Cystic acne is one of the most severe forms of acne. It goes beyond just pimples and blackheads because it is an actual infection of the sebaceous gland. It can take weeks, even months to heal, and usually leads to scarring. Fortunately, there are some home remedies that promote healing and treat cystic acne.
Facial Sauna
Steaming your face encourages deep cleaning and drainage of cystic acne. It opens the pores and helps eliminate dirt and grime underneath the skin’s surface. This can be done with a professional facial sauna or you can use a bowl of hot water. Drape a towel over your head and lean your face over the bowl. Do this at least 10 minutes a day, three days a week.
Baking Soda
Apply baking soda topically to help treat cystic acne. Create a paste by mixing equal parts of water and baking soda. Apply to affected areas twice a day after washing your face. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. This concoction helps kill bacteria, absorb excess oil and exfoliate your skin.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil extract is known for anti fungal, bacterial and viral properties. Mix 1 part tea tree oil with 9 parts water for your cystic acne solution. Apply directly to the acne spots after washing your face two times a day. If you have very sensitive skin, the oil may be diluted with more water.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste can help reduce the appearance of swollen acne pimples. Apply directly to the cysts and leave on overnight. Be sure to use paste and not gel toothpaste.
Natural Clay
Apply a 100 percent natural clay mask to your face once a week. It draws impurities to the skin’s surface allowing the acne to come to a head. This speeds up healing time and may lessen the chance of scarring. Apply the clay to your skin, let it dry completely, then rinse off.
General Tips
According to the Mayo Clinic, you can control acne by using simple, self-care methods. These include avoiding greasy hair and skin products, staying out of the sun, not resting your hands on your face, not irritating your skin with abrasive cleansers and not picking at your blemishes. If your acne is severe and home methods do not suffice, see your dermatologist for more aggressive remedies.
