skin works by tracking your acne and recording detailed notes about it. If your pimples do appear around the same time every month, hormones are most likely the cause of your cystic acne.

If you believe hormones are at fault for what causes cystic acne with your body, make an appointment with your doctor. You should get your hormones levels checked every now and then just to make sure that they fall within the normal limits. You should also keep a good check on your health because that’s the best way to spot hormonal imbalances before they turn into serious issues – skin-related or other.

There are, however, some acne-causing hormonal sensitivities which don’t show in standard medical tests.

For a solution, try out some topical hormonal treatments. You can also try supplements and contraceptives to balance hormones. Another solution worth giving a shot would be to increase your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and spearmint tea, both known to help regulate hormones.

Stress:

Stress can cause havoc on your skin and make existing acne symptoms worse.

I’m not trying to scare you into thinking that you’ll have a breakout every time you’re stressed, because being completely stress-free doesn’t guarantee clear skin either. You just need to understand that constantly elevated levels of stress can definitely have a negative impact on your skin’s health – it’s a proven contributor to what causes cystic acne.

One reason that stress is so dangerous for your skin is that it leads to lack of sleep. Sleep is extremely important for your entire well-being in the sense that it doesn’t just refresh the body: it also repairs it. A lack of sleep doesn’t directly cause cystic acne, but it can make you much more prone to developing severe skin issues than if you were well-rested.

A few great ways to minimize the stress in your life includes exercising, meditating, and taking regularly scheduled breaks during stressful or strenuous activities. You should also try to main your normal nightly routine, as varying from this – even if you still sleep the same number of hours – can still throw off your body’s natural recovery mechanisms.

Sunscreen:

If you’re trying to figure out what causes cystic acne on cheeks, you might want to ask yourself what you’re putting on them. For many cystic acne sufferers who spend a lot of time outdoors, the answer may be sunscreen.

There are two types of active ingredients present in sunscreens. The first is a chemical agent which protects your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays by absorbing into your pores, and the second being physical agents which stay on the surface of the skin to shield it from the sun altogether.

The problem with sunscreens, however, is that they contain titanium oxide and zinc oxide, both of which cause you to sweat. This, combined with the fact that sunscreen clogs your pores is often what causes cystic acne in adults who spend a lot of time outdoors.

Solving this problem is actually quite easy – don’t buy the brands of sunscreens which have pore clogging agents in them. It’s better to use products containing less-intrusive ingredients like oxybenzone, octocylene, and avobenzone. You should also go for gel sunscreen over a cream, because they don’t have the same pore clogging properties.

Bacteria:

The most prevalent acne bacteria is known as P. acnes. It is quite common, and most experts agree that if you kill the P. acnes bacteria, cystic acne will go away. P. acnes is most likely what causes cystic acne, whether it is on your face or other parts of the body.

P. acnes feeds on sebum, the secretion of our skin’s sebaceous glands. If your glands are producing too much sebum, you have acne-prone skin. Occasionally, this sebum gets trapped within hair follicles alongside of bacteria, creating a fertile location for the growth of P. acnes.

The biggest problem with P. acnes is that treating individual outbreaks does nothing to cure severe acne altogether. Even if you temporarily eliminate what causes cystic acne in one area, it continues to live all over the surface of your skin.

Bacteria can easily be killed by oral antibiotics. However you should be cautious before taking oral antibiotics because they can kill both the good and bad bacteria in your body. In severe cases, however, a strong dose of antibiotics can work wonders before starting a new treatment.

Antibiotics will work for a short time but they aren’t a long-term cystic acne solution. The bacteria in your body can build up a resistance after multiple treatments. As a result, an antibiotic regimen should help you clear up your skin, but should by no means be the only action you’re taking towards eliminating cystic acne.

Dairy products:

There’s no denying the fact that dairy products are quite healthy for you, but they are also one of the main causes of cystic acne. You need to keep an eye on your dairy intake if you’re getting breakouts along your jawline, or around your chin and neck areas.

