Using Cortisone Injections to Treat Acne
Using Cortisone Injections to Treat Acne
Cortisone shots involve the injection of a synthetic hormone closely related to the stress hormone cortisol. It is used to provide short-term relief of inflammation and is sometimes used to help shrink large acne cysts. Performed in the dermatologist’s office, cortisone shots can help reduce the redness, swelling, and pain of severe inflammatory acne breakouts within a few days.
The technical term for this procedure is intralesional corticosteroid injection, but most people just call them steroid shots, cortisone injections, or cyst injections.
Overview
Intralesional corticosteroid injections are used to treat deep nodules or cysts. A very dilute corticosteroid is injected directly into the blemish. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory that shrinks the swollen wall of the cyst.
The needle used for intralesional cortisone injections is much smaller than what is used for vaccinations or blood draw. Called a micro-needle, it is barely larger than an acupuncture needle and is designed to slip into the skin with minimal pain.
The procedure is relatively quick. The injection itself is really only sore if the pimple is very large and painful. To reduce pain, your dermatologist may numb the area with topical lidocaine before getting started.
Benefits
Cortisone shots don't work on your run-of-the-mill pimples or reduce the build-up of pus in the swollen pustules. Instead, the shots simply shrink tissues and are reserved for large cystic blemishes. Cortisone shots can be used to treat blemishes on both the face and the body.
Using cortisone in such cases reduces the chance of scarring. This is especially valuable if you are prone to hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) after a breakout.
Among the reasons to ask your dermatologist about cortisone injections:
Intralesional steroid injections along with comedone extraction (the removal of blackheads) do not alter the course of the disease but can significantly improve your appearance.
