Acne Conglobata – Causes & Treatment (Pictures)

With dozens of various types of acne, you may have never heard before of a term Acne Conglobata. A severe form of acne skin condition, it is a highly inflammatory skin disease. This condition is being presented with comedones, abscesses, nodules and severe form of draining sinus tracts. This skin condition is found in people who are from 18 to 30 years old. Some patients experience this severe skin disease at the age of 40 as well. This a form of active acne issue. People whose acne has subsided, can experience this problem.

What are Causes?

Despite the fact that the cause of this sort of acne is unknown, there are a few possible factors that might be associated with acne conglobata, here are as following:

Testosterone

Medicals cannot agree on one actual cause of this skin condition. Many doctors agree that it is being closely associated with testosterone and thus appears primarily in men.

Anabolic Steroids

The condition might be caused by anabolic steroid abuse and sometimes appears in men following stopping testosterone therapy.

Tumor

It can also happen to a person who has a tumor that’s releasing big amounts of androgens, or to people today in remission from autoimmune diseases, for example leukemia.

Others

In specific persons, the condition may possibly be triggered by exposure to aromatic hydrocarbons or ingestion of halogens.

Acne Conglobata Appearance

This condition presents with blackheads appearing about the face, neck, chest, upper arms and buttocks in groups of two or three. The pimples form around the blackheads. They are huge and engorged with fluid, and may possibly be sensitive to touch. They remain for a while and continue to grow and fill with pus until they lastly rupture. Following the lesion has drained, it fills up once again. After they rupture, numerous nodules can fuse together to form bigger shapes. The lesions stay for a lengthy time. They form a scab within the center but they continue to spread outwards. When the lesions do ultimately heal, they leave scars which can be the usual type of acne scar (atrophic) or is often the raised bump typically left behind by a burn or a cut (keloidal).

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

In many cases, this type of acne comes with hidradenitis suppurativa. Hidradenitis suppurativa is type of chronic disease that is identified with scarring. It affects the apocrine, the sweat glands as well. This skin condition is often misdiagnosed. The hidradenitis suppurativa cannot happen before puberty. Apocrine sweat glands or sebaceous glands are being affected severely. Breasts, groin, buttocks, inner thighs and underarms are affected.

What does it look like – Pictures

How to Treat

To combat the acne conglobata, one of the most widespread treatment may be the acne medication isotretinoin. It may possibly be combined with prednisone (20–60 mg/day). Dapsone (50–100 mg/d), which is normally used to treat leprosy, is really a riskier medication but is occasionally prescribed in circumstances exactly where the regular therapy is ineffectual on this types of acne. Antibiotics such as tetracycline or erythromycin (2 g/day) may possibly also be prescribed. An alternative selection would be to treat with carbon dioxide laser therapy, followed by topical tretinoin therapy. Surgery may be needed to eliminate large nodules. Alternatively, nodules might be injected with triamcinolone.

A dermatologist will be able to give you an expert opinion on your particular condition and advise you on the best course of action to proceed with based on what they see.