Your skin acts like a secondary excretory system for the body, so when you eat dairy, some of the molecules that are difficult to digest can contribute to what causes cystic acne by being excreted through the skin in the form of cystic pimples.

The best way to find out whether dairy products are one of the main causes of your cystic acne is to exclude dairy from your diet for a minimum of three weeks. If you notice a distinct reduction in blemishes, then you may be well on your way to solving your skin issues.

If cutting out dairy altogether is difficult for you, try to at least cut back your consumption as much as possible during the three week testing period. While you may not get the full effect of remove milk-based products from your diet, you should still notice improvements in your skin.

Food Allergies:

Food allergies which cause cystic acne are more common than you think. In fact, food allergies can be one of the biggest factors of what causes cystic acne in adults. Different food allergies such as a sensitivity to dairy, sugar, or soy can make you far more prone to cystic acne.

When you eat something that you’re allergic to, it normally takes between 4 and 5 days for cystic pimples to develop. If you’re noticing acne sooner than this, it likely isn’t the result of a food allergy.

The number one way to definitively find out if food allergies are to blame for your cystic acne is to visit your dermatologist and have an allergy text done. Knowing the dietary triggers of your skin issues can be a huge resource in preventing future breakouts through a modified cystic acne diet.

Cellphones:

This one may come as a shocker to you. Yes, you read it right – cellphones can also cause cystic acne. They don’t directly cause cystic acne, however, but more-so assist it in developing. Cellphones are exposed to bacteria of all kinds through normal, everyday use. When you talk on your phone, this bacteria is getting transferred directly onto your face.

Constantly rubbing a cellphone against your skin can also cause irritation and result in cystic acne.

To prevent phone-related causes of cystic acne, limited your phone use, keep it hands-free, and clean the device’s exterior with an alcohol wipe every so often.

What Causes Cystic Acne in Review

Well there you have it. If you made it all of the way through this comprehensive article, you should already have a much better understand of what causes cystic acne, the prevention steps you can take before it develops, and what to do when you start noticing a problem.

Whether you choose to opt for a professional-style treatment for severe acne or an equally effective cystic acne home remedy, you’re now armed with the knowledge of what causes cystic acne needed to make the best decisions for your skin’s – and entire body’s – health and wellbeing.

One of the most common questions that readers ask us, without a doubt, is how to get rid of severe acne. We’ve been asked so many times that we decided the best idea would be to write a post about it. After all, it is one of the most common dermatological problems in the United States, but finding an effective treatment for severe acne can often seem be a real challenge.

What Causes Severe Acne

As you probably already know, breakouts happen because the pores in our skin get clogged with dead cells, oil, and bacteria, resulting in an infection and subsequent redness and inflammation. Severe acne – more commonly referred to as cystic acne – occurs when the small localized infection in your pore spreads deeper and out into the surrounding areas of skin.

Severe acne can be a frustrating problem for everyone from young children to adults well into their 50’s and beyond. The most common sufferers, however, are usually teenagers and young adults in their 20’s.

Cystic acne is most likely to occur on your face, chest, back, and shoulders. Studies have shown that severe acne is much more prevalent in men than it is in women, with hormonal changes occurring during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause being the most common causes of severe cystic acne among females.

In males, cystic acne is commonly a result of an overproduction of androgens by the body – a hormone which occurs in higher amounts during puberty. Some people, however, continue to produce high levels of androgens through their lifetime.

Recent studies have shown that severe acne can also be genetic – meaning you may want to ask your parents if they suffered from the condition when they were younger, and if so, at what age it began to clear up.

Reducing Your Severe Acne

Over the past few decades, dermatologists have discovered a number of highly effective ways to reduce severe acne. While many of the treatments for severe acne include prescription medications, it’s easy to find more than one cystic acne home remedy which has been proven effective as well.

A few best ways how to get rid of severe acne at home include:

Baking Soda – Baking soda is great for both killing topical bacteria, and reducing the inflammation caused by severe acne. Mix some baking soda with a little water to create a paste, and apply it to your affected skin daily, rising it off after 15 to 20 minutes.

