Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects the oil glands of the skin. When excess oil gets trapped in the skin, it causes spots and pimples of varying sizes on the skin.
What are the symptoms of acne?
Acne is normally present on the face, neck, shoulders, chest and upper arms.
It most commonly occurs during puberty because the sebaceous glands are most active during that time. However, it can still occur at any age.
Factors that increase the risk of getting acne are:
- Certain medications that affect hormonal level
- Oily cosmetics
- Hormonal changes
- Stress
What are the types of acne?
Acne causes spots on the skin that are medically known as lesions. There are six types of acne:
- Blackheads – Clogged pores due to sebum and dead skin cells. Top of the pore remains open
- Whiteheads – Clogged pores due to sebum and dead skin cells. Top of the pore remains closed
- Papules – Walls of the clogged pores break due to inflammation. They skin is usually pink in color
- Pustules – Walls of the clogged pores break down. They are red in color and filled with pus
- Nodules – Clogged pores become swollen and increase in size
- Cysts – Clogged pores by a combination of sebum, dead skin cells and bacteria. These clogged pores occur deep inside the skin
Diagnosis:
A doctor will be able to diagnose acne by examining your skin. The number of spots and how painful they are will determine the severity of your acne. It is important to understand the severity of your acne in order to determine proper treatment for it.
Treatment:
If you only have a couple of blackheads, whiteheads or spots they can be treated with over the counter creams or gels.
However, if you have severe acne, your dermatologist will sit and determine what kind of treatment would work best for you. If over the counter medicines don’t work for you then your dermatologist might prescribe you some medication. Hormonal therapies can also be effective for women who have acne.
These treatments may take time so it is important to be patient and follow the treatment plan determinedly.
