Natural Remedies for Cystic Acne

Vitamin C

Posted by Ria (Piscataway, Nj, Usa) on 01/09/2010
★★★★☆

I am 22 and my face recently started breaking out in cystic acne. I stopped using makeup, (MAC Cosmetics & Clinique) increased my water intake, exercised, drank ACV but nothing was working. Yesterday I was browsing around the house and happened to find some of these vitamin c tablets that dissolve in water. That night I did my regular routine (washed with African black soap for a minute) and then took ONE pill. Afterwards I wiped my face with lemon and ACV. I woke up this morning and my bumps have decreased DRAMATICALLY!! I definitely recommend. Today i'm going to buy some Pantothenic Acid Pills and see how they work! Thank you for this advice!!

Turmeric

Posted by Ejstewart73 (Las Vegas, Nv, USA) on 12/18/2009
★★★★★

YEA for Turmeric!

I suffered for years with cystic acne/boils due to monthly hormonal changes, and was placed on oral contraception, antibiotics and topical retinoids to mitigate the problem, with little success. Now that I am trying to conceive, I'm unable to take these prescribed medications (and I'm also tired of the cost).

I came across this website looking for natural cures for many ailments yesterday. I ran to the store to buy Turmeric as soon as I read these testimonials, because I HAD two huge, throbbing cysts on my face, and another one that was in the beginning stages (red bump, itchy). After ONE DOSE, I am already noticing a huge difference. I took the following last night around 8pm:

1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Honey (to taste)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1 c Hot Water
2-3 tbsp milk (to taste)

The taste reminds me of Chai so it doesn't bother me at all.

I also applied a hot compress for about 10 minutes to the worst one before I went to bed, and applied antibiotic cream.

I woke up this morning, took a shower and the worst two boils had come to heads. Once the pus drained, they were still somewhat red, but completely flat and no more pain and throbbing. The other one that was forming is reduced in size and redness completely gone!

Thanks to EarthClinic.com and all readers for their suggestions and feedback. I look forward to trying other remedies including those using ACV.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Paul (Davis, Ca) on 09/17/2009

I definitely agree about the corn oil. But I discovered this most dramatically consuming a variety of corn chip that used corn oil. I too was disappointed to find that popcorn was a culprit. I love corn so much, I'm still willing to hope that tortilla's or fresh corn might not be a problem. Has anybody who has found corn oil aggravates acne had the same experience with fresh corn or corn flour tortillas?

Oregano Oil

Posted by Alicia (Nyc, Usa) on 08/14/2009
★★★★★

Cysts or cystic acne can be treated with one of these two remedies: oregano oil or apple cider vinegar.

OREGANO OIL

For extremely stubborn cysts: Place enough oregano oil on a cotton ball to cover the surface area of the cyst. (You can also use cotton pads whatever you find works for you) Place the cotton ball on the cyst and secure with a band aid or medical tape. The oregano oil may burn but don't worry this means it is working!

The oregano oil will bring all the fluid to the surface and the cyst will turn from the red or pink color it originally was to a greenish / white puss color. Do not be alarmed the oregano oil is pulling all the impurities to the surface. Soon the cyst will start to drain.

Repeat the cotton ball treatment until the cyst is completely drained. Once it is completely drained cease the cotton ball treatment. Keep the area clean with peroxide and allow it to dry so it can scab over.

While it is scabbed over, keep it clean and help it heal by putting honey on it. Honey can be used in place of petroleum based antibiotic ointments. Honey is a natural antibiotic which will not clog pores, unlike petroleum based antibiotic ointments, and will keep the scab somewhat moist to avoid scarring.

This treatment will take about one week to complete. The cyst will become unsightly, so see if you can arrange to stay home that week or keep it covered with a bandage. It will probable result in scarring but so would any other treatment or lack there of.

After the cyst is gone, wash with a gentle, all natural, non animal fat soap. Use a nickel size portion of olive oil with 2-3 drops oregano oil and 4 drops sea buckthorn oil. Rub together in your hands and spread over skin to prevent cystic acne, cysts, and acne. It will give your skin a yellow tinge so you may choose to use this treatment following night time cleansing only. It will not clog your pores and will aid in healing any scars.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar can also be used to clear up cysts. I have never tried it in place of the oregano oil in the above treatment but it may work in lieu.

