About Acne, itsTypes & Symptoms
What is Acne?
Acne is a chronic disorder of the hair follicles and sebaceous
glands. Some of the characteristics of acne include black heads, pimples, cysts, infected
abscesses, and rarely scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and women.
To be more specific, acne starts during puberty and tends to get worse for people with oily
skin. Acne badly affects teenage boys. Only mild to moderate forms of acne occur in middle-
aged women. Acne can be seen most commonly on the face. The other places where it can occur
include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Most forms of acne
are the result of heredity and hormonal problems and has nothing to do with a harmful diet or
poor hygiene.
Types of acne
Acne starts in a similar way for all but can
take different forms and can react in a unique way according to the body conditions of the
individual. A basic lesion called the comedo is the begining of acne. The comedo is an
enlarged hair follicle plugged with oil and bacteria residing under the surface of your skin,
that waits for the right conditions to grow into an inflamed lesion. Whenever the skin
produces more oil, the bacteria grows within the swollen follicle. The surrounding skin
becomes increasingly inflamed as your white blood cells fight against the intruders. Two main
types of acne include non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.
Non-inflammatory
acne
Closed comedo:
If the plugged follicle stays below the surface of
the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. This usually appears on the skin as small,
whitish bumps. This condition is otherwise called as whitehead.
Open comedo :
If the plug enlarges and pushes through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an
open comedo. The dark appearance of the plug is not due to dirt, but due to the buildup of
melanin, the pigmentation element of the skin. This condition is otherwise called as
blackhead.
Inflammatory acne
Papule:
This appears on the skin
as a small, firm pink bump. The papules are tender in nature and are often considered an
intermediary step between non-inflammatory and clearly inflammatory lesions.
Pustule:
These are small round lesions that are inflamed and contain visible pus,
which appear red at the base with a yellowish or whitish center. Pustules do not contain a
large amount of bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation from sebum
components such as fatty free acids.
Cyst:
These are large pus-filled
lesions that are usually present deep within the skin. The cysts are very painful lesions, as
they are inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of a comedo spilling over the
surrounding skin and due to the response of the local immune system in producing pus. The
cysts often leave deep scars.
Acne conglobata:
This is a rare but serious
form of inflammatory acne that develops primarily on the back, buttocks, and chest. In
addition, to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be severe bacterial infection.
Symptoms
The common symptoms of acne include persistent, recurrent red spots
or swellings on the skin known as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and get filled with
pus. The pimples usually occur on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper portion of the
back. Some of the other symptoms include dark spots with open pores at the center, which are
known as blackheads, bulged spots under the skin without openings, which are known as
whiteheads, and red swellings or lumps filled with pus, which are known as pustules. The
pustules can develop from blackheads or whiteheads. Inflamed fluid-filled lumps under the skin
known as cysts are also a symptom of acne. These cysts can become as large as an inch
across.
