Acne is Not the Same as Spots
There are several different forms of acne, depending on how or why the acne developed. Some of the kinds of acne are: acne conglobata (chronic boils); acne fulminans (an extreme form of conglobata); acne cosmetica (caused by cosmetics); acne keloidalis nuchae (from shaving); acne medicamentosa (caused by starting or stopping a medication); acne rosacea (redness on the face); baby acne; hormonal acne; cloracne and the common variety: acne vulgaris (better known as 'puberty spots'). We will take a closer look at acne vulgaris.
Acne vulgaris can be described as: 'an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits' (see article on "Acne" in Wikipedia).
Acne is most usually found in white Western teenagers, although it is to be found in every country in the world, so there may be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it could be an abnormal reaction to quite average levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, the condition lasts only until the age of twenty or so, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it may be a life-long problem. It usually appears on the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris shows itself in different many ways, including: whiteheads, caused by pores that are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not a result of dirt, but is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are like whiteheads, but are inflamed, and appear as red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not usually last for a long time; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is distinguished by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a rather larger and much more painful kind of pustule and can sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps just under the skin. They often result in scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.
A 'cyst' can look similar to a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been defined as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can cause scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst can cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which will last quite a bit longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have methods of lessening the swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just a myth that acne sufferers are not careful about washing.
In fact, excessive washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many false 'treatments' on the market and many, many old wives' remedies. However, any honest skin expert would tell you that there is no sure-fire remedy for acne and that the sufferer should follow a strict regimen of cleansing until the acne eventually 'disappears' on its own. - 17274
Acne vulgaris can be described as: 'an inflammatory disease of the skin, caused by changes in the pilosebaceous units (skin structures consisting of a hair follicle and its associated sebaceous gland). Acne lesions are commonly referred to as pimples, spots or zits' (see article on "Acne" in Wikipedia).
Acne is most usually found in white Western teenagers, although it is to be found in every country in the world, so there may be a genetic weakness to it. It is possible that it could be an abnormal reaction to quite average levels of testosterone. For most sufferers, the condition lasts only until the age of twenty or so, probably only a few years or at the most ten. For other people, however, it may be a life-long problem. It usually appears on the face, upper-chest, upper-arms and back. However, an occasional spot is not the same as acne.
Acne vulgaris shows itself in different many ways, including: whiteheads, caused by pores that are completely blocked, trapping sebum (oil), bacteria, and dead skin cells, causing a white appearance on the surface; blackheads, resulting from pores which are only partially blocked, allowing some of the trapped sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells to slowly drain to the surface (the black colour is not a result of dirt, but is a reaction of the skin's own pigment, called melanin, with the oxygen in the air); papules, which are inflamed, red, tender bumps with no head and pustules, which are like whiteheads, but are inflamed, and appear as red circles with a white or yellow centre.
Whiteheads do not usually last for a long time; blackheads can last a long time and pustules are what people usually refer to as spots or zits. Severe acne vulgaris is distinguished by nodules and cysts. A 'nodule' is a rather larger and much more painful kind of pustule and can sometimes last for months. Nodules are large, hard lumps just under the skin. They often result in scarring and should never for any reason be squeezed, since this could make them last for months longer.
A 'cyst' can look similar to a nodule, but it is full of pus and has been defined as having a diameter of at least 5mm and, again, can cause scars and cause pain. Squeezing an acne cyst can cause a more severe infection and more acute inflammation which will last quite a bit longer than if it had not been squeezed. Dermatologists have methods of lessening the swelling and avoiding scarring with both nodules and cysts. It is just a myth that acne sufferers are not careful about washing.
In fact, excessive washing can exacerbate acne. There are many, many false 'treatments' on the market and many, many old wives' remedies. However, any honest skin expert would tell you that there is no sure-fire remedy for acne and that the sufferer should follow a strict regimen of cleansing until the acne eventually 'disappears' on its own. - 17274
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