Acne Articles

Acne is a skin infection where the pores and hair follicles become irritated and inflamed, leading to facial marks that appear on the face and body. These marks can take many forms including pimples, cysts, abscesses, open comedos, and in worse cases even scarring. Acne most commonly happens in both men and women during the adolescent stage that is known as puberty. This is when the human body begins to develop big hormonal changes as a result of developing into a grown-up, adult body capable of sexual reproduction. Acne often afflicts teenage males, but it is not limited to just this group. Acne can affect both men and women of all ages; sometimes for their whole lives. This is more rare but without a doubt not abnormal.

Inflammatory and Non-infalammatory are the major kinds of acne. Open comedos and closed comedos are the two major categories of non-inflammatory acne. A closed comedo is also known as a whitehead and develops on the skin as a tiny white or yellow lump. An open comedo is also called a blackhead. An excess of dirt, despite what many say, is not the cause of blackheads. It is actually a build-up of melanin, a substance that makes up the pigment of the skin surface. Using a gently exfoliating cleanser with anti-inflammatory properties like Proactiv or another moisturizing product that has aloe vera can minimize blackheads and whiteheads.

Pustules are discolored sores that are filled with pus and have a whitish or yellowish hue. They can develop from whiteheads or blackheads. They are round sores that are inflamed because of itirritated sebaceous glands. The human body has thousands of sebaceous glands that produce an oil-like chemical called sebum. When the skin is exposed to too much sebum, the hair follicles and pores become aggravated and infected. Cysts are larger pus filled sores that can be seen on the surface but are actually embedded within the skin. 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 form as a result of the contents of a comedo moving across the affected area and the bodies natural defense of developing pus to minimize these aspects. Cysts can leave deep and permanent blemishes. Inflammatory acne is the more apparent of the two categories regarding skin appearance. Inflammatory acne can mostly be seen on the face, but can form on a number of other places on the body such as the shoulders, neck, chest, upper arms, scalp, back, and legs. The zit is the most obvious form of acne seen. A pimple is when the pore or hair follicle becomes irritated and forms small red sores on the skin surface. Before the sore is fully formed there are symptoms that can be seen. These signs include blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, and pustules. Open comedos are clogged pores that have a darker appearance with a hole at the surface of the epidermis. They are most often found on the nose, but can also be found on the cheeks and forehead also. Closed comedos are a little bit different in that they don't have an open ended pore. They are splotches that seem to be bulging out from under the skin. They will commonly turn into pustules if not aggravated for a couple of days. If the pimples are forced open or popped, they will commonly become more infected and could become scarred. So it is an excellent idea to leave the whiteheads alone. Acne sufferers 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.Greater knowledge of the various kinds of acne will give the acne sufferer a fuller idea of what the most effective form of treatment will be. Remember, zitsdoesn’t have to make you suffer all your life. With a bit of research and time anyone can find the treatment that is proper for them.