What is cystic acne and what causes it on chin including the recurring and painful breakouts? Could hormonal imbalance be behind your case? How do you treat it effectively (heal or cure)? What are some of the good home remedies? What about preventing these deep cysts?
Cystic acne chin is a problem that affects many people especially those in their teens up to early 20s. It can also affect younger people (even those aged as young as 5) as well as much older people in their 50s depending on what causes them. Furthermore, it affects various parts of the body including cheeks, forehead, between eyebrows, on the chin, jawline, neck, buttocks, back, etc.
Before we go on with our discussion is on acne cysts on the chin where we will look at its causes and treatments, let us quickly have a small refresher insight on what it is. This will ensure you get a better understanding.
Meaning
Table of content
Cystic acne (nodulocystic acne), characterized by “large, red, and painful breakouts deep in your skin” [webmd.com] is a common problem that affects many people, especially those aged between 11 and 30 years. These pimples tend to affect a bigger part of your skin and they are likely to leave acne scars on areas they affect you.
You will suffer from pimples if your skin pores are clogged with dirt, dead skin, sebum (skin oils) with some bacteria also trapped inside the pore. This makes the area to swell and become red. If this happens deeper in your skin, you will get a much bigger bump that is tender and filled with pus. This bump might be painful and/or itchy and is what is basically know as cystic acne.
Pictures
To help you see what it looks like, we have included a few pictures and images, one below and a few in this article.
As you can see from the picture, they are big and deeper when compared to normal acne.
Causes or reasons
You now have a clear understanding what cystic chin acne is. It is only sensible you also know what causes this deep acne type. This way, you will find it very easy to get rid, treat or prevent it bearing in mind its root cause. Imagine how terrible you will fail if you struggle with medications for acne cysts caused by hormonal imbalance without addressing the hormonal imbalance issue. So, what are the causes them?
1. Hormonal imbalance
The main and most common cause of cystic pimples is a hormonal imbalance which can affect people at different ages or stages of their lives. You will tend to suffer from hormonal cystic acne chin problem during ovulation, childbirth, PMT, breastfeeding, menopause, pregnancy, and during menstrual cycles. For instance, all over sudden cases on women over 40 years might indicate that hormonal changes during menopause are causing them.
Furthermore, lifestyle such as too much stress as well as some diets can cause hormonal imbalances that can result to breakouts which might affect you on your chin or other parts of your body such as around your mouth, cheeks, below your nose, on your buttocks, back, chin line, jaws, neck, etc. The main hormones that play a role include progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA-S whose high levels often lead to acne cysts.
2. Excessive stress can cause these deep cystic zits
The other cause is stress. When you are stressed up, cortisol hormone levels rise. When this hormone is broken down, it forms testosterone as well as DHEA-S. These will both encourage more sebum production and therefore more acne breakouts. Furthermore, stress also reduces production of estrogen and progesterone in women yet estrogen is very important in reducing acne breakouts.
3. Poor hygiene and some makeup
Going on with causes, poor personal hygiene such as the use of dirty cell phones and touching your chin with dirty hands can encourage chin acne breakouts as they introduce more bacteria to your chin. Furthermore, some ingredients in some makeup you use around your chin can clog pores and encourage acne breakouts.
4. Lymphatic drainage problems including chin and jaw or neck
If you often get then including on the neck or jaw, it could be due to poor drainage in your lymphatic system. This has been linked to toxins accumulation around the jaw and neck area and thus acne breakouts. Exercising is a simple home remedy that can help besides specialized treatments.
5. Other causes
There are many other causes which include the following:
- Hereditary or genetic deposition – This could be a cause when it runs in some family members
- Oily skin type – People with oily skin (skin that generate a lot of oils) tend to suffer from acne than those with other skin types.
- Bad cosmetics – Some of the cosmetic products used can be so aggressive or clog pores and thus more acne breakouts. Avoid greasy and oily cosmetic products.
Recurring case
If you keep on suffering from recurring, you need to check your diet, the kind of cosmetic products you use as well as hormonal changes. All these can cause recurring outbreaks. Furthermore, poor personal hygiene and genetics can be behind deep cysts on your chin that keep on coming back.
How to treat, get rid, cures them
Most of the OTC acne and pimple medications will help you fight mild acne and pimple problems and not cystic kind of acne. It is good to go to a doctor or dermatologist for diagnosis and prescription of the right medication that will treat them more effectively. Some of the preferred cures and treatments include:
1. Birth control pills and hormonal exchange therapy
If the cause of your outbreak under the chin is hormonal imbalance, you need to go for birth control pills such as Yaz, Estrostep and Ortho Tri-Cyclen (all approved by FDA). In addition, try hormonal replacement therapy to try to balance your hormones.
2. Anti-acne medications and pills
Another common treatment is the use of pills and medications that treat acne problem. Pills such as Isotretinoin, have been found to help in treating acne. You will have to take them for about 5 months and they have the ability to clear even the painful deep cases. In case you suffer from recurring cysts from acne on your chin, you can still use these pills again.
“Isotretinoin is a vitamin A-derived retinoid” [livestrong.com] which shrink sebaceous oil glands so as to reduce oil production. It will also heal the lesions you already have, discourage new ones as well as reduce bacteria on your skin pores.
3. Oral antibiotics
The way to treat them is using prescribed oral antibiotics. These medications tend to control bacteria on your skin as well as reduce inflammation. They are ideal if you often have itchy, painful and tender zits.
