Can you treat cystic acne with Botox injections in teens? Of label indication of course

Botox is not recognised as a treatment for acne and may not be a sole solution, however, it does have the ability to stop the oil glands from secreting so patients often find that their skin clears up after Botox. For cystic acne, I would also recommend Isolaz or skin peels and prescription topical treatments such as Roaccutane - for this you should see a Dermatologist who may provide the prescription but it is not always suitable for everyone as it can have severe side effects.

No, Botox is not used in this setting. Either topical retinoic acid or oral medications plus or minus antibiotics as necessary are the mainstays of treatment.
Best of luck.

Hi Denise,     Botox is not a traditional treatment for acne at all. However, it can be used off label as it blocks some of the nerve endings that causes sebaceous glands to secrete oil. Personally, I would rather see you visit a board certified dermatologist for more conventional acne treatments such as topical medications, oral medications, chemical peels and laser. Good luck,Dr. Downie

I often treat acne with Botox. It is not widely done but it works. I blocks the nerve ending from stimulating the sebaceous gland and therefore there is less oil. It is not a sole treatment and requires other topicals such as Retin A, benzyl peroxide, and antibiotics. It is supplemental for those that have tried many different therapies. Also, laser is a good treatment for recalcitrant acne.

Botox is not a treatment for acne. If you have cystic acne you should contact a board certified dermatologist for treatment and to prevent scars

Yes you can treat cystic acne with Botox. With parental consent, I would treat a teenager with Botox for acne. There are a number of routine activities the teenager can also do to help with acne, such as: washing the face, using a toner on the face, a healthy diet, low intake of sugar and eliminating soda from the diet.
We can also treat a teenager with the CoolTouch laser, which shrinks pores, and helps build collagen fibers. Thank you for your question. Alexis Parker, MD.