Below the surface inflammatory acne, or otherwise known as cystic or nodular acne, is the most severe form of acne. Cystic acne forms when bacteria, dead skin cells and oil get stuck in your pores, forming lesions in the deep layers of your skin. Cystic acne usually appears larger in size than inflammatory surface acne, and often looks like a boil on the skin.
Typically cystic acne is treated with prescription medication, in particular with Isotretinoin, otherwise commonly known as roaccutane or accutane. Those with extremely severe cystic acne may require these stronger methods of treatment, so it is always a good idea to consult your dermatologist or GP should you fit into this category.
Should your cystic acne be of a bacterial nature, tbh’s acne hack cream will successfully target these severe breakouts. The scientific name for the acne causing bacteria is Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes or P.acnes). 10% of the bacteria on your skin is planktonic (free floating), and the other 90% is found in what is known as biofilms, or colonies of bacteria. These colonies produce a protective layer known as EPS which shields them from attack and binds them together. In order to successfully attack the bacteria in the biofilm, the EPS needs to be destroyed. Current topical treatments on the market are unable to do this, and as a result only successfully target 10% of the bacteria on your face.
If your cystic acne is a result of excess oil production in your face, then the likes of roaccutane may be perfectly suited to you. However, if you are considering the side effects of such drugs, or maybe haven’t had successful long term treatment with roaccutane, then you should definitely be considering a topical treatment to effectively target acne causing bacteria that may be the root cause of your cystic acne.
Emily, 21 years of age, suffers from acne and sits within this category. Emily was part of tbh’s sample group, trailing our acne hack cream prior to our launch.
Emily, whilst she had a more mild form of cystic acne, saw incredible results with our tbh acne hack cream. In two weeks she saw noticeable difference, and 8 weeks on her skin continues to improve. We anticipate that Emily will need to continue the treatment for a few months to come to hopefully see complete treatment of her cystic acne. Interestingly, Emily broke out with some tiny whiteheads in her 3rd and 4th week of treatment, which we saw amongst a few other cystic acne samplers as well. It is good to note that this is normal if this happens to you, and that they commonly disappear with continuation of the treatment. Below are the results she saw after just two weeks of using the product.
“To be honest I was a little unsure because I’ve literally tried everything! But since using the tbh acne cream I’ve dramatically noticed that I haven’t had any new pimples, except for when I went away and didn’t use it for 2 days. I was so shocked. I haven’t had another breakout since I have started using it.”
If you have cystic acne we recommend using our boujee bundle. This bundle will give you our cleanser, facial cleansing brush and acne hack cream to fight off acne causing bacteria. Use the cleanser twice daily (after removing makeup) and use the acne cream nightly before bed. If you have persistent cysts, you can also use the acne hack cream as a spot treatment in the mornings for a stronger treatment to these areas.
