Are you a wait-and-see kind of person? Or are you all about immediate gratification? If you answered "immediate gratification," this is one acne management method worth knowing and understanding before you ask for it.
If you have red, raised, painful bumps or cysts and you want them down quickly, if you’re worried about scarring, or if you have a big event coming up and you just cannot wait a week or two, a steroid shot may be worth asking your dermatologist about.
It’s done by a dermatologist, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner in a medical office. It’s quick — just a little pinch for most people, and inflammation usually starts to come down within about a day. The lesion generally continues to flatten over the next few days, though the extent and rate of flattening vary from person to person.
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What exactly is a steroid shot?
Steroids (short for corticosteroids) are prescription drugs that mimic the body’s naturally produced cortisol hormone. Steroids decrease inflammation. To reduce red, painful acne lesions, your dermatologist can inject the steroid — a small amount, diluted — directly into the lesion.
Why not just do this on the regular instead of stressing over cystic acne?
Too high or too frequent a steroid dosage can cause small depressions after the cyst settles. Those depressions can last a few weeks, while some last much longer.
There are other possible effects worth knowing. The injection can lighten the skin at the site, which tends to be more noticeable and longer lasting on deeper skin tones, and it can thin the tissue in that spot.
So this is not something to do for every eruption. Save it for the big ones, the ones that might lead to scars if allowed to fester. The faster the inflammation is reduced, the less chance for scarring. Large cysts may need to be opened and drained first.
Will it help with existing scars?
It depends on the scar. A steroid injection into an existing raised scar can have the effect of flattening it
How about whiteheads or run of the mill pimples?
Generally, no. It’s more than a small eruption calls for, and it risks the kind of sunken depression mentioned earlier on a blemish that was going to clear on its own anyway..
Steroid shots are used for quickly reducing inflammation and decreasing the chances of scarring. Think of them as what’s behind the glass panel that says, “Break in case of emergency.” The rest of the time, stick to a consistent routine.
BP 10% Acne Medication Gel — An over-the-counter acne treatment with 10% benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide treats acne and helps prevent new acne blemishes from forming.
Exfol-A Forté — A corrective serum formulated with REt (RP)™ Retinoid. Supports a smoother, more refined-looking skin surface and helps improve the appearance of uneven texture and post-blemish discoloration.
15% Mandelic Acid Serum (Level II) — A leave-on serum with Clinical Mandelic Acid. Helps improve the appearance of congestion, uneven tone, and visible texture.
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