Acne also known as acne vulgaris is a common skin condition. It is where the pores of your skin become blocked by hair, sebum, bacteria or dead skin cells. There are different types of acne, and we will be diving into the various types in this blog. Â
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Different Types of AcneÂ
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There are several types of lesions, and these lesions can be broken down into two main categories: Â
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- Inflammatory and Â
- Non-inflammatory acneÂ
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Inflammatory acne are pimples/lesions that are red and swollen (namely papules, pustules, nodules or cystic acne) whilst your non-inflammatory acne are your blackheads and whiteheads. These normally don’t cause swelling and generally respond well to over-the-counter medications.
Whiteheads – remain under the skin and are very smallÂ
- Blackheads – clearly visible, they are black and appear on the surface of the skin. Remember that a blackhead is not caused by dirt. Scrubbing your face vigorously when you see blackheads will not helpÂ
- Papules – visible on the surface of the skin. They are small bumps, usually pink that becomes inflamedÂ
Pustules – Pimples containing pus that is clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are red at their base and have pus at the top. They can cause scarring if picked or scratched. Â
Nobules – clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are large, solid pimples. They are painful and are embedded deep in the skinÂ
Cysts – clearly visible on the surface of the skin. They are painful and are filled with pus. Cysts can easily cause scars.Â
There are many different variables that can affect acne. Doctors and researchers believe that there are factors that can lead to the development of acne. These factors include excess of high oil production within the pores, a buildup of dead skin cells in the pores as well as a growth of bacteria in the pores. Â
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There are also factors that may increase your risk of developing acne. Â
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- Family history. Researchers believe that you may be more likely to get acne if your parents had acne.Â
- Age. People of all ages can get acne, but it is more common in teenagersÂ
- Hormones. An increase in androgens, which are hormones that play a role in reproductive health and body development, may lead to acne. These increase in both boys and girls normally during puberty and cause the sebaceous glands (oil-producing glands) to enlarge and make more sebum. Hormonal changes related to pregnancy can also cause acne. Â
- Medications. Certain medicines, such as medicines that contain hormones, corticosteroids, and lithium, can cause acne.Â
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Ever heard of someone saying that they can’t eat chocolate because they will get a pimple? While this is an old wife’s tale, there are some things that may trigger acne and make it worse. These things include diet, stress, environmental irritants such as pollution and high humidity, constant picking or squeezing at blemishes and scrubbing your skin to hard all affect the condition of your skin.Â
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We know that acne can have a major impact on your self-esteem. We are here to help you treat whichever degree or type of acne you are experiencing. Â
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For more information or to book a consultation with one of our expert Dermatologists contact us. Â Â
