About Acne, its Types & Symptoms

 What is acne?

Acne is a chronic disease of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Some of the hallmarks of acne include blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, infected abscesses, and, rarely, scarring. Acne usually occurs during adolescence in both men and women. To be more specific, acne appears during puberty and tends to worsen in people with oily skin. Acne is bad for teenagers. In middle-aged women, only mild to moderate forms of acne occur. Acne is most commonly seen on the face. Other places where this can occur include the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp and shoulders, and legs. Most forms of acne are the result of hereditary and hormonal problems and have nothing to do with poor diet or hygiene.

types of acne

Acne starts the same for everyone, but it can take many forms and react in unique ways depending on the condition of the person's body. The underlying lesion, called a comedone, is the beginning of acne. A comedone is an enlarged hair follicle clogged with oil and bacteria below the surface of the skin, waiting for the right conditions to develop into an inflamed lesion. Every time the skin produces more oil, bacteria grow in the inflamed follicle. The surrounding skin becomes increasingly inflamed as the white blood cells fight off the intruders. The two main types of acne include non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne.

non-inflammatory acne

closed comedo:

If the plugged follicle remains below the surface of the skin, the lesion is called a closed comedo. It usually appears on the skin as small whitish bumps. This condition is also called white head.

open comedy:

If the plug enlarges and breaks through the surface of the skin, the lesion is called an open comedo. The dark appearance of cork is not due to dirt, but to the accumulation of melanin, an element of skin pigmentation. This condition is also known as acne.

inflammatory acne

Papule:

On the skin, it looks like a small dense pink bump. Papules are painful in nature and are often considered an intermediate step between non-inflammatory and overtly inflammatory lesions.

Pustule:

These are small round foci of inflammation containing visible pus that appear red at the base with a yellowish or whitish center. The pustules do not contain many bacteria. The inflammation is caused by chemical irritation of sebum components, such as free fatty acids.

Cyst:

These are large, purulent lesions that are usually deep in the skin. Cysts are very painful formations as they become inflamed. Cysts form as a result of the contents of the comedone splashing onto the surrounding skin and as a result of the local immune system's reaction to the formation of pus. The cysts often leave deep scars.

Acne conglobata:

This is a rare but serious form of inflammatory acne that develops mainly on the back, buttocks, and chest. In addition to the presence of pustules and cysts, there may be a pronounced bacterial infection.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of acne include persistent and recurring red spots or swelling on the skin, known as pimples. The pimples become inflamed and filled with pus. Pimples usually appear on the face, chest, shoulders, neck, or upper back. Some of the other symptoms include dark patches with open pores in the center, which are known as blackheads, raised spots under the skin without holes, which are known as whiteheads, and red bumps or pus-filled bumps, which are known as whiteheads. like pustules. Pustules can develop from blackheads or whiteheads. Swollen, fluid-filled lumps under the skin, known as cysts, are also a symptom of acne. These cysts can be up to an inch wide.