Tea Tree Oil – Tea tree oil has well-known antibiotic properties and can penetrate deeply into your skin to eliminate the clogged pores and bacteria that cause severe acne. Apply tea tree oil directly to your breakouts once a day with a cotton ball or swab.

Coconut Oil – Known for its anti-microbial properties, coconut oil is an effective cystic acne treatment that also hydrates your skin – a stark contrast from many other treatments for severe acne that will do the exact opposite.

Aloe Vera – Long a home remedy for a variety of skin conditions, aloe vera can reduce the inflammation of severe acne and reduce pain. Some dermatologists recommend mixing it with a few drops of tea tree oil for an even more powerful punch.

Dietary Changes – What you eat can have a big effect on your complexion, and avoiding fatty foods, dairy, and high-glycemic carbohydrates are crucial to a healthy cystic acne diet that will reduce the symptoms of severe acne over the long-term.

How to Get Rid of Severe Acne Altogether?

There is no one single way how to get rid of severe acne that works for everyone. In fact, some cases of cystic acne will never clear up until they’re ready to on their own, no matter how many cures you try. But luckily, through a combination of a number of proven effective ways to treat cystic acne, you can reduce your likelihood of developing severe cystic pimples, and quite possibly reduce – or eliminate – the symptoms of your severe acne

While not necessarily dangerous to their health, cystic acne can be one of the most emotionally painful and frustrating medical conditions for the millions of Americans who suffer from it on a daily basis.

If you’re constantly battling cystic acne but can’t seem to win the war, you may need to start by re-examining your ammunition: the food you’re putting into your body. Choosing an appropriate cystic acne diet can work wonders in clearing up your skin, and although it may not prevent cystic acne altogether, you’re likely to notice a big change in your complexion after eliminating a few simple foods from your meals and snacks.

Here are a handful of the biggest culprits when it comes to food that can cause severe acne, all of which are ingredients you’re going to want to avoid in your cystic acne diet:

High-Glycemic Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are generally broken down into two groups: low-glycemic carbohydrates and high-glycemic carbohydrates. The higher a food’s glycemic rating, the faster it breaks down in your stomach. When this process happens too quickly, your blood sugar is going to spike rapidly. Even in healthy adults this can lead to imbalances in the body which are widely attributed to cystic acne.

Avoid starch-based high-glycemic carbohydrates such as potatoes and rice on your cystic acne diet, and opt instead for their low-glycemic alternatives like fruits, vegetables, and pasta.

Dairy Products

For a long time, dermatologists and nutrition experts though that dairy products like milk were actually helpful for combating cystic acne due to the high number of vitamins and minerals found in them. But in 2012, researchers discovered a definite correlation between cystic acne and consuming moderate-to-high levels of dairy products.

If you do cut out dairy from your diet, however, make sure to follow the warning of the experts and obtain your daily doses of calcium and Vitamin D from other dietary sources like fish and leafy green vegetables.

Deep Fried / Greasy Foods

You’ve probably heard a million times that deep fried and greasy foods are horrible for your skin’s complexion, but it’s so important that it’s worth reiterating over and over if that’s what it takes.

Experts are still debating over what it is with oily foods that cause acne, but there’s no denying the fact that there is a strong linkage present. It is worth pointing out though, that not all fats are bad. The saturated and trans fats found in fried foods are still horrible for you, but healthy types of unsaturated fats can actually reduce the inflammation associated with cystic acne.

Cystic Acne Diet Strategies That Work

Adopting a healthy cystic acne diet can go a long way in improving your complexion, but it won’t work on its own. You also need to make sure that your supplementing your new diet with a proven cystic acne home remedy in order to eliminate the root causes of your severe acne altogether. But with the right combination of personal care and the knowledge of the right foods to avoid to prevent cystic acne, you can begin seeing a noticeable difference in your skin as soon as anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.