I know this post will be controversial as it goes against what most people tell you about cysts and nodules and severe acne in general. But my experience has been so different that I felt like I wanted to put my alternative view out there in case it helps someone else.
So, a couple of years ago I broke out in very severe cystic/nodular acne. I live in the UK, so a referral to an NHS dermatologist takes 2-3 months and I couldn't get cortisone shots or anything like that in between times. My face was unbelievably swollen and painful and I could not take the pressure of all the fluid squashed under the surface of my skin. My dad (who is a doctor) also told me that he would never want infected fluid to stay sitting under the skin on his face for any amount of time and told me I'd be better getting rid of it. So....... I began draining them (very carefully!) of their fluid, then covering them in a layer of benzoyl peroxide and letting them heal.
Now, bearing in mind we're talking about cysts and nodules ALL over my face, by the usual view I ought to have been covered in deep pitted horrible scars when my active acne finally cleared up right?
WRONG! I have barely any scarring at all. One or two very slight ones, but nothing very noticeable, and nothing like the scars I see on the scar forum from other people who have had cystic/nodular acne that has healed.
I suspect that the reason for this is that the longer you leave a whole load of infected fluid, under pressure, sitting beneath the surface of the skin, the greater damage it is going to do to the deeper layers of your skin. Draining them requires you to somehow carefully pierce the surface of the skin in order to get that fluid out, but that mark heals very quickly and doesn't tend to scar. Whereas if you don't drain a cyst or nodule the pressure builds up and up and anyone who's experienced these types of acne knows just how painful that is. Pain is your body's way of telling you that something is causing damage. Draining the fluid out gets rid of the pressure, gets rid of the pain, and therefore gets rid of the thing that is causing permanent damage to your skin. Thanks for reading.
I do agree with the principal of your theory. I think the longer a cyst is under your skin the more damage it will do to collagen and result in scaring. I have one small area of scarring on my cheek and that is from a cyst that was there for months and as a result other cystic spots developed near by ( a sinus track I think they call it) anyway it is all gone now but this is the only area I have ever really scarred from acne over the years. The only thing is that I don't know if I would be confident enough to deal with it myself. I watch Dr Sandra Lee on youtube, she's based in the US and I wish in the uk you could visit a dermatologist for an extraction of a deep cyst. In the UK dermatologists are hard to get an appointment with and they are not very hands on, you wouldn't go to them for a monthly visit for extractions/facials put it that way. Dr Lee does amazing extractions with a small incision, I would have been more than happy to pay her a visit when I had that damn cyst for about a year! You seen confident in draining them yourself and your technique is working for you, I'd just be too nervous to attempt it on my own.
I'm with Mrs. Robinson. Most true cysts are so deep you would have to go very, very deep with a needle to drain them. You're very fortunate that your father is a doctor and can direct you on the proper way to lance a cyst. But for the majority of people, I would classify this as a "Don't try this at home" sort of thing. I would leave it to the experts.
Just an FYI...Some folks have had luck using PRID Black Drawing Salve on cysts. They apply the salve and cover with a Band-Aid. Some have reported that their cysts have burst and flattened on their own in just a matter of days. Others were later able to use a needle to finish the job.
For nodules I'd recommend spot-treating with some 10% glycolic acid. They often shrink back down within a few days without erupting.
Scarring...some people scar easily even from mild acne and others can survive years of cystic acne with only minimal scarring. I like you fall into the latter category. People have to judge what is best for their skin and what is the best course of action to minimize or prevent scarring in these situations.
Thanks for sharing what works for you!
Well my father is a psychiatrist, so not exactly an expert in skin, but he does have a medical degree and did emergency medicine and surgery for a while earlier on in his career. He says the first thing you're ever taught in surgery is that where there's pus, drain it, never leave it sitting there if you can make a small incision to extract it. So he's always encouraged me to drain them, and although it took A LOT of persuading for me to try it, I do now fully agree with him!
In terms of technique, I use adapalene for a few days beforehand to get rid of some of the surface skin and persuade the cyst to come nearer to the surface. Then I take a hot shower, and when you get cysts hot like that more often than not you'll find a very teeny tiny head starts to appear. If you can't find it then you need to very gently exfoliate a little more off the top and it should come up without too much difficulty. Then it's a case of a sterilised pin and very gentle squeezing until it purges. Then most importantly always follow up with benzoyl peroxide while it's still open to prevent the cyst from reforming.
Well my father is a psychiatrist, so not exactly an expert in skin, but he does have a medical degree and did emergency medicine and surgery for a while earlier on in his career. He says the first thing you're ever taught in surgery is that where there's pus, drain it, never leave it sitting there if you can make a small incision to extract it. So he's always encouraged me to drain them, and although it took A LOT of persuading for me to try it, I do now fully agree with him!
In terms of technique, I use adapalene for a few days beforehand to get rid of some of the surface skin and persuade the cyst to come nearer to the surface. Then I take a hot shower, and when you get cysts hot like that more often than not you'll find a very teeny tiny head starts to appear. If you can't find it then you need to very gently exfoliate a little more off the top and it should come up without too much difficulty. Then it's a case of a sterilised pin and very gentle squeezing until it purges. Then most importantly always follow up with benzoyl peroxide while it's still open to prevent the cyst from reforming.
Sounds good! Thanks for elaborating for the benefit of the community. Still, you'd be surprised what people will use out of desperation to get rid of a cyst...an unsterilized knife, a box cutter...it happens. That's why I'm always a little hesitant to encourage people to lance their own cysts. But you seem like you have a good head on your shoulders and know what you're doing. Glad it's working for you!