cystic acne

Cyst happens. Unfortunately for me, it happens at least twice a month: Seemingly overnight, a patch of formerly clear skin will erupt into a deep, painful, under-the-skin acne nodule that sticks around for weeks or months. It is as wonderful as you'd imagine. Some women experience this kind of acne with their menstrual cycle while others are genetically predisposed to developing it, but anyone who's experienced it knows how hard it is to battle. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid haven't worked on my cysts, and short of getting a cortisone injection for acne or trying Accutane (which I'm not into), nothing has worked. Reader, tears have been shed.

This is why, with equal parts skepticism and hope, I tried Renée Rouleau's Anti-Cyst Treatment ($38.50). Specifically designed to combat this kind of acne, it promises to reduce the size of a cyst and speed healing time. Did it work? Find out after the jump.

Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are both excellent acne fighters, and definitely the most affordable treatments on the market. Almost any drugstore acne treatment is going to have one or the other. But it's impossible to tell from the bottle which product is going to help clear up your specific acne. If you end up with the wrong one, it can actually make things worse. To help you determine which product you actually need, I've put together a quick comparison. Ready to know which one you need once and for all? Then just keep reading.