We’ve all been there. You have a big event, a get-together, or a first date coming up, and suddenly a painful, red, raised acne bump appears in the worst possible spot! You hit panic mode and start piling on acne gels, rubbing alcohol, or whatever else you can find to make it go away. Usually, these only make it look worse.
What Are Acne Injections?
Acne injections involve injecting a steroid medication, usually Kenalog (triamcinolone), directly into the inflamed cyst. This powerful anti-inflammatory can dramatically reduce swelling, redness, and pain—often resolving the acne within one to two days.
When to Use Steroid Injections
It’s important to remember that acne injections are not a preventative treatment. They are intended for emergency use on large, painful, inflamed cystic acne lesions. They should never be used on small papules, pustules, blackheads, or whiteheads.
Benefits of Acne Injections
- Rapid reduction of redness and swelling
- Quick relief from pain
- Avoids weeks-long healing time for cystic acne
A steroid injection can clear up a stubborn acne cyst fast. Instead of waiting weeks for it to disappear, you may see dramatic improvement in just a couple of days. While not a magic wand, acne injections are the next best thing for fast relief.
