Types of Acne

Types of Acne
From a small red dot to large, pus-filled cysts...acne has many forms. These may be interrelated, meaning developing from one form to another, or may be completely independent in origin.
Acne develops when the hair follicle of skin gets plugged by overproduction of sebum, dead cells and become infected by bacteria. This leads to swelling, redness and pain at the site of infection.
Acne in different forms is defined primarily by its size and whether it is “inflammatory” of “non-inflammatory.” The beginning of acne is the smallest type of lesion, called a microcomedo. As the name indicates, it’s so small that it can not be seen without a microscope. This is just the beginning of acne formation. Depending on the growth of this microcomedo, it may develop in to an open comedo (blackheads) or closed comedo (whiteheads).
Comedonal acne most often infects the forehead and the chin. This acne might get worsen due to hormonal changes, humid weather and oily cosmetics such as sun-screens and petro-jelly based moisturizers.
Similar to comedo, but a bit more serious formation is that of pustules and nodules. Pustules are yellowish, pus-filled bumps, whereas nodules are larger and firm, inflamed swellings below the skin.
There is another form of acne, papules, which comes somewhere between inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. These papules, or typical pimples, are mildly inflamed. It shows redness but no pus formation is visible.
Nodules
Of these, nodules are the most severe form of acne. These are called cysts because of their pus-filled, sac-like formation. These cysts are the worst infection which spreads under the skin to the adjoining tissue around the primary infection site. cystic acne contains large amounts of pus and runs deep in the skin. These are very painful and the scarring caused by cystic acne is much more frequent than caused by any other form of acne.
Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is often cause by the pinching or squeezing of small pus-filled acne. This causes the pus to burst deep into the skin tissue. This triggers a body mechanism which sends white blood cells to the infected site to fight off bacteria. This results in swelling, causes deep rooted inflammation, and this deep infection causes pain. So keep in mind to keep your hands off your acne-infected skin, otherwise you will be spreading the infection deeper and creating more trouble for yourself.
Acne Vulgaris
The most common form of acne is called acne vulgaris, which comprises of both whiteheads and blackheads. This form of acne is incredibly easy to treat, as many don't know. 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the most recommended solutions available. Click here to read more.
Acne Rosacea
Middle aged adults often suffer from acne rosacea .This is characterized by flushing of the face and red nose caused by inflamed bumps. This infection takes place on chin and forehead. Because of the flushing face, it gives rise to wrong perceptions of the person being drunk, although this type of acne has absolutely nothing to do with drinking. In the severe form, Acne rosacea causes red nose or bulbous nose (rhinofima), especially in men. To read more about what is Rosacea, click here.
Infantile acne takes place in newborn babies, although not frequently. Sometimes it’s even present at the time of birth. It’s a mild form of acne and settles down in a few months. The reason is supposed to be fetal hormones, but sometimes excessive testosterone and follicle stimulating hormones are also found to be cause of infantile acne.
Acne that develops in the scalp and around the hairline is called scalp folliculitis. It is caused by increased oil in these areas and a lack of cleaning the accumulated dirt and oil. Dryness and flakiness in the scalp is also caused by excessive oil in the scalp. The oil and the acid produced by the scalp cause the acne to develop and make scalp flaky, dry and itchy. Make sure to use an acne-fighting shampoo when if you have one available.
Sometimes young women suffer from perioral dermatitis. Tiny papules and pustules occur on the chin, around the mouth and sometimes extend up to eyelids and forehead. Sometimes it is caused by the use of fluorinated toothpaste. Likewise, use of steroids (for sports purpose) could cause corticosteroid acne.
One severe form of acne is acne conglobata . This acne affects the face, chest and back extensively. It is a severe form of nodular cystic acne vulgaris. It is characterized by a presence of multiple inflamed and non-inflamed nodules and scars. It is commonly found in men. Acne fulminans is a rare and very severe form of acne conglobata associated with systemic symptoms. It nearly always affects males.

Symptoms

The most common form of acne is known as "acne vulgaris", meaning "common acne." Many teenagers get this type of acne. Excessive secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands accompanies the plugging of the pores with naturally occurring dead skin cells (corneocytes) blocking hair follicles. The accumulation of these corneocytes in the duct appears to be due to a failure of the normal keratinization process in the skin which usually leads to shedding of skin cells lining the pores. Oil secretions are said to build up beneath the blocked pore, providing a perfect environment for the skin bacteria Propionibacterium acnes and the lipophilic (oil/lipid-loving) yeast Malassezia[citation needed] to multiply uncontrollably. Under the microscope, however, there is no evidence of pooled trapped sebum.[original research?] Indeed the oil percolates through the plugged duct onto the surface. In response to the bacterial and yeast populations, the skin inflames, producing the visible lesion. The face, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms are especially affected. The typical acne lesions are: comedones, papules, pustules, nodules and inflammatory cysts known as cystic acne, one of the more severe forms. These are more inflamed and pus-filled or reddish bumps, that can easily lead to scarring or serious infections. Non-inflamed 'sebaceous cysts', more properly called epidermoid cysts, occur either in association with acne or alone but are not a constant feature. After resolution of acne lesions, prominent unsightly scars may remain.
Aside from scarring, its main effects are psychological, such as reduced self-esteem[2] and, according to at least one study, depression or suicide.[3] Acne usually appears during adolescence, when people already tend to be most socially insecure. Early and aggressive treatment is therefore advocated to lessen the overall impact to individuals.[2]

Acne vulgaris

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Different types of Acne Vulgaris: A: Cystic acne on the face, B: Subsiding tropical acne of trunk, C: Extensive acne on chest and shoulders.
Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots, plukes or zits.
The condition is most common in puberty. It is considered an abnormal response to normal levels of the male hormone testosterone. The response for most people diminishes over time and acne thus tends to disappear, or at least decrease, after one reaches his or her early twenties. There is, however, no way to predict how long it will take for it to disappear entirely, and some individuals will continue to suffer from acne decades later, into their thirties and forties and even beyond.[1] Acne affects a large percentage[specify] of humans at some stage in life.
The term acne comes from a corruption of the Greek άκμή (acme in the sense of a skin eruption) in the writings of Aëtius Amidenus. The vernacular term bacne or backne is often used to indicate acne found specifically on one's back.