cortisone injections
When most people think of cortisone injections, they think of people suffering from joint pain. But Dr. Victor uses this type of treatment to aid patients who are suffering from severe and sustained deep tissue acne. This type of severe acne may also be referred to as cysts or nodules. They are often difficult to clear up with the usual acne treatments such as topical medications, and deep tissue acne can be painful and last for months. If left untreated, this type of deep acne can cause permanent scarring. In this instance, a cortisone injection may be appropriate for fast and effect relief of severe acne, especially if you have a special event to attend in the near future. Dr. Victor has been using this trick to treat models, actresses and socialites when they can’t afford to have a blemish for over 2 decades. It works just as well for you and me.
what is cortisone?
Cortisone is a naturally occurring chemical released in our bodies to counter inflammation. The cortisone produced by the body is short acting and only provides a temporary impact on inflammation. Therefore, it is not very effective in producing the type of healing desired for acne cysts or nodules. The type of cortisone used in these injections is highly concentrated and is designed to be more successful in immediately reducing redness and inflammation and maintaining longer lasting results. Cortisone is a steroid, but it is not an anabolic steroid, which are the drugs commonly used to increase strength and muscle size, and are known to produce many harmful side effects.
how is cortisone used for acne treatment?
Dr. Victor administers an injection of cortisone directly into the blemish, where it will start to reduce the inflammation right away. Healing of the deep tissue acne will begin immediately after the injection as well. The greatest advantage of this treatment over topical solutions is that an injectable can penetrate much more deeply than the top layer of the skin. Therefore, it is far more effective in treating this type of cystic acne infection, helping to prevent the formation of the scars so common to this condition.
Dr. Victor may also use cortisone injections to improve the look of keloid scars and hypertrophic scars. Keloids are overgrown areas of scar tissue that form at the site of a previous injury such as an incision, wound or pimple. They appear on the skin as an irregularly-shaped pink or red scar that is raised above the rest of the skin and continues to grow into areas that were not affected by the initial injury. Hypertrophic scars are red, raised scars filled with excessive amounts of collagen. They might be itchy or slightly painful, but are harmless. Cortisone injections may be effective in reducing the redness and inflammation of these kinds of scars, enhancing their appearance significantly.
Many of Dr. Victor’s patients come to him for cortisone injections for deep cystic acne at the first sign of a blemish, but never is this a more common occurrence than for patients who discover such acne right before a big event, too. When your appearance and comfort is at its most important, such as attending a wedding or the prom, clearing the skin of blemishes is a top priority. A cortisone injection treatment takes effect so fast and the appearance of acne disappears so quickly that it is a standard, popular solution to what could be a very big and uncomfortable blemish during an important life event. Multiple treatments of the same area are not needed since the cortisone produces results immediately.
side effects of cortisone injections
The side effects of cortisone injections are extremely minimal. The most common side effect is the atrophy of the fatty tissue around the injection site. This side effect is temporary and may appear as a slight sunken or depressed part of the skin. In some cases, the sunken area can take several months to return to normal. Immediately following the injection, the affected area may swell slightly but this will dissipate very rapidly. In dark skinned individuals, a small white spot may appear at the injection site, but will also disappear soon afterward.
The cortisone injection itself can also be somewhat painful since it the shot is being delivered directly into an already uncomfortable cyst or nodule. If the pain is too considerable, Dr. Victor and his staff will provide you with a local anesthetic to numb the skin for a short period of time. There is almost no risk of allergic reaction since cortisone is a naturally occurring hormone in our bodies.
Cortisone injections for cystic acne and nodules are an out-patient procedure that can conveniently be performed in the comfort of Dr. Victor’s office.