Acne Articles

Acne is a common disorder where the hair follicles and pores become agitated and inflamed, leading to facial spots that appear on the face and body. These imperfections can take many forms including zits, cysts, abscesses, open comedos, and in worse cases even scarring. Acne most commonly happens in both women and men during the teenage period known as puberty. This is when the body begins to undergo obvious hormonal changes as a result of developing into a grown-up, adult body capable of sexual reproduction. Acne most commonly afflicts teenage males, but it is not limited to just this group. Acne can affect both sexes of all ages; sometimes for their complete adult lives. This is less common but definitely not exceptional.

Pustules are red sores that are filled with pus and have a whitish or yellowish color. Whiteheads and blackheads develop from pustules. They are round sores that are inflamed because of aggravated sebaceous glands. The human body has thousands of sebaceous glands that produce an oil-like substance called sebum. When the skin is exposed to too much sebum, the hair follicles and pores become agitated and infected. 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 painful and can be as big as an inch across the infected area. They develop as a result of the contents of a comedo moving across the infected area and the bodies natural defense of developing pus to reduce these aspects. Cysts can leave deep and permanent scars. Inflammatory and Non-infalammatory are the major types of acne. Open comedos and closed comedos are the two major kinds of non-inflammatory acne. A closed comedo is otherwise known as a whitehead and appears on the skin as a small white or yellow spot. An open comedo is also called a blackhead. It is dark in appearance but, despite popular belief, is not an excess of dirt. It is in reality a surplus of melanin, a substance that makes up the color of the skin. Blackheads and whiteheads can be minimized and controlled by using anti-inflammatory cleaners such as Proactiv or others that contain aloe vera.

Inflammatory zits are the more obvious of the two kinds in regard to skin appearance. Inflammatory acne can mostly be seen on the face, but can appear on a number of other locations on the body such as the shoulders, neck, chest, upper arms, scalp, back, and legs. The pimple is the most obvious form of acne seen. A pimple is when the pore or hair follicle becomes irritated and forms tiny red sores on the skin surface. This is usually the end result of a variety of symptoms that are visible before the actual sore is fully developed. These symptoms include blackheads, closed comedos, cysts, and pustules. Open comedos are clogged pores that have a darker appearance with a hole at the surface of the epidermis. The nose is the most common area that they appear but they can appear on the cheeks and forehead as well. White heads are slightly different in that they don't have a pore opening. They are splotches that seem to be bulging out from under the skin. Whiteheads will often turn into pustules if not irritated for a few days. If the pimples are forced open or popped, they will generally become more infected and could become permanently scarred. So it is an excellent idea to leave the whiteheads alone. People with whiteheads should instead use a gently exfoliating cleanser, such as Proactive solution or Noxema.

Whatever kind of acne there is, there is an effective treatment that is out there and available.More knowledge of the various kinds of acne will give the person a more complete idea of what the best form of medication will be. Remember, blemishesdoesn’t have to make you suffer all your life. With some research and time everyone can find the treatment that is perfect for them.