Treating menopausal acne cysts: 5 changes to make right now

The skin, in particular, goes through many changes during, before and long after menopause. Along with those all-too-common hot flashes, declining levels of collagen and elastin, make the skin barrier a shadow of its former self.

This weakened barrier opens the skin up to all kinds of problems, with dryness, itching, thinning, tingling and acne all becoming issues for menopausal women. Much like teenage acne, menopausal acne is distinguishable thanks to its painful, red pimples. But for many menopausal women, the condition goes much deeper.

Under skin cysts commonly develop in the face’s oiliest areas (or ‘T-zones’). Unlike normal acne pimples which come to a head, cysts stay under the surface to cause some pretty painful side effects as WebMD explains:

“Cystic acne is when you have large, red, painful breakouts deep in your skin. Pimples start when a pore in your skin gets clogged, usually with dead skin cells. Bacteria can also get trapped, causing the area to become red and swollen. Cystic acne happens when this infection goes deep into your skin, creating a bump that’s full of pus. It may hurt or itch. If a cyst bursts, the infection can spread, causing more breakouts.”

Just like other symptoms of menopausal acne, however, you don’t have to wait out breakouts. These cysts can be treated, and the road to cyst-free skin starts right here…

1. Step up your skincare regime with gentler products

Too many cystic acne remedies are irritating and abrasive, but successful treatment doesn’t depend on scrubbing your skin to within an inch of its life.

Contrary to popular belief, treating menopausal acne – and more specifically those tender to the touch cysts – depends on gentler, more soothing products.

Using organic skin care for menopause is a great place to begin, whilst multifunctional products that cleanse and gently exfoliate – just like our daily hydration face milk cleanser – will save time, smooth the skin, remove impurities and nourish deep within.

2. Resist the urge to pick or pop those pimples

It can be tempting to treat your cysts in the same way as you treat your spots, and for most acne sufferers that means squeezing those pus-filled pimples to a satisfying pop.

Whilst we’d strongly recommend resisting the urge to pop any pimple, attempting the same extraction process with cysts is a huge no-no.

Due to their position underneath the skin, popping cysts at home can not only be painful but extremely risky. By attempting to break the skin and pop the cysts – which unlike normal acne spots have no head – you’ll increase your chances of inflammation, infection, discomfort and scarring.

Leave cysts alone, no matter how juicy they look, resisting the urge to pick or even touch these blemishes.

3. Make time for rest and relaxation

As a skin condition triggered by hormonal changes, dedicating more of your self-care routine to rest and relaxation certainly makes sense.

Stress wreaks havoc with those hormone levels, with the combination of low estrogen levels and high cortisol making stress unrelenting and triggering a long list of symptoms during menopause. In menopausal women, stress can all too easily contribute to the worsening of acne symptoms.

By making an effort to reduce stress in your life, you can minimise the hormonal fluctuations that cause the skin to act out.

4. Maintain a healthier, happier lifestyle

Making changes to your lifestyle so it’s healthier and happier will ease stress and menopausal acne symptoms.

Even covering the basics – such as getting plenty of sleep, partaking in regular exercise, and keeping your diet as healthy and wholesome as possible – will help ease troublesome menopausal acne symptoms.

5. Indulge your skin every once in a while

It’s not just the daily treatment of the skin that will help treat menopausal acne cysts. Indulging your skin with our organic Detox Face Mask once or twice weekly will give your barrier the boost it needs, even when you’re not feeling your best.

Our Detox Face Mask uses Dead Sea Mud and amino acids to purify deeply, and actively prevent blemishes, blackheads and comedones. The result? Flawless skin that’s free from the impurities and dead skin cells that can hold your complexion back.

Image: fizkes / Shutterstock.com