Intralesional corticosteroid injection for painful, deep acne cysts. Performed personally by Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD.
A cortisone shot delivers a small amount of dilute corticosteroid directly into an inflamed cyst. It shuts down the inflammation at the source rather than waiting it out. Most cysts noticeably flatten within 24 to 48 hours, and the pain typically eases well before the swelling does.
This is the treatment for the cyst that won't come to a head — the deep, tender, immovable one that has been there for days and isn't going anywhere. Those are the lesions topical products can't reach and picking makes worse.
It also lowers the scarring risk. The longer a deep cyst stays inflamed, the more surrounding tissue is damaged and the more likely it is to leave an indentation or a dark mark. Cutting the inflammation short is the most effective thing you can do to prevent a scar you'd otherwise be treating later.
Best timing: as early as possible. A cyst injected on day two responds better than one injected on day eight. If you have an event, aim for at least three to four days ahead so the flattening has time to happen.
What to know: the injection takes seconds and stings briefly. Uncommonly, a small temporary depression can form at the injection site if the tissue responds strongly to the steroid — this generally fills back in over weeks to months. Dilution and dose are the variables that control that risk, which is why it's done by the physician rather than delegated.
Not a treatment for acne itself. This addresses one lesion at a time. Recurrent cystic acne needs medical management, and if that's your pattern, a dermatologist should be directing your care — Dr. Mortazavi will say so rather than injecting you monthly.
Already have scarring from past cysts? That's a different treatment. See acne scar subcision in Newport Beach.
Intralesional corticosteroid injection for painful, deep acne cysts. Performed personally by Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD.
A cortisone shot delivers a small amount of dilute corticosteroid directly into an inflamed cyst. It shuts down the inflammation at the source rather than waiting it out. Most cysts noticeably flatten within 24 to 48 hours, and the pain typically eases well before the swelling does.
This is the treatment for the cyst that won't come to a head — the deep, tender, immovable one that has been there for days and isn't going anywhere. Those are the lesions topical products can't reach and picking makes worse.
It also lowers the scarring risk. The longer a deep cyst stays inflamed, the more surrounding tissue is damaged and the more likely it is to leave an indentation or a dark mark. Cutting the inflammation short is the most effective thing you can do to prevent a scar you'd otherwise be treating later.
Best timing: as early as possible. A cyst injected on day two responds better than one injected on day eight. If you have an event, aim for at least three to four days ahead so the flattening has time to happen.
What to know: the injection takes seconds and stings briefly. Uncommonly, a small temporary depression can form at the injection site if the tissue responds strongly to the steroid — this generally fills back in over weeks to months. Dilution and dose are the variables that control that risk, which is why it's done by the physician rather than delegated.
Not a treatment for acne itself. This addresses one lesion at a time. Recurrent cystic acne needs medical management, and if that's your pattern, a dermatologist should be directing your care — Dr. Mortazavi will say so rather than injecting you monthly.
Already have scarring from past cysts? That's a different treatment. See acne scar subcision in Newport Beach.
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