Soak a qtip or cotton ball in apple cider vinegar. Apply to cyst or hold in place for a couple minutes. This is a slower method than the oregano oil but it does not make the cyst look unsightly, it just dries it up gradually.

You can also try apple cider astringent for a daily cleanser.
Let green tea steep in a cup. Measure equal parts green tea and apple cider vinegar and mix. Pour into glass bottle (has to be glass). Use as an astringent and wipe on face with cotton ball after cleansing.

These treatments can be used for cysts, cystic acne, or acne.

Saw Palmetto, Spearmind Tea

Posted by Drea (Sarasota, Florida) on 07/23/2009
★★★★★

I have been suffering from cystic acne for about 2 years. I went on birth control and that helped, but my skin was very oily, and I was very moody all the time. When I went off it, i developed really bad cystic acne. It was bad one month and then it was better. But it never went away. I came to the site about a year ago and started using many of the remedies but never was consistent to see results. But I was getting very depressed TO see my face the way it was. So I changed my diet, started ACV, cooked only with EVCO. I gave up all caffeine, coffee, started the Paleo diet, drank lots of water. I also started taking some supplements like zinc, omega 3, and evening primose oil. But within a month my face was the worst it had ever been!!! I was so depressed. I was really good about my diet, and I was losing a lot of weight. I didnt know what to do anymore!!! I was just going to stay at home and never go out!

I started doing alot of research, and I stopped taking all the supplements, stopped drinking ACV and I wasnt cooking with any oil, I did continue to follow the Paleo diet. Within a week my face was a little better, so I decided to start taking the Omega 3, and Primrose oil again. Acne was back in a few days. So it was the EFA'S that were giving me this terrible acne!!! It was trial and error, but its true.

I heard about saw palmetto, and I decided to give a try I take 320mg daily. It started working!!! I read that it helps to regulate hormones especially testosterone. I also read about the spearmint tea and gave it a try two cups a day. It works wonderful. I also noticed that my hair on legs wasnt growing as fast!!! I read that it helps with the androgens and with body hair. I feel so happy, my acne is gone, less body hair. I hope this info helps someone, because it has helped me! I still take the ACV it helps with weight loss cook with EVCO and once a week 50mg of zinc, I only use organic makeup and face cleansers! I stay away from sugar, eat lots of veggies and fruit!

Vitamin C

Posted by Erin (Naperville, IL) on 05/30/2009
★★★★★

I have also found Vitamin C powder to be extremely effective against cystic acne, but you have to start taking it as soon as you feel a bump coming on. I have taken all the flavors, not just the grapefruit, and had success, but I do think the grapefruit tastes the best. I take one fizzy tablet dissolved in water as soon as I feel a painful bump forming and I continue taking one every few hours until it goes away ... usually less than 24 hours. I have been doing this for several years and I swear by it. It's better than any treatment I ever got from my dermatologist!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Cassi2 (Houston, TX) on 05/26/2009
★★★★★

i have had adult cystic acne for years and have tried everything the doctors have thrown at me. Well I don't know if it was all the ACV or what. I have a drawer ful of prescription and over the counter topicals and also antibiotics that i've tried over the years along with birth control pills. of course none worked completely and all had their drawbacks or side effects. about a week ago i had the biggest, baddest, most painful cyst i've ever had on my chin. i usually get one at a time but not this time - another popped up just under my lip line and another on my jaw line. i was so embarassed and in so much pain. my face was swollen all over the place. so i gave up all my prescription stuff and decided to go all natural.
i started with the all natural organic ACV cocktail three times daily for three days with 2 teaspoons ACV mixed with local dark honey to sweeten to taste and about 8-10 ounces of water and a couple ice cubes. i also took straight acv and soaked a cotton ball in it and held it to each cyst for about 30 seconds to a minute. i did this for three days, twice a day. then i used a ACV toner of 50/50 pure water and ACV and wiped it on my face twice a day for three days. i also cut some fresh aloe vera and would wipe it all over my face at night after all the cleansing. i used my regular cleansers - either pevonia or origins. its taken a week but only the biggest chin cyst is still there a bit but all the redness is totally gone. my face did get a bit dry but i put it into shock mode i am sure - that's why i only did the shocking part for three days and then moved to a maintenance. the skin around the cysts dried up and flaked off and i did have a scab where i was stupid and HAD to pick because i was in so much pain. but there are no scars and no more redness at all. my face looks great already. i am now on a maintenance of the cocktail twice a day, and toner only in the evenings with the aloe as my night time moisturizer. i am using aveeno for a daily moisturizer/sun block which is supposed to help with redness and calm your skin.

