Pesky Pimples And Other Types Of Acne Explained
Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in middle school again!Those ridiculous growth spurts, the countless awkward moments and yes, oh yes, those notorious everyday acne issues.
Acne is a fact of life that affects nearly all adolescents and can even extend into the later years of life for some.
Hardly anybody is immune and it is often viewed as a passage rite into adulthood.
This disease results from clogged pores and usually appears on a variety of upper body areas such as the face, arms, back and neck.
The severity in which one is afflicted greatly varies from case to case and while usually harmless, acne can potentially lead to disfigurement through permanent scarring.
While most may be familiar with the common pimple, acne can appear in several forms including comedones, macules, papules, pustules, nodules and cystic lesions.
In this article, we will discuss the definitions of these types of acne and how they differentiate from each other.
Comedone When dead skin cells, hairs, oil and bacteria accumulate in a sebaceous follicle on the skin's surface, the consequence is mild infection and inflammation.
When a comedone is open it is referred to as a "blackhead" and when closed it is known as a "whitehead".
Although "blackheads" appear to be dirt trapped under the skin it is rather the oil's hyperpigmented reaction with the air that causes the black appearance.
"Whiteheads" appear as a result of phagocytes attempting to destroy the built-up bacteria to diminish the chances of infection.
The accumulation of phagocytes trapped under the surface of a closed comedone gives the white appearance on this type of acne.
Macule After an acne lesion has been healed, the red spot that remains for days and weeks following is known as a macule.
Several of these persisting at a time can contribute to the affected area having an inflamed appearance.
Characteristic of this type is a light red color with a clean, clear-cut border.
Papule A papule is a small, hard lesion that is difficult to see and often has a rough feel to the touch.
This type of acne is usually slightly raised above the skin surface.
Pustule This type of acne is very fragile and contains pus resulting from bacteria, phagocytes and dead skin cells.
These pustules often form on hair follicles and are commonly referred to as "pimples".
Nodule Nodules are hard, inconsistently shaped lesions and are often accompanied by inflammation and severe pain.
These can often manifest themselves in deeper layers of the skin resulting in permanent scarring.
This type of acne is often very difficult to treat.
Cystic Lesions Cystic lesions are believed to be relatively rare but nevertheless may have a permanent scarring effect on those afflicted.
This form of acne is generally characterized by large, pus-filled sites that are severely inflamed and followed by scarring resulting from the lesions anchoring themselves in the deeper layers of skin.
As you can see, there are a myriad of acne types that have their own definite characteristics.
The types of acne that one may find include comedones, macules, papules, pustules, nodules and cystic lesions.
As Americans continue to spend millions of dollars annually on acne medications and treatment methods, it is critical that the purchaser is aware of the various types of acne that exist.
The reasoning for this is the wildly differing responses that certain types have to various treatment methods.
Acne is a fact of life that affects nearly all adolescents and can even extend into the later years of life for some.
Hardly anybody is immune and it is often viewed as a passage rite into adulthood.
This disease results from clogged pores and usually appears on a variety of upper body areas such as the face, arms, back and neck.
The severity in which one is afflicted greatly varies from case to case and while usually harmless, acne can potentially lead to disfigurement through permanent scarring.
While most may be familiar with the common pimple, acne can appear in several forms including comedones, macules, papules, pustules, nodules and cystic lesions.
In this article, we will discuss the definitions of these types of acne and how they differentiate from each other.
Comedone When dead skin cells, hairs, oil and bacteria accumulate in a sebaceous follicle on the skin's surface, the consequence is mild infection and inflammation.
When a comedone is open it is referred to as a "blackhead" and when closed it is known as a "whitehead".
Although "blackheads" appear to be dirt trapped under the skin it is rather the oil's hyperpigmented reaction with the air that causes the black appearance.
"Whiteheads" appear as a result of phagocytes attempting to destroy the built-up bacteria to diminish the chances of infection.
The accumulation of phagocytes trapped under the surface of a closed comedone gives the white appearance on this type of acne.
Macule After an acne lesion has been healed, the red spot that remains for days and weeks following is known as a macule.
Several of these persisting at a time can contribute to the affected area having an inflamed appearance.
Characteristic of this type is a light red color with a clean, clear-cut border.
Papule A papule is a small, hard lesion that is difficult to see and often has a rough feel to the touch.
This type of acne is usually slightly raised above the skin surface.
Pustule This type of acne is very fragile and contains pus resulting from bacteria, phagocytes and dead skin cells.
These pustules often form on hair follicles and are commonly referred to as "pimples".
Nodule Nodules are hard, inconsistently shaped lesions and are often accompanied by inflammation and severe pain.
These can often manifest themselves in deeper layers of the skin resulting in permanent scarring.
This type of acne is often very difficult to treat.
Cystic Lesions Cystic lesions are believed to be relatively rare but nevertheless may have a permanent scarring effect on those afflicted.
This form of acne is generally characterized by large, pus-filled sites that are severely inflamed and followed by scarring resulting from the lesions anchoring themselves in the deeper layers of skin.
As you can see, there are a myriad of acne types that have their own definite characteristics.
The types of acne that one may find include comedones, macules, papules, pustules, nodules and cystic lesions.
As Americans continue to spend millions of dollars annually on acne medications and treatment methods, it is critical that the purchaser is aware of the various types of acne that exist.
The reasoning for this is the wildly differing responses that certain types have to various treatment methods.
