Types of Acne
Mild to Moderate
acne vulgaris lesions consist of whiteheads, blackheads
papules and pustules.
Whiteheads appear on the surface as a
result of trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead
skin cells completely blocking a pore.
These
types of acne lesions are offensive when they protrude
the surface and seem to be begging to be popped.
Blackheads
emerge when a pore is partially blocked, allowing
some of the trapped sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead
skin cells to slowly drain to the surface. At
first look it would appear that the black color is
caused by dirt.
|
|
|
The black appearance is
actually a reaction of the skin's own pigment – melanin
- reacting with the oxygen in the air.
A blackhead tends to be a tough structure, and
often takes longer to clear.
When the acne lesions are inflamed appearing
as red, tender bumps with no head, they are called papules.
A papule when squeezed may exacerbate scarring.
A pustule is similar to
a whitehead appears as a red circle with a white or yellow
center. It is inflamed can be very painful when touched. Dermatologists
would call pustules as the garden variety “zit”.
Severe acne vulgaris is characterized by nodules and cysts.
As opposed to acne lesions, nodules are acne
spots which are much larger and appear as hard bumps under
the skin's surface. This form of acne can be quite
painful and can sometimes last for months. Scarring
is likely when not treated at the onset.
It is strictly
advised not to squeeze nodules as this may cause severe
trauma to the skin and the lesion may last for months longer
than it normally would. The swelling and scarring can be
prevented with a dermatologist-supervised professional
acne skin treatment program.
|
|
When a nodule is pus-filled,
and has been described as having a diameter of 5mm
or more across, the condition is already described
as an acne cyst.
Squeezing an acne cyst may
cause more painful inflammation and a deeper infection,
hence scarring is a common occurrence. Cyst
acne tend to linger can be nasty and pestering.
An
acne cyst treatment and a check with a dermatologist
is mandatory to lessen the swelling and minimize
deep scarring.
Acne rosacea appears as a red rash and
often accompanied by bumps, pimples, and skin blemishes.
|
This type of acne is normally confined to the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. Blood vessels may also become more visible on the skin surface. The condition is prevalent especially to people in their 30s and more prevalent in women, but often more severe when occurring in men.
Left untreated, acne rosacea can result to growth of excess tissue - a condition called rhinophyma - and can cause swelling of the nose. An acne scars treatment is required for this condition. It is important that acne skin care treatment to go with a doctor's opinion is at hand to determine is the condition if it is an acne vulgaris or rosacea.
Acne conglobata, the most severe form of acne vulgaris is characterized by numerous large lesions, which are sometimes interconnected, along with widespread blackheads. The face, chest, upper arms, back, buttocks, and thighs are the common affected areas. The condition is more common in males usually between 18 and 30 years. Isotretinoin is a recommended acne removal treatment although the condition is known to be resistant to most acne popular treatments.
|