4. Prescription strength creams, gels, and lotions
In case you have tried the various over the counter acne creams, gels and lotions without much success, you could go for the prescription strength acne creams, gels, and lotions that contain retinoid such as Retin-A, azorac, aczone (anti-acne & anti-inflammatory) or differin. These gels, creams, and lotions come in strengths that have to be prescribed by your dermatologist or doctor.
5. Cortisone injection
For people who have cystic pimples that do not respond to cures mentioned above, the New Zealand Dermatological Society, NZDS recommends the use of more aggressive treatment regimens such as cortisone injections. This injections help reduce scarring, swelling as well as improve the appearance of the cystic acne bump. It is therefore good for people who have persistent, painful and swollen ones.
6. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
This is a relatively new treatment for cystic zits, pimples or acne that involves the use of a “photosensitizing cream and repeated, controlled blue or red LED light exposure. Though treatment takes several visits to a dermatologist over the span of a few months” [paulaschoice.com]. It helps in reducing oil production, shrinking oil glands, and kill bacteria. All these three are responsible for cystic zits, pimples or acne.
Home remedies
Besides the cures or treatments, there are a number of home remedies for cystic chin acne that have been reported to be helpful if you have acne on your chin. Common ones include the following:
1. Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and turmeric powder face mask
Using apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and turmeric face mask have been found helpful. Apple cider vinegar helps in restoring the natural pH and has some probiotics that can combat acne. On the other hand, lemon juice will is “an excellent astringent, skin repairer, and skin-lightener” [bustle.com]. Turmeric powder, on the other hand, reduces redness, pain, and inflammation since it is an anti-inflammatory.
You need to add equal amounts of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and add turmeric powder until it forms a paste which you can put on your chin and leave it there for about 5 minutes before washing it off.
2. Epson salt and baking powder
Prepare a paste of baking soda and Epsom salt (using warm water to dilute it) and smear it around the deep cases. Let the paste remain on your affected area until it dries before washing it off. Do this twice a day. This will help reduce inflammation, scarring and make healing process faster. If you end up with a dry skin, you can use clove oil to moisturize it.
3. Raw honey mask
Honey helps heal acne scars and wounds (has antiseptic properties) as well as moisturizer your skin without clogging your skin. To make this mask, about two teaspoons of raw honey and apply it to the affected area. Leave it there for about 10-15 minutes before washing it off.
4. Mango and lemon juice
Prepare mango pulp and add some lemon juice. Apply the mixture to the areas that have the lesion. This will soften your skin and open clogged pores.
5. Aloe vera
Aloe vera juice is important if you have cystic pimples since it fastens the healing process. It will also reduce inflammation in case you have a painful cystic acne on your chin. To use this home remedy for cystic zits or acne, get a fresh aloe vera leaf and squeeze extracts from it. You can also get aloe vera juice from the market. Rub the aloe vera on your chin acne cysts and leave it there for some time before washing it off. You can do this once in two days.
6. Other home remedies
There are many other home remedies for acne cysts under the chin that include the use of aspirin mask, clay masks, coconut oil, egg white, tea tree oil, steaming, use of potatoes among many others.
How to prevent cystic Zits or Pimples
Prevention is better than cure, an old adage goes. Instead of relying on only treatments which can be costly, try the various ways of preventing them. Some of the good preventive measures which can also help get rid of cystic chin acne include:
1. Good anti-acne diet
If you have a swollen and painful breakout, you should ensure eat foods rich in vitamins especially vitamin E and niacin. Furthermore, your diet should have foods rich in “fiber especially fruits and green leafy vegetables” [bestcures.org]. On the other hand, avoid sugary and acidic foods, alcohol and cigarettes.
Go for foods with low glycemic index (GI) such as whole grains while avoiding cakes, white bread, and dairy since they have a high glycemic index and tend to increase blood glucose or sugar levels. High blood sugar level often increases breakouts.
2. Exercise, plenty sleep and stress management
Since stress is one of the causes. Ensure you try various stress management therapies. Furthermore, have adequate sleep and exercise regularly. Exercises increase endorphins and reduce cortisol, and thus you will be calmer.
3. Stop irritating or popping them
Irritating them will make it painful, red and swollen. It also increases the chances of bacteria from the cysts spreading. Furthermore, do not pop, break, or squeeze the lesion since it will too make the bacteria to spread and cause more breakouts.
4. Face and body care products
Always go for products that are labeled noncomedogenic, those containing, retinol, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Products such as Kate Somerville’s Anti BAC Clearing Face Lotion (has 5% benzoyl peroxide), La Roche-Posay Effaclar K Daily Renovating Acne Treatment (2-5% salicylic acid), Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser (has salicylic acid), among others. Avoid face cleansing bars since they tend to clog your pores.
5. Good personal hygiene
Stop resting hands on your chin, use sharp razors to shave, avoid anything that puts pressure on your chin, clean your cellphones, clean your bedding regularly, skin exfoliation, and wash your face twice ( with an alcohol-free cleanser), etc.
Reference and sources
- http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/cystic-acne
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/179562-acne-cysts-on-chin/
- http://www.bustle.com/articles/36859-how-to-get-rid-of-cystic-acne-with-these-5-simple-completely-natural-tips-that-really
- http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/acne/_/cystic-acne-agony