If you have not had success treating your cystic acne with typical, over-the-counter acne products or even prescription treatments, don't give up just yet. Just because you tried one or two acne treatments that failed it doesn't mean that another won't help you greatly. Read on to find out what to try next, including new non-prescription treatments and treatments only your dermatologist can prescribe. 

1. Bee Venom Serums and Creams

Although it may sound strange at first, there are acne treatment products that contain real bee venom that are available online and maybe even at your local drugstore. Don't worry, because there is just a bit of the venom in skincare products, and you will not feel like you are being stung when applying them, although you may feel a slight tingling sensation. 

Bee venom therapy has actually been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve many ailments, and recent studies have shown topical bee venom to be a great acne-fighter because it kills the bacteria that causes acne and has anti-inflammatory effects. 

Look for a bee venom skincare product that doesn't contain pore-clogging ingredients, and you can even find bee-oriented products that also contain bacteria-killing propolis and/or honey all-in-one treatment. Of course, if you are allergic to bee stings, then do not use any products containing bee venom. 

2. New Double-duty Prescriptions

Since stubborn acne often requires more than one topical treatment to eradicate it, there are new prescriptions emerging onto the market that contain two or more ingredients that fight acne. These ingredients work in a synergistic fashion to kill bacteria and reduce excess facial sebum that can clog pores. 

At least one new treatment combines topical benzoyl peroxide with a topical antibiotic. Not only do both work well to fight acne, but the benzoyl peroxide actually helps keep the acne bacteria on your face from becoming resistant to the antibiotic. This is a huge breakthrough in topical acne treatment, as topical treatment with antibiotics used to be only a short-term treatment, because they stopped being as effective once bacteria became resistant to it. 

The new combination creams can be used indefinitely to keep acne at bay as long as they are needed.

Some new prescription acne treatments also combine benzoyl peroxide with tretinoin. The benzoyl peroxide in the formula kills bacteria as the tretinoin helps keep pores clear and increases the skin-cell turnover rate. 

There are many other new ways to treat cystic acne, so don't give up if you tried a treatment or two in the past that did not work for you. It is important to speak to a dermatologist, such as those at East Carolina Dermatology and Skin Surgery, PLLC, for help with your cystic acne, as leaving acne untreated for too long can lead to scarring.