Acne Articles

Acne is a disorder of the skin where the pores and hair follicles become agitated and inflamed, leading to cosmetic spots that appear on the face and body. These marks can take many forms including pimples, cysts, abscesses, black heads, and in more severe cases even permanent scarring. Acne most commonly happens in both men and women during the teenage period called as puberty. This is when the body begins to have major changes in hormone levels as a result of building a mature, 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 all the way through their complete lives. This is more rare but definitely not irregular.

Blemishes that appear more obviously on the skin are called inflammatory acne. Inflammatory acne can mostly be seen on the face, but can appear on a variety of other places on the body like the shoulders, neck, chest, upper arms, scalp, back, and legs. The most typical form of acne seen is the pimple. A pimple is when the pore or hair follicle becomes irritated and forms small red spots on the skin surface. Before the sore is fully formed there are symptoms that can be seen. These signs include open comedos, whiteheads, cysts, and pustules. Blackheads are clogged pores that have a darker hue with an open end at the surface of the skin. The nose is the most common area that they appear but they can be seen on the cheeks and forehead as well. White heads are a little bit different in that they don't have an open ended pore. They are marks that seem to be bulged out from under the skin. If left alone for a few days whiteheads will develop into pustules. If they are forced open or popped, they will generally become more infected and could cause permanent scarring. So it is a good idea to leave the closed comedos alone. Acne sufferers with whiteheads should instead use a gently exfoliating cleanser, like Proactiv solution or Neutrogena.

Pustules are red sores that are filled with pus and have a whitish or yellowish color. They can form from whiteheads or blackheads. They are round sores that are inflamed because of aggravated sebaceous glands. The 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 irritated and infected. Cysts are larger pus filled sores that appear on the top but are in reality deep within the epidermis. Because of the size and depth of the inflammation, cysts are often very unpleasant and can be as large as an inch across the affected area. They appear as a result of the contents of a comedo moving across the affected area and the bodies defense mechanism of producing 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 also known as a whitehead and appears on the skin surface as a tiny white or yellowish lump. An open comedo is otherwise known as a blackhead. An excess of dirt, despite what many say, is not the cause of blackheads. It is in reality a surplus of melanin, a chemical that makes up the color of the skin surface. Blackheads and whiteheads can be minimized and controlled by using anti-inflammatory cleaners such as Proactiv or products that contain aloe vera.

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