i am also taking a good B complex vitamin as that is good for stress and also i take tumeric capsules as they are good for acne and cleansing from the inside also. i haven't changed my diet but that was my next step if this didn't work.

i do hope this helps someone else out there - i really was too uncomfortable and embarassed to even go out and had to pile on the makeup.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Sandra D (Greenwood, IN) on 05/12/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I am a 43 yr old woman. About ten years ago I started suffering from terrible cystic acne. I am taking testosterone blocker and minocycline. Nothing worked. I also use Duac gel which is an antibiotic and peroxide. Still nothing worked. Tryed thousands of combinations of medications and home remedies. Yesterday I read this blog on apple cider vinegar....thought what the heck. I will try it. I took 2 tablespoons in a glass of water and dabbed some on the exsisting cysts. Then that evening did the same thing only using the cider as a toner.

Today my acne is almost completely clear. Why, I do not know. But be assurred this is no joke. My dermatologist is going to freak out. I am very active in the gym etc. Now I can go in and strut my stuff with confidence.

My regime is:

Morning:

Wash face with Oil free cleanser
Use apple cider vinegar as a toner with cotton swab (smell will go away in a second)
Drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in an 8 oz glass of water
In afternoon, repeat drinking 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in a glass of water)

Night:

Wash face with Oil free cleanser
use apple cider vinegar as a toner with cotton swab
Drink 2 tablespoons in an 8 oz glass of water

So for $3.49 I cured my acne or at laest kept it at bay I was spending

$99.00 month minocycline
$68 month aldactone
$70 month duac gel
$20-60 month on every over the counter thing I could find and thought would help

Happy in the Sun

Sandra D Grnwd, In

Urine Therapy

Posted by HoraceGrant (Atlanta, GA) on 05/03/2009
★★★★★

Urine to cure cystic acne. I just want to say urine really does work. In the past I have had to have my dermatologist give me cortisone shots directly into the nodule. This is extremely effective but becomes a hassle and pricey. I have to say urine on a cotton swab has essentially the same results. I recommend taking a swab of your first urine in the morning and hold it with some light pressure for about a minute.

Thanks earth clinic

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Ann (Seattle, US) on 04/12/2009

Hello, Ann in NY. All I did was saturate the end of a cotton swab with ACV and apply it to the lesion in the morning and again in the evening (after washing my face). In the morning, I just allowed the ACV to dry before applying moisturizer and makeup. That's it! I hope it works for you, too!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Ann (NY, NY) on 04/11/2009

Hi Ann in Seattle. I too have been having issues with cystic acne in my chin. How did you apply the ACV and did you rinse it off? thanks in advance for your reply.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Ann (Seattle, USA) on 04/10/2009
★★★★★

When I was a teenager, I had terrible cystic acne. No medications helped me, but eventually I "outgrew" it. Now that I am perimenopausal (age 51) I seem to be getting it again. In desperation, I tried birth control pills. It helped with the acne, but the side effects were miserable. I quit the Pill a month ago. Last week I could feel the beginnings of a deep pimple on my chin (it wasn't terribly visible yet, but I could certainly feel it). I applied ACV with a cotton swab for two days mornings and evenings. It's gone! Before, there'd been nothing to do but wait for a deep lesion to surface and evetually go away (a long, painful and unattractive process!) Never has anything worked as well or as quickly as the humble ACV!

Dietary Changes

Posted by Elisabeth (Belfast, Ireland) on 04/08/2009
★★★★★

My son's SEVERE cystic acne has improved WONDERFULLY since he eliminated DAIRY products from his diet. Previously had been on antibiotics but as soon as he stopped these, the cysts returned. PLEASE share the good news with others.

Dietary Changes

Posted by Robert (Toronto, Canada) on 12/27/2008
★★★★★

I think some dietary changes can positively affect for most acne sufferers, and if you have acne and consider it a problem I highly recommend you examine your diet as the likely culprit.

I had virtually all types of acne that I didn't seem to be growing out of. Was put on that awful Accutane with the requisite monthly blood tests to make sure I wasn't slowing poising myself. Long story short, the drug didn't work. At least not permanently, because I simply was not addressing the root of the problem. Found out that some of the most common allergens can cause acne. I realized that soy, gluten and eggs, through a process of elimination, were the cause of my acne. Once these we eliminated literally in a couple of days my acne disappeared. Skin was no longer oily, and I felt great. Not only was my skin clear but by eliminating the foods that my body for whatever reason cannot tolerate I was running more 'efficiently' and thus felt better!

Vitamin C

Posted by Monica (South, Georgia) on 10/16/2008
★★★★★

I had a big problem with cystic acne. I tried every remedy on this site and nothing worked. I changed makeup, used prescription and otc products. I prayed and prayed and kept trying different products and foods, cleanses etc. Then someone in my office got sick with a cold so I started taking those grapefruit effervescent cold immunity tablets. I noticed I didnt get any new cysts on my face. So I increased the dosage and used selson blue as a facial wash to dry up the lesions already there. My answer to prayer had finally come. I just wanted to share this in case there is someone else out there who has tried everything it wont hurt to try one more thing. This could be the answer for you as well. The box dosage is 3 tablets a day but Im taking 4-6 a day. I hope this helps.

EC: WARNING: This is an Airborne product which contain sucralose (aka Splenda, an artificial sweetener)... not advised for those with the herpes virus! Read the ingredients here.

Turmeric

Posted by J (Redlands, California USA) on 08/22/2008
★★★★★

About a month ago i came across this site. for the last 25 years i have had cystic acne probably genitic...I also suffered from boils around the nose. possibly MRSA or a staph infection! Anyways i read the forum and decided to apply some of the treatments. I first tried turmeric capsules and most recently turmeric powder with milk. I think the simple powder with milk is more effective...I also mixed a few drops of tea tree oil in vaseline and applied it to my nostrils with a cotton swab. At this point i still get the acne but the inflammation that goes along with the acne...has been reduced dramaticaly...thank you so much for providing this information!!!!

Turmeric

Posted by Jennifer (Covington, LA) on 07/11/2008
★★★★★

Turmeric and Cystic Acne: I have been battling acne since I was about 26, I am turning 40 this year. I have seen the doctor and taken his useless antibotics, clearly they didn't work. I realized that artifical sweetners caused major breakouts and have completely stopped using them. This has helped a lot but not completely. After reading how many things Tumeric was great for, I added this to my supplements. I noticed in just one day how much the breakouts I had were clearing up. I take 1200 mg a day in capsule form. The flair ups are not as bad and go away much quicker, in just a day or two. Usually they start to form and clear up before completely breaking out. Not to mention how great I feel, no more body aches!!

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Sophie (Portland, Oregon) on 06/22/2008
★★★★★

Cystic Acne: I gave modern western medicine a try and it seemed to me that for radical and extremism type of intervention, they are great. I prefer the gentle and natural road to recovery that aligns itself with your specific constitution.

I had cystic acne on my chin . I read it was hormonal so I set up an appointment with a bioidentical hormone replacement specialist, but meanwhile. I tried turmeric, but it stopped working after the second week. I tried ACV and it did not work . So, I did tons of research. Which resulted in me taking daily does of 1000 IU of Vitamin E ( which I believe began to erase my brown age spots)1250 IU's of Vitamin A and 500 IU's of Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, niacinamide and zinc. I have since decreased the IU's since my acne began to subside. Please be careful when taking high doses of IU's..do your research or talk to your ND/MD. My acne began to decrease rapidly.

I began having weekly acupuncture and gave them a brief on my history. Prior to my cystic outbreaks I had been on antibiotics for about for 50 days. So they assumed my flora in my intestines had been destroyed. I was put on some great probiotics (that are kept in the fridge) I also started eating a couple tablespoons of natural yogurt in the am and pm. They also recommended vitamin C to rebuid the matrix of the foundation of the skin .

So now it the acne decreased by it 95%. Now when one appears I use tea tree oil on it with a cotton ball, which decrease the size by 90% within a couple hours and my the next day with reapplication every 5 hours it disappears in two days. I also began taking Udo's oil and it helped repair my skin ( Udo's oil 3-6-9 blend) I believe it is the fountain of youth. I realize everyone is not the same, but this method has been highly successful for me.