Types of Acne

Virtually everyone has had some form of acne at some time in there life even if it's only just a few blackheads.

Maybe you were/are unfortunate enough to suffer with more severe acne, as I was.

Either way understanding better what you're dealing with will certainly help your battle with acne. So below we will discuss the different types of acne and there severity.

Acne Vulgaris - mild/moderate

The most common form of acne is acne Vulgaris, in it's mild to moderate cases it concises of the following:

Blackheads:

These give there appearance not from dirt as you may think but from the skins own pigment having a reaction with the air. They come about from a pore being partially blocked allowing sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly escape to the surface. These can take awhile to clear. They are known also as open comedones.

Whiteheads:

These appear when the pore becomes completely blocked. As oxygen can not react(oxidize) with the material they remain white. As whiteheads aren't as solid a structure as blackheads they don't stick around as long. They are known also as closed comedones.

Papules:

These are inflamed bumps which have to head and contain no puss. You would be wise not to try squeezing these either.

Pustules:

These are similar to the above but have an inflamed red outer circle with the center being either white or yellow.

Acne Vulgaris - Severe

Severe form of vulgaris consists of nodules and cysts:

Nodules:

These are large bumbs in appearance and hard beneath the skins surface, they can sometimes last for months. No attempt should be made to squeeze these as scarring is common and you're likely to just prolong there stay.

Acne Cysts:

Acne cyst may have a look similar to that of a nodule and aleast 5mm across. They are painful and contain puss. Scarring can also result from these and squeezing will only aggrevate the problem further.

Acne Rosacea

Acne Rosacea is an often misunderstood condition that is often confused with acne vulgaris. It's estimated to effect over 45 million people, being more common in people over the age of 30 and mainly women.

It normally effects the areas of the face such as forehead, cheeks, nose and chin and resembles the appearance of a rash. It also can bring with it bumps and pimples.

It can make the blood vessels under the skin more visible and if left untreated swelling can occur and excess tissue growth also.

More severe forms of acne

The following forms of acne are rare and can be disfiguring bringing great distress to the suffer.

Acne Conglobata:

This form of acne vulgaris is the most severe and more often in males with the onset being between 18 and 30. Acne conglobata appearance has that of lots of sizable lesions. It can leave the skin with irrevocable damage and unsightly scarring.

Acne Fulminans:

A sudden onset of conglobata with ulcerating acne often apparent. Also a difference of Acne fulminans is that it also brings with it a fever and aching joints. And can also leave you with disfiguring scarring.

Pyoderma Faciale:

Pyoderma Faciale onset is sudden and only females are affected, between the age of 20 to 40. It appears only on the face consisting of sores, large painful nodules and pustules, generally lasting no longer than a year but can still cause alot of damage.

Whiteheads
Blackheads
Papules
Pustules
Nodules
Cysts
Acne Conglobata
Acne Fulminan
Gram-Negative Folliculitis
Pyoderma Faciale