|
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.
Other Resources:
Dr. Kiran Godse, Skin specialist, Laksh-deep Hospital.
http://www.lakshdeep.com/typesofacne.html
http://www.dermnetnz.org/pre/dna.acne/types.html
http://www.acnecontrol.net/acne.html
http://www.lakshdeep.com/typesofacne.html
http://www.acnecontrol.net
http://www.acnecontrol.net/acne.html
http://www.dermnetnz.org
http://www.acneworld.com
http://www.acnecontrol.net/acne.html
http://www.dermnetnz.org
|
