Nodular Acne

Nodular acne is a severe form of acne that may not respond to therapies other than isotretinoin drug Accutane; it also causes severe acne scars.


Acne nodules can be markedly inflamed, solid, and often exceed 5 mm in diameter; additionally they are situated deeper in the dermis.
Sebum secretion tends to increase with the severity of the disease, so that patients with this severe type of acne have, in general, the highest levels of sebum.

Associated with the most severe form of acne, nodules are the result of deep pustules that rupture and then become lined with epithelium.
These nodules are very painful. The color may vary from flesh to erythematous to violaceous. The nodule may feel solid or fluctuant. The term cyst is often used interchangeably to mean �nodule� because of the resemblance of a nodular acne lesion to a cyst.

This severe type of acne heals extremely slowly because the infection is not discharged through the pore, as it is in most forms of acne. Most often, scarring results from this severe form of acne that occurs deep in the skin.

One should never attempt to squeeze a nodule or cyst lesion to avoid infection and scarring.

If you have this type of lesions on your skin, consider Accutane; this drug is used for the treatment of severe nodular acne having many nodules present instead of just a few in the area. It is the only treatment that can induce complete, durable remission after only 1 course.

A majority of patients using isotretinoin experience significant clinical improvement, measured as a reduction in the number and size of nodulocystic lesions. Isotretinoin also has anti-inflammatory properties and inhibits comedogenesis. These effects are maintained during treatment and persist at various levels after therapy.

Today there are also a new micronized formulation of isotretinoin that has been shown to be clinically equivalent to standard isotretinoin bur with improved bioavailability and minimal side effects.

Oral antibiotics are also helpful initially in very severe cases.

Since scarring of the skin resulting from severe lesions causes major distress, acne should always be treated as soon as possible.

Return from "Nodular Acne" to "Acne Scars"

Return from "Cystic Acne Scars" to "Acne Scar Removal"