Sun and Cysts
Cystic acne is always a pain. As cysts commonly form into large, inflamed bumps, they can’t be hidden simply by tanning. And anyways, you really shouldn’t be baking your skin just reduce the outward appearance of acne. However, provided you keep it in moderation, a little sun may in fact help you manage those cysts.
While you shouldn’t overlook the dangers of overexposure to UV rays, it’s important to remember that most of us in fact don’t get enough of them. Illnesses related to a lack of vitamin D (which your body produces through sun exposure) utterly dwarf the cases of skin cancer, and are often far more dangerous to your health. A little sun each day is a good thing, and no, you don’t always need the SPF 15 - not unless you’ll be spending more than 20 minutes in direct sunlight.
So how can sun help with cysts? Not by hiding them, but by actually helping them to heal. Among other things, sunlight is highly effective at stimulating circulation at the skin level. This means that minor wounds can in fact heal faster with a little sun. Sunlight also helps enhance exfoliation, preventing the blockage of pores. Exfoliation isn’t going to help you a lot with deep cysts, but the circulation will.
It’s important not to actually burn your skin, as when you’re dealing with an inflamed cyst, the last thing you want is more inflammation from sun burns. Keep your sun exposure to a healthy level, and you’ll find your cysts may not stick around quite as long. Spot treatments like benzoyl peroxide and anti-inflammatories like Neosporin can also help ease the process. As long as you don’t agitate the cyst, your body will usually break down the underlying pustule after a short while, enabling your skin to heal without the risk of acne scars.
