Acne Articles

When pores and hair follicles become aggravated and form blemishes on the top of the skin it is known as acne. These blemishes can take many forms including pimples, cysts, abscesses, open comedos, and in more severe cases even permanent scars. Acne most commonly happens in both men and women during the teenage period called as puberty. This is when the body begins to have big changes in hormone levels as a result of building a grown-up, adult body that is capable of sex. Acne often affects young teenagers, but it is not limited to just this group. Acne can affect both sexes of all ages; sometimes throughout their complete lives. This is more rare but certainly not irregular.

Blemishes that appear more obviously on the skin are known as inflammatory acne. Inflammatory acne can mostly be seen on the face, but can develop on a number of other locations on the body such as the legs, chest, upper arms, back, shoulders, neck, and scalp. The pimple is the most obvious form of acne seen. This is when a pore or hair follicle becomes irritated and develops tiny red sores on the skin surface. This is usually the end result of a number of symptoms that are seen before the actual sore is fully developed. These symptoms include open comedos, whiteheads, cysts, and pustules. Blackheads are clogged pores that have a darker appearance with a hole at the top of the skin. They are more often than not found on the nose, but can also be observed on the cheeks and forehead as well. Closed comedos are a little bit different in that they don't have an open ended pore. They are marks that appear to be bulging out from beneath the skin. If not irritated for a few days whiteheads will form into pustules. If the zits are squeezed or popped, they will generally become more infected and could lead to permanent scarring. So it is a good idea to leave the closed comedos alone. People with whiteheads would be better off using a gently exfoliating cleanser, such as Proactiv solution or Neutrogena.

Sores with a whitish or yellowish hue are called pustules. They can form from whiteheads or blackheads. They are round sores that have become inflamed because of itirritated sebaceous glands. The human body has thousands of sebaceous glands that produce an oil-like substance known as sebum. Infection and irritation can start when the body produces an excess of sebum. Cysts are bigger pus filled sores that can be seen on the top but are in reality embedded within the skin. Because of the size and depth of the inflammation, cysts are often very unpleasant and can be as big as an inch across the affected area. They form as a result of the contents of a comedo moving across the infected area and the bodies defense mechanism of developing pus to minimize these aspects. Permanent scarring can result from cysts. There are two major types of pimples; non-inflammatory acne and inflammatory acne. Open comedos and closed comedos are the two major categories of non-inflammatory acne. A closed comedo is otherwise called a whitehead and appears on the skin surface as a small whitish or yellow bump. The open comedo is otherwise called a blackhead. It can be dark when seen but, contrary to popular belief, is not an excess of oil and grime. It is in reality a surplus of melanin, a chemical that makes up the pigment of the skin. Using a gently exfoliating cleanser with anti-inflammatory aspects like Proactiv or another restorative product that has aloe vera can minimize blackheads and whiteheads.

Whatever kind of acne there is, there is an effective treatment that is around and available.More knowledge of the different kinds of acne will give the acne sufferer a more complete idea of what the most efficient form of medication will be. Remember, blemishesdoesn’t have to make you suffer all your life. With a bit of research and time anybody can find the treatment that is